[Matt Gibson]

Following on from the other post about the hot machine, Im thinking of building up a trailer like Lee from Blastaway has done.

At the moment I've got a nice 24hp Lombardini, with a boiler and genny attached all on a skid mounted in my van. runs sweet, perfect for what I've been doing, but im starting to pick up a lot more commercial work, two or more machines needed. So was thinking of getting a decent drain jetter that can be used as a single man with hi flow or split if needed.

Other option is buying a smaller engined washer, keeping it mobile (on a trolley) but my biggest fear is getting a smaller engined washer then needing more power..

You guys with trailer set ups, how do you find them? towing? parking? manoeuvrability?

Other option is putting the bigger machine I've got onto a trailer with an IBC/Reels etc. and having the smaller hi flow jetter in the van for two man operation from the van, without having to tow the trailer.. idea being keep the better more flexible machine in the van and have trailer as second/backup machine.

Thoughts?

[BDCS]

I have the big drain jetter in the van - 48hp, 54 ltr/min. This will use 400 ltrs in 8 mins.
I have been using my 21 ltr/min pressure washer from my tow van for the last 2 seasons so I'm going to strip my old trailer drain jetter off its chassis and fit a 650 ltr upright baffled tank, the pressure washer and a new 21 ltr boiler. Then I can drop the lad off to pressure wash and I can slide off to do the drain jobs, quotes etc. I have at least 8 different pressure washers so the mobile jobs are still possible. I have at times used the jetter in the van to top up the pressure washer when remote or the pressure is poor.

[Matt Gibson]

That's my thought, I could put the bigger flow machine in the van, so if i needed two men on one job, i wouldnt have to tow the trailer. and if i needed to do a small job, the van mount would be good enough. Where as if i needed more machines on a larger job, i could tow the trailer and have my existing one there, along with the van mount.

[BDCS]

With the washer on its own trailer it means that the 6 kva generator and all the gutter gear can live in the tow van

[Matt Gibson]

I dont have any of that gear  so id just put a bigger tank in my van..

[Rob_Mac]

Matt

How old are you?

Rob

[Matt Gibson]

Rob, im 31. Why?

[Rob_Mac]

Because if you passed your test after 97 you have to sit a new test for towing.

Rob

[Kenny83]

Robs right, unless the kerbside weight is less than 3.5 tons and you trailer when full weighs less than you van when its empty, if you follow me? or, if your van is 3.5 tonne fully loaded anyway then you can only tow a trailer that weighs 750kg that ioncludes weight of the trailer  and weight of trailer contents (so f@@k all basically)

[Matt Gibson]

Got my licence in Australia so dont know what the deal is there. So if I sit that test can I carry more weight on the trailer? I know if your travelling a certtain distance you need a taco but that wont apply tome. If I passed my test before 97 what kind of weight can I tow? Ive got a 350 transit. I think the tow weight is about 2500 from memory. Total gross vehicle tow weight is about 6000kg

I have tried to read up on towing but the VOSA site is useless. Seems like theres too many different rules.

[Rob_Mac]

If you passed before 97 a van & trailer combination can be up to 8.5 tonnes

If you passed your test after 97 you can have a van & trailer combined weight of 3.5 tonnes

Passing the B + C will give you a van & trailer combination MAM - Maximum Authorised Mass of 5.5 tonnes

Rob

[Matt Gibson]

Category B

You can drive vehicles up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) with up to 8 passenger seats (with a trailer up to 750kg).You can also tow heavier trailers if the total weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg. The fully loaded trailer can’t weigh more than the unladen vehicle.

Category B auto

You can drive a category B vehicle - but only an automatic one.

Category B+E

You can drive a category B vehicle with a trailer when they have a combined weight over 3,500kg.

Right, ive got codes: B/BE on my licence. From the above (taken from dvla site) it seems I can drive a cat B (vehicle up to 3500) with a trailer when they have a combined weight of over 3500. But they dont give you a max. I guess the max in this case would be the gross train weight (on van plate)

[chris scott]

The vehicle you wish to use  will have a Gross train weight ie The weight of the van, the trailer, and everything in it.
This for a "transit type" van will be approx 5500kgs (give or take a kilo).
Any "goods" vehicle (transit etc) with a weight on the road of above 3500kgs will require the use of a tacho by the driver.
Possibly (probably) your "transit van " fitted with a tank(1000 litre full) plus all your gear would a) be overloaded or B) in the case of a separate trailer setup .Require the use of a Tacograph
It would be preferable to get nicked for being overloaded.
Remember to tell your Insurance you have "modified" the van by adding furry dice and fitting a watertank,extra fuel tank and a bolier.....most will say it does not matter but you really need it in writing.

[Rob_Mac]

Thats wrong

There is no approximate when dealing with VOSA if you passed your test after 97 and have not done another trailer test you can only have a maximum MAM of 3.5 tonne.

With a C category for the towing you can have a maximum MAM of 5.5 tonne

Before 97 you are entitled to a MAM of 8.5 tonne.

I have been in the clutches of VOSA at least three times. They are a nightmare but for good reason. They will help you out if you call them but if you wait for them to pull you up that is way too late.

Don't take my word for it ring them!

Rob

[Matt Gibson]

Well, as above, I have BE on my licence, and ive just searched a few .gov sites and they all say I can drive a vehicle up to 3500kgs mam with a trailer up to 3500kg or whatever my GTW is. If I get pulled ill show them the website.

Although, when ive got the trailer sorted, ill be phoning them to double check.

Im thinking that when the dvla swapped my aussie licence they added the BE to it as i had a full proper everything licence from oz

Copied from .gov site -

Licences held from 1 January 1997

If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can drive either:a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500 kilograms (kg) Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM (with a combined weight of up to 4,250kg in total)

a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as it is no more than the unladen or ‘kerb’ weight of the towing vehicle (with a combined weight of up to 3,500kg in total)

For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test.

But ive got my BE already..

Anyway, I digress... thanks for the input Rob, I know vosa can be nasty, good to have some advice..

Now, back to trailer set ups ..

[Matt Gibson]

Chris,

I very rarely carry more than a 1/4 of a tank of water, most of the time the tank has an inch of water in the bottom to keep the pump primed. Ill be sticking to the GTW of the van. As for the use of a taco, there is a distance rule I believe and there is also a rule for carrying plant but im not sure exactly what it is. But im not going down the taco route and I think ill still be legal without one.

[Rob_Mac]

Matt

That probably is right on the plus 750kg trailer on top of the 3500kg of vehicle weight - I don't know as we were always more than that!

There is no requirement to have a tachograph if you remain within 50kms of your base.

You come over here, cause trouble, pinch our women, our livelihoods and then get a full license, Jeeezzz!

Rob

[Matt Gibson]

 

I doubt the trailer with an almost empty tank/machine/reels/hosewill weigh mor than 1800 -2000kgs which will keep me under the Gross Train Weight anyway so I should be sweet. Just have to keep my eye on how much waters in the tank.

Need to start sourcing the kit now. Been keeping my eye on eBay but not much about. Not many trailers up here either.

[chris scott]

You are correct 30 miles from where the vehicle is usually based... no tacho.
But even if exempt (under 30 mile) radius if the vehicle  GVW is above 3500kgs your are required to record the drivers hours and keep records manually.

[Matt Gibson]

7500kgs.. I was just looking it up when you posted..

Vehicles with a combined gvm that are used to carry equipment for the drivers work use, driving the van is not the drivers sole job and is within 50kms from base...taco exempt. Dont even need to keep a written log.. sounds good to me..