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Old bike trailers and the law


suzuki250
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I’ve just tied up an old bike trailer, and have replaced lights, tyres, some welding and a fresh paint job.

But it has no chassis plate, I’m guessing it’s a homebuilt or modified small trailer

Whats the law on not having a chassis plate on an old trailer?  

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All trailers need their gross and unladen weight clearly shown on the plate.  Older trailers do not need a VIN number nor are they subject to type approval.  The gross weight is the maximum the suspension units or axle is capable of carrying (e.g. 400Kg) and the unladen is the weight of the trailer (e.g. 123Kg) the maximum load is the difference (in this example 277Kg).  Lights can be integral or a removable lighting board.  The vehicle must show reflective red triangles to the rear.  If the vehicle lights are clearly visible you can get away without lighting but it is a grey area.  Tyres need to be roadworthy in accordance with normal tyre law.

You can get the trailer weighed at a weighbridge and the suspension might have a rating on it if you are lucky.  You could - if you have that data - make a plate.  It should really have the date of "manufacture" but if you don't know it cannot.

If it is in good order like yours the chances of getting stopped are slim and the chances of the police knowing anything at all about trailer law is slim.  The DVSA (formerly VOSA) are the people to watch.  If you tow for hire or reward they have jurisdiction.  A commercial vehicle - van or 4X4 - towing is something they like to stop.  If the total permissible weight is over 3500Kg (i.e. a 3.5 tonne van and a bike trailer) the vehicle should have a tachograph.  There are "grey" areas but they tend not to see the grey just their own point of view :)

Hire and reward can be construed as towing a competition vehicle for which a prize could be awarded.  (I kid you not).

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For gross and unladen weight, make up some numbers that seem reasonable. If it’s a fairly light trailer, put one wheel on your bathroom scales (when SWMBO is not at home!), double it and add a little bit for the noseload and that’s your unladen weight. Now add on your bike weight and round up to the next 50kg. That’s your gross weight. Now make a sticker with those numbers and put it on the trailer. If it’s a tidy looking trailer that doesn’t look like it might be unroadworthy, no-one is going to bother you.

Edited by trapezeartist
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14 hours ago, suzuki250 said:

I'm 99% sure its an old gracecourt skivvy chassis (Gross 200kg), but the chassis plate has long gone!

Fair enough - you can be 99% certain that the GVW is 200Kg.  Can you lift the trailer?  So you know roughly what it weighs and as trapezartist says it is unlikely anyone will ever both you.  Not 100% kosher but near enough unless something is very wrong.  If the lights work and the ratchet straps or fixings are good the police will be happy.  (Ratchet straps need a CE mark)  Hopefully DVSA have better things to do.

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Looks like the old style wheel with a bearing built in.  You might struggle a bit with that.  If it is the 25mm you can get them but not sure about the old 1" ones.

 

Looks a nice job though,  :thumbup:

Edited by ChrisCH
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