Towing a small Trailer

[KyleMorrisEvans92]

Hello, I am considering a small trailer to pull along to camping holidays and when staying over at shows. Will my moggy cope with the weight of a small trailer with the usual camping paraphernalia. Its a 1098cc original set up. What is the maximum weight it could pull.

Thanks

Kyle

[GreenGiant57]

I towed a small trailer full of holiday camping gear for a family of 4 behind my 1966 1098 Traveller for at least 8 annual holidays with out any real problems, other than the smell of hot brake shoes when descending long hills!! I never did learn to reverse a trailer properly though!

[KyleMorrisEvans92]

That's great, I'm thinking something retro looking

[mike.perry]

The laden weight of an unbraked traier must not exceed 3/4 of the weight of the towing vehicle.
I manage to tow a camping trailer quite successully behind my Series MM[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[LouiseM]

I'm thinking something retro looking

Some of the older style trailers are heavy so you could reduce the weight by 'customising' a lightweight trailer to suit:[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Make sure your Driving Licence allows you to tow a trailer...........

[Tea]

We've just towed a moderately sized 4 berth trailer tent for the first time with a standard 1098 engine. The trip was around 100 miles each way and the car coped perfectly. Obviously a little slow up hill in 2nd or 3rd gear, but we cruised quite happily at 55-60mph.

[AndrewSkinner]

I tow lots with my Morris with no issues at all (948cc). I have a braked trailer though which is helpful. Brakes are about the only thing that would/could be a worry.[frame][/frame]

[AndrewSkinner]

PS that's the Trailer Tent I tow, its got a gross weight of 550KG but braked.

As long as you follow the trailer rules (weight and brakes) you license will allow you to tow anything with a Morris Minor. You only need to worry when the gross weight of the vehicle (3500KG) + Trailer (750KG) exceeds 4250KG. A lot of misconception around about towing and licenses. A standard car license will let you tow a fair bit even if it was passed recently!

https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driv ... ou-can-tow

[bmcecosse]

Watch out for the clutch - I used to tow my racing Mini on a trailer behind my Minor -and ripped the centre plate out of the clutch, which was a bit of a nuisance.....

[KyleMorrisEvans92]

Thanks for all your posts. I especially like the roof box trailer, very smart !

[Matt]

The laden weight of an unbraked traier must not exceed 3/4 of the weight of the towing vehicle.

No, sorry Mike, not correct!

The Maximum Authorised Mass (or maximum gross weight) legally cannot exceed half of the KERB (not actual) weight of the towing vehicle. So... on a minor that would be ~375kg maximum. Thats the plated weight of the trailer. For example you cannot tow an unbraked trailer plated at 500kg, whether it has anything in it or not. If your trailer was made before 1982 then it doesn't need to have a weight plate - BUT the "plate" weight can be calculated by VOSA by looking at the weight rating of the tyres and adding them together.

Without a weight plate on the trailers shown, you are probably towing illegally! Lets say (for example) you have 2 mini wheels on your trailer which have a load rating of 74 (as most 145/80/R10 have). Thats a rating of 375kg EACH, so without a weight plate, VOSA would consider it to be rated to 750kg, which is more than half the unladen weight of a minor and would be illegal.

If its a braked trailer, with a B+E license (pre 1997) you can tow what you want. If you don't have B+E (post 1997 unless you have done the test) you would be limited to a braked trailer plated up to 750kg (as the kerb weight of a minor is approx 760kg).

BUT I have also read that a minor should not physically tow more than about 600kg, this is advice and not a legal requirement.

Written from my knowledge (I have done A LOT of research on the legalities of towing) - but confirmation in my links below.

Good description of what you can tow with your liscence here http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg ... 067672.pdf

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/Q ... ailers.pdf

[mike.perry]

I knew I should have checked The Trailer Manual

[AndrewSkinner]

Just out of interest...... what towbars do people use? I tow with a homemade one that bolts into several places on the boot floor and also utilises the bumper irons. Ive seen a few towbars that only bolt onto the bumper irons

What are you towing with? homemade? manufactured? where does it bolt onto etc?

[GreenGiant57]

Mine was homemade from angle iron and plate and was bolted to the two bumper supports with a further shaped bracket which bolted with a support plate above and below the floor, to the flat portion of the floor behind the angled section that supports the spare wheel securing screw.

[Matt]

Mine (traveller) is a manufacturer one, it bolts on to the bumper irons and into the boot floor.

I havent actually used it though

[AndrewSkinner]

That's cool. I found the manufactured ones to be quite rare and were mainly for travellers.

Im wondering if anyone has fabricated a removable one yet? Its something that is on my list of jobs to do!

[LouiseM]

I found the manufactured ones to be quite rare and were mainly for travellers.

Watling engineers & Witter manufacture Minor tow bars, and most of the Minor parts suppliers also supply them so they are pretty easy to get hold of. Mine is a manufactured one and fits to the bumper and boot floor.

[NOEL]

I also fitted a manufactured Watling model, this came complete with all instructions for fitting and wiring, you need to drill two addtional holes in the floor and remove the rear bumper/valance to fit and then re attach this item to secure. For the electrics I used scotch locks supplied with the kit, it even comes with a warning buzzer re the indicator lights
I use mine for removing garden waste, rubble, transporting all sorts of stuff including a fidge( not at the same time). mine is also a standard 1098 cc and it copes fine with it, important things are how you distribute the weight, particularly at the front of the trailer. one last tip, reversing takes a bit of getting used to re opposite lock, try and practice in a deserted area first to avoid being embarrassed.

[AndrewSkinner]

Awesome to hear about so many people towing with their moggies still I like it when a car is still used and used well!

I have another problem im trying to overcome which is my wiring. I currently have sidelights and brake lights but no indicators. I am still running just trafficators so my plan is to wire in a separate flasher unit in the boot so any trailer attached will still have flashing indicators.

Currently I just have a big sign saying 'No indicators, watch for trafficators' this normally makes police laugh but haven't been pulled yet!