Towing a small Trailer

[Matt]

well if your car wasn't originally fitted with indicators (and they haven't been fitted later) there is no need for the trailer to have flashing indicators either!

[chesney]

Our trailer has just brake lights fitted, but even then they have no legal obligation to be connected Which can make things a bit 'hairy' at night!

[bigjim]

not sure of the gross trail weight on a minor but you can normally tow upto the same weight as the car although recomendation is less than 90 % but unbraked maximum trailer weight is 750 kg this is allowed on any licence ,even new ones allow up to 750 kg

[bigjim]

oh and my towbar on 57 4 door saloon was no rear bumper and 2" box section bolted onto bumper mounts never had any problems and i used to tow a mobile disco regularly on it

[rayofleamington]

I've also had to research towing rules / trailer legislation and I have to say it's actually pretty hard to find the information.
Certainly you can't expect to find it in one place!

In a previous job we had to change the plating of our auto trailer as the max weight + max weight of the tow vehicle (Sprinter) meant that we needed a tacho! We had the trailer plated down to a lower weight (still enough for the cars we moved to/from a test house) and then it was legal without a tacho, but only on the older driving licenses!

The construction and use rules mean you are more free to modify an 'old' trailer built before the rules are in place. Under the current rules you are VERY restricted to modify a trailer (wheels, axle, length, width, hitch).
However if you for example fit a modern sprung beam axle to an old trailer - then the rating of the axle (or tyres if they are less) would be considered to be your rated weight - even if it exceeds the intended / original trailer design weight.