– The vehicle and trailer are roadworthy. – All tires are properly inflated. – The wheel bearings, suspension and brakes of the trailer are working properly. – All lights are working and safety chains are properly connected. – Oil, water, brake fluid, battery and other maintenance checks on the vehicle. – Check at regular intervals while driving: according to VSB1 (the national standard for trailers), a trailer (in this case also the boat) must not exceed 4.3 m in height and its rear overhang must not exceed 60% of the wheelbase (coupling to the wheelset) or 3.7 meters, whichever is lower. For Western Australia, you need a Class 1 Oversized Restricted Vehicle (RAV) Boat Transport Permit. The cost of the permit is $50 for three years. Oversized trailers with a maximum width of 2.70 m may not be towed on motorways; further than that and you have other limitations. The boat trailer shall be equipped with side-marker lamps more than 2 m apart. Couplings shall not protrude dangerously when no trailer is connected. If your trailer, boat and everything in it weighs exactly 3500kg, you should have at least 250kg on the tow bale as you cannot exceed the GTM number in this hypothetical scenario of 3250kg. Coupling hooks and couplings of the appropriate type and capacity Lighting sockets Brake connections if the trailer is equipped with electric or electric brakes.
In addition: For a GTM between 2000 kg and 4500 kg, the trailer must have brakes on all axles that can be controlled by the driver in the cab. This means electric/hydraulic brakes for most boat trailers operating in this weight range. The laden mass of the trailer shall not exceed the lower of the following values: The minimum braking system of a trailer depends on the type of trailer, its weight and the weight of the vehicle: The net mass (MT) is the mass of the unladen trailer when it leaves the factory and is ready for registration and use. TM does not include the boat or the integrated options (except for factory-assembled options). Car carrier – The distance measured perpendicularly between the rear overhang line of a trailer carrying vehicles on more than one deck and the rear of the rearmost vehicle of the trailer shall not exceed 4.9 metres. Rated capacity of the towbar and towbar. Maximum towing capacity of the vehicle. Maximum load capacity of the trailer. Maximum rated load capacity of the tyres. If the vehicle manufacturer has not specified the maximum towable capacity, the maximum towable load is: In this Part, the term “load” includes the equipment and mast of a trailer coupled or jinker. Let`s say your trailer has a tare weight of 700kg or TM, 3250kg GTM and 3500kg ATM.
Subtract Tara from the ATM, and you have your maximum payload – 2800kg in this case. The trailer compliance plate (for all trailers manufactured since August 1989) indicates the maximum nominal values for GTM and ATM and, in some cases, for TBMs. Hitch mass (TBM) is the amount of trailer mass exerted on the tow ball of your towing vehicle. Refrigerated van – The distance between the point of articulation and the rear of a semi-trailer can be up to 13.6 metres if the trailer is designed and constructed for positive temperature control through the use of refrigeration units, has a maximum distance of 9.9 metres between the point of articulation and the rear overhang and is not used in B-double or road suits and otherwise corresponds to the dimensions. In addition, the distance between the front point of articulation and the rear overhang line shall not exceed 9.9 metres; and the vehicle must not be used in a B-double or cargo suit. Animal carrier – A trailer for the transportation of cattle, horses, pigs or sheep on two or more partially or completely overlapping decks must not exceed 12.5 metres in length available for the transportation of cattle, horses, pigs or sheep. In a double B room constructed for the transport of cattle, horses, pigs or sheep, the two semi-trailers shall not have more than 18,8 metres of their total length available for the transport of bovine, horse, pig or ovine animals. Note: The length available for the transport of bovine, equival, porcine or ovine animals on a trailer must be measured from the inside of the front wall or door of the trailer to the inside of the rear wall or door of the trailer, excluding the intermediate bulkheads.
The maximum legal TBM of a vehicle is usually 10% of its towing capacity: with a towing capacity of 3500 kg, for example, you can put up to 350 kg on the trailer hitch. Trailer – In the case of semi-trailers or dog trailers, the distance between the front and rear point of articulation via the suspended line shall not exceed 9.5 metres and the distance between the point of articulation and the rear of the trailer shall not exceed 12.3 metres. The maximum forward projection of a semi-trailer or a surface attached to a semi-trailer shall not exceed an arc of 1.9 metres from the traction pin (king`s hairpin). The point of articulation at the rear of a semi-trailer can reach 13.2 metres if the trailer has a maximum distance of 9.5 m between the front point of articulation and the rear overhang line, does not travel in a B-double or combination of trucks and otherwise corresponds to the dimensions. At its unladen weight of 2500 kg, the manufacturer claims that it can legally pull 2500 kg more, but the towing weight decreases directly in proportion to the increase in the weight of the towing vehicle (tools, spare parts, etc.). So, if you load the towing vehicle to its total weight of 3500 kg (or a payload of 1000 kg), there would only be a towing capacity (trailer and contents) of 1500 kg left to meet the GCM of 5000 kg. If the total weight area of the towing vehicle drops to 3000 kg (or a payload of 500 kg), the towing load (trailer and contents) increases to 2000 kg and so on. You`ve bought the boat, gotten the driver`s license, and know all the rules on how to move it safely on the water. At least that`s what they thought.
Ping! In some areas, authorities crack down on oversized trailer platforms, while in other departments, such as insurance, you can pay an even higher price for illegal towing. There are many vehicle displays that contain information on a towing capacity of 3,500 kg (3.5 tons) for new vehicles. However, the number that drivers should really focus on is gross combined mass (GCM). The GCM determines the actual legal maximum weight. Your vehicle and trailer together. Some drivers are surprised not to be able to pull a load of 3,500 kg as advertised. They would actually have to reduce this amount of towing from the weight of their own vehicle to stay within GCM`s legal limit. If you are unsure about your vehicle`s actual towing capacity, consult your owner`s manual for more detailed information.
For example, the GCM on a Hyundai Iload is between 750 kg and 2000 kg GTM, trailer brakes are necessary, but they can be priority brakes and should only be activated on one axle. They affect fuel consumption, acceleration, braking, overall control and handling. These effects are magnified as the size and weight of the trailer increases relative to those of the towing vehicle. The extra length and width can be difficult to manage, the wind, roughness of the road and passing vehicles have a greater impact than on the vehicle alone. This gives the driver additional responsibility. But towing a large or oversized boat across borders and highways requires a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations. As more and more trailers are imported nowadays, it is imperative that we are all up to date. A load shall not exceed the width of the trailer by more than 150 mm or exceed its total width by more than 2,5 m, whichever is lower.
Loads projecting more than 1.2 m behind a trailer shall have a red flag at the end of the load.