# Missing Weight Information



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

I was thinking about towing one of those new Hydra Trail Bike Carriers and it set me to wondering what my Maximum Gross Train Weight was. I looked at the plate by the hab door and that just shows Max Weight as being 3200kg, no axle weights or any other information.

So I looked under the bonnet. The Peugeot plate is there but only shows the VIN number. No weight info at all but in any case this would be superceded by the converters plate.

The only axle weight information I have is in the Sales Leaflet that the original owner had kept and passed on. It gives the Max weight as 3200kg which matches the plate by the door and the axle weights as 1650 and 1750 respectively.

The motorhome came with a towbar attached but I don't think was ever used as such because there was no tow ball. I use it to mount a bike rack at present.

So where do I stand from a legal point of view? If I was stopped at a roadside check for instance I have no plated axle weights and incidentally there is nothing on the V5 at all pertaining to weights.

Do I have to show a Max Train Weight to be able to tow anything?

JohnW


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

See the answer to Q2 on the linked document. It only refers to cars but perhaps there are seperate specifications for commercial vehicles.
You really need to refer to the the base vehicle manufacturer to determine whether the base vehicle was approved for towing and what it's Maximum Train Weight was, assumming it had one.
Then do the same with the vehicle converter to see if they changed it.
[ My X250 has a Fiat plate where the Train Weight is 6000kg which has been supersed by the Converter's plate which has lowered it to 4800kg.]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/towingwithvehiclesfrequently4577

Is there anything in the paperwork that you have which says what the maximum weight of any trailer is, perhaps with the axle weight innfo that you have?


----------



## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

*Hydra - Weight*

Good Evening Wizzo and All

Do you know what the weight of the hydra assembly complete ready to carry a bike is?

Also do you know how much of that weight load is transferred to the vehicle - or looked at another way, by what % of the total Hydra Trail + Bike weight goes to reducing the MH's spare capacity available?


----------



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

RayC: Thanks for the link but it would appear that ECWVA only covers cars at present and in any case it is unlikely that it would go back as far as the production of my vehicle (1996/7).

Daedalas: I am not sure what the weight of the Hydra Trail is (it is new but a couple of people on here have one or have ordered one). Let's assume it weighs 40kg + the weight of the prospective bike 120kg = 160kg total. It claims to put 20% of the total weight back onto the towball so that would be 32kg, probably about the same as the bikes and rack I have on at present.

It may be that the original Boxer was never intended to tow but my van has an Alko chassis onto which the towbar is attached. It would seem that the manufacturers would be the people to ask.

There is no information on Train weight on any document at all. That still leaves the question of plated axle weights (which I also don't have) and where do I stand legally. Anyone care to hazard a guess?

JohnW


----------



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Update:

I have asked the converters but they have no information whatsoever on the question of whether or not I can tow anything or if a Max Gross Train Weight ever existed for the van.

If a MGTW doesn't exist for the van and I do decide to tow then would this mean that the whole assembly (van and trailer) has to fall within the MTPLM?

Any suggestions as to where I go next? Or do I just hitch up and be damned?

JohnW


----------

