Wanted plans to make a "TEAR" trailer

["HIGH TOWER"]

Dont think this is going to be a problem but not to shure on the legal side . want to build a tear so we dont have to kip on the grass. but i am a big bloke so this is going to be big .but rear of trike is 6 foot so dont need to worry on that front . how much can i tow both as a braked trailer and an unbraked trailer ?. was told three quaters of all up weight ?.any body know of any plans kicking around that will give me ideas. THANKS.

[triker_gal]

best person to ask about the legal side of it and the weights would be here:

http://www.trailersunlimited.co.uk/

He's a very nice man cos he made my coffin ;)

[dracken1]

this guy builds one on his site.
not comphrensive but you could try mailing him.

click the teardrop tab on the left

trikenest (http://www.trikenest.freeserve.co.uk/)

[odie]

it works on the weight of the vehicle:
you can tow up to 3/4 of the weight of the vehicle unbraked, up to 750 kilo's
(wife works for a trailer company)
Can find out about braked trailers if you want?

["HIGH TOWER"]

it works on the weight of the vehicle:
you can tow up to 3/4 of the weight of the vehicle unbraked, up to 750 kilo's
(wife works for a trailer company)
Can find out about braked trailers if you want?
thanks for that odie my trike is heavy but its not three quarters of a ton. will get it down the weigh bridge tomorrow so i know what i have to play with. So the obvious question how much /what % can i pull with a braked trailer ?.

["HIGH TOWER"]

thanks dracken 1 just what the doctor ordered all it needs is a small adjustment for big blokes no probs. Not leaving you out T/G had a squizz at your site as well they should be able to supply the bits required. time to warm up the grinder . thanks for your help :cool:

["HIGH TOWER"]

Just took it down the weigh bridge . 720 kilos, three quarters of a ton. Now going on your info I can pull three quarters of 720 Ahhhhhhhhh--540 kilos thats going to be a tear that weighs over half a ton on a unbraked trailer. Think we had better lock at some brakes ODIE please.any info greatly apreciated. :confused:

[Kingo]

I recon with the size of you you could do with a bloody ships anchor :D

[odie]

With my cx 650 rat trike i can take a 500kg un-braked trailer and have had no probs.

[mr.chaz]

it works on the weight of the vehicle:
you can tow up to 3/4 of the weight of the vehicle unbraked, up to 750 kilo's
(wife works for a trailer company)
Can find out about braked trailers if you want?

If I remember rightly , that 750kg is kerbside weight ( which should include the weight of the trailer too). That's how it always worked with our boat trailers.

["HIGH TOWER"]

If I remember rightly , that 750kg is kerbside weight ( which should include the weight of the trailer too). That's how it always worked with our boat trailers.
That gives me a tear of 30 kilos , Sorry that cant be right .Odie has given me a number I can call to clear this up. will phone tommorow let you lot know chapter and verse. For the record dont think the trike with twin disc brakes front and rear and a weight of 720 kilos is going to have any problem pulling a half ton tear (UNBRAKED). But want to be 100% clear on the legal side BEFORE I start to build this monster tear. Watch this space updates to follow.

[Mad Dog]

It isn't a question of how much the vehicle can pull enginewise.

It is a question of Mass Train Weight.

In other words, the total weight of the whole lot must be able to be controlled and brought to a halt by the braking system of the towing vehicle, the capacity is increased if the trailer has brakes.

The trailer must not weigh so much that it exerts it's control over the towing vehicle.

The towing capacity must be stamped on a plate on the hitch, and the trailer must have it's weight stamped on the towing arm - this weight must not exceed the "capacity" stamp.

Plus you must have a warning device for the indicators - either a buzzer or a repeater lamp to remind the "driver" that there is a trailer attached.

this is easily achieved with a Heavy Duty Turn signal Relay that operates a warning lamp for normal use and an aditional warning lamp when the extra load of trailer indicators is connected. (about £14)


And you can get a 12n towing sockets with a fog-light cutout switch buit in that causes the fog light on the vehicle to not work when a trailer is connected - thus only the trailer Fog-Light operates - preventing reflected glare to the driver mirrors.

[Dusty]

I've got a feeling that the 75% of the mass weights you are mentioning does apply to normal towing vehicles, BUT I seem to remember an article somewhere that puts bike derived trikes in the same category as bikes when it comes to towing a trailer,in other words you are limited to 50% of the kerb weight of the vehicle.
But no matter how it turns out to be, make sure the trailer is braked for your own safety and the handbrake will stop you rolling down the campsite in the middle of the night.
Try buying an old trailer tent, these can weigh as little as 400kgs and you can pick them up just as cheap as making one,strip out all the gubbins and you could end up with two beds.
Its also worth checking that your insurance covers you to tow,hate to see you have a bump and not be insured.
Best of luck

["HIGH TOWER"]

Talked to three trailer manafactors ( Odie thank your whife very helpfull). They ALL say its three quarters of the weight of the tow in vehicle . So now the time to build . for the record the local plod was un shure ?> :cool:

[reliantman666]

Hi mate I have just finished building one myself.i have put all the steps on my site http://bigtelsplace.spaces.live.com/..hope it helps..stick some pics up when done :D

[addjunkie]

I've got a feeling that the 75% of the mass weights you are mentioning does apply to normal towing vehicles, BUT I seem to remember an article somewhere that puts bike derived trikes in the same category as bikes when it comes to towing a trailer,in other words you are limited to 50% of the kerb weight of the vehicle.
But no matter how it turns out to be, make sure the trailer is braked for your own safety and the handbrake will stop you rolling down the campsite in the middle of the night.
Try buying an old trailer tent, these can weigh as little as 400kgs and you can pick them up just as cheap as making one,strip out all the gubbins and you could end up with two beds.
Its also worth checking that your insurance covers you to tow,hate to see you have a bump and not be insured.
Best of luck

this limit for trikes/bikes rings a bell with me with a max of summat daft like 250 kg
http://www.camperlands.co.uk/trailer_tents/campmaster.html

bit on regs at bottom of page