Buying a trailer
The right trailer depends on what you carry and what you tow it with. These are the checks to make before you buy. The rules come from gov.uk, which is the place to check the current position.
Ring us with what you tow and what you carry.
Your car
Find your car’s towing limit and its gross train weight in the handbook, or on the plate under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door. The gross train weight is the fully loaded car plus the fully loaded trailer, and it must not be exceeded. If the plate shows no train weight, gov.uk says you should not use the car for towing.
Your licence
If you got your driving licence from 1 January 1997, you can tow a trailer weighing up to 3,500kg MAM, which gov.uk calls category BE. If BE is not on your licence, DVLA adds it the next time you renew. If you got your licence before that date, you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg MAM. You can view your own licence record on gov.uk.
Brakes, weights and plates
A trailer that weighs over 750kg when loaded must have a working brake system. The trailer’s plate normally shows its MAM, maximum authorised mass: the most it may weigh when loaded. Take away its empty weight to see how much you can put on it. The trailer must show the same number plate as the car that tows it.
Checking a used trailer
Chassis and drawbar
Look for rust, cracks and welded repairs, especially where the drawbar meets the chassis and around the axle mounts.
Axle and suspension
Rock each wheel to feel for play in the bearings. Uneven wear across a tyre can mean a bent axle or worn suspension.
Brakes and coupling
The coupling should move smoothly and return. The handbrake should hold and the breakaway cable should be fitted. Ask to see the trailer hitched to a car.
Tyres
Check the sidewalls for cracks and read the date code. A trailer that has stood for years can have old tyres that look unworn.
Lights and plug
Plug it in and check every light, including the brake lights and indicators.
Floor and body
Press timber floors for soft spots and look under any mats. Check that hinges, latches, ramps and gates work.
Jockey wheel
It should wind freely and lock. If the trailer has corner steadies, check that they wind down and hold.
Paperwork
Ask for receipts and any service record, and check that the details on the plate match the trailer.