New Trailer Regulations

[halcyon]

I think it might help a bit. At least there will be a basic check that (at least at the time of the inspection!) tyres have the right load carrying capacity, the hitch (if braked) is matched to the brakes and that the brakes themselves meet some kind of standard. It should also ensure that people have correctly positioned lights and reflectors. Must admit, I don't know how that would work in the context of a boat trailer where the boat isn't present at the time of the inspection!

Brake approval came in early - mid 1970, spent 4 years of my life falling out with the DOE on it's implementation. Covered brakes, overrun hitches and their operation, the trailers they are fitted to also needed approval.

Brian

 

[Lakesailor]

Why not? It's exactly how the system works at present if you build a car to your own design in your back garden. You have to take it to VOSA to inspect it and certify it for use on the road. One of their testing stations is near me. Seems entirely logical, if they insist on checking them, to just extend the same system to trailers.

Pete

erm....because of the other bit of my post

A local trailer builder has done a course with VOSA and has a pad of forms to self-inspect trailers. It is someone like him who could inspect your home-built trailer and, if up to regs, enter on his register. This means you would face a charge for the inspection

 

[single]

I'm amazed trailers don't need an annual MOT.(especially boat trailers)
Always getting problems with brakes and bearings. Got pulled once with a caravan and they were strict on the weight etc and big fines apparently.

 

[halcyon]

I'm amazed trailers don't need an annual MOT.(especially boat trailers)
Always getting problems with brakes and bearings. Got pulled once with a caravan and they were strict on the weight etc and big fines apparently.

Slight side track, but it just reminded me, back in 1960 / 1970 Rubery Owen ( English company ) was supplying the German army with trailers, so much for German engineering

Brian

 

[Avocet]

Brake approval came in early - mid 1970, spent 4 years of my life falling out with the DOE on it's implementation. Covered brakes, overrun hitches and their operation, the trailers they are fitted to also needed approval.

Brian

Yes, but I think there was a difference between what SHOULD have been done and what WAS done! I'm sure the brake manufacturers would have been diligent, but what the builders then did with the units and hitches is probably more suspect!

 

[maxi77]

Slight side track, but it just reminded me, back in 1960 / 1970 Rubery Owen ( English company ) was supplying the German army with trailers, so much for German engineering

Brian

On the other-hand the Germans now have a very big share of the caravan parts business.

 

[Croak]

According to this web site you don't need to test your one off until 2014!


http://armitagetrailers.com/trailerlaw.htm

 

[Avocet]

That's only "special purpose" trailers. Not quite sure what they have to do to qualify as one of those, but I think it means the really big one-offs for moving a particular item of plant or equipment like a space rocket or something.

 

[Croak]

Boat trailer with launching ability.

Strangely boat trailers seem to have a different set of rules to everything else with the regulations quite often stating "except boat trailers"

I had to adapt a trailer to take a boat to Southampton to be shipped to Canada. I spent a good week researching to make sure I had everything right. I would read reams of legislation To find the words "except boat trailers at the bottom of it.

I have never found the odd bits of legislation that apply to only boat trailers to fill in the gaps.

 

[rafiki_]

You should be able to find all the info you need on the VCA website, as they are the approval authority. VOSA is appointed by VCA to undertake IVA's only. Small Series and full Type Appro is carried out by VCA. Registration of smaller trailers, O1 and O2 is the responsibility of the retailer. O3 and O4 are plated and tested annually by VOSA. Home builds will be IVA'd by VOSA, and they will keep a record. The scheme is both to improve safety, and to help exports. With Small Series and Whole Vehicle approvals, other Eu member states accept the approval, so no need for the old National Appro in each country.

Implementation date was 29 Oct this year.

 

[pagoda]

I'm amazed trailers don't need an annual MOT.(especially boat trailers)
Always getting problems with brakes and bearings. Got pulled once with a caravan and they were strict on the weight etc and big fines apparently.

I have a combi dinghy trailer, which is about 150Kg all up, is NEVER in water and gets used only a few times a year.

One fairly recent MOT related change is that if your car/van has a towball, you MUST have a fully functional socket for your light bar. Brakes / fog / reverse /direction etc etc. MOT test stations have socket test devices now.

Graeme

 

[Croak]

I have a combi dinghy trailer, which is about 150Kg all up, is NEVER in water and gets used only a few times a year.

One fairly recent MOT related change is that if your car/van has a towball, you MUST have a fully functional socket for your light bar. Brakes / fog / reverse /direction etc etc. MOT test stations have socket test devices now.

Graeme

Not quite true as it is only for modern cars, My old VW isn't tested.

 

[Lakesailor]

One fairly recent MOT related change is that if your car/van has a towball, you MUST have a fully functional socket for your light bar. Brakes / fog / reverse /direction etc etc. MOT test stations have socket test devices now.

Graeme

Not quite true again. The testing of the socket only applies if you have a 13pin socket.
If you have a 7 pin socket they should only test the security of the socket. Testers Manual

 

[Avocet]

You should be able to find all the info you need on the VCA website, as they are the approval authority. VOSA is appointed by VCA to undertake IVA's only. Small Series and full Type Appro is carried out by VCA. Registration of smaller trailers, O1 and O2 is the responsibility of the retailer. O3 and O4 are plated and tested annually by VOSA. Home builds will be IVA'd by VOSA, and they will keep a record. The scheme is both to improve safety, and to help exports. With Small Series and Whole Vehicle approvals, other Eu member states accept the approval, so no need for the old National Appro in each country.

Implementation date was 29 Oct this year.

My understanding is that most Member States will not accept each other's NATIONAL Small Series approvals, only EC Small Series. Also, although the implementation date was 29th October, there's a bit of "wriggle room" because there re implementation dates for "new types" and different dates for "existing types". Given that the notion of an "existing type" approval (for a category of vehicle that didn't need a type approval in the UK previously!), is a somewhat nebulous concept, the UK authorities decided to treat every trailer as an "existing type" for this purpose, so it wasn't mandatory for trailers on 29/10/12

 

[Lakesailor]

That's the basis I finished my mods to my trailer on the 28th October on

 

[Avocet]

I finished the ones I intend to make to mine back in the 1970s sometime...

 

[Jim@sea]

Its all part of us slipping into Europe.
When in France I bought a Brand New Boat Trailer. There was no weight Plate. In order to stop you using it before you have it registered you have to take it to a French MOT Station (Control Technique) where they give you the documents for a French Trailer Registration Plate Number and presumably they issue the weight plate following inspection.
I did not bother as I was bringing the trailer back to the UK. (Where boat trailers are better and cheaper)
Presumably the Euro Trailer Regulations are to be implemented here.
Probably when with cars we move to a car MOT after the first 4 years and thereafter every 2 years.