[shezzaar]

hello guys, We have a i30 bought it 58 plate model.
we are thinking of buying a trailer like;
http://www.chester-towbars.co.uk/c_trailers/bjt_shifter.html

Do you think our car would be able to tow the trailer? half-fully laiden.

Has anyone had any experience towing this size trailer?

[Mike SX]

Well, mine's a CRDi, and I use a similar sized trailer fully laden with oak logs from time to time. Perfect, more worried about the trailer coming adrift going up some fairly local steep hills than the i30 towing abilities.

[Shambles]

Hi shezzaar, welcome to the forum.

What spec i30 do you have?

Also, not that it matters much, but you say it's a '58 plate however your signature says '59 plate

[Lakes]

It will pull it if it has the CRDi high output 1.6, but it won't stop it safely so you would need brakes on the trailer. would be hard on the body of the car, eventualy

[shezzaar]

thanks guys, we have now decided on a smaller trailer after finding our car manual 
yeah upon sign up i thought it was a 59 plate but than looked again 

[Asterix]

Hi shezzaar

Welcome to the forum.

If you have the diesel i30 you will get no problems towing that trailer. The petrol's will be able to tow it as well, but of course the there's less power in the petrol engines.

Lakes, if you look at the Picture there's a handbrake at the triangle, so there is brakes on that trailer..

[shezzaar]

actually thinking of getting
http://www.iwt.co.uk/products/flatbed/eurolight?tab=spec

EL101-2515 version as our petrol engine says it has a max braked trailer of 1200kg

[Just Rick]

shezzar

I have no idea what all the plate numbers you blokes quote(something to do with licensing over there)but I have a 1.6 CRDI, I also have two trailers which I pull with it, first is a very light weight tray top,only licensed to carry 500Kg,tare weight is only 250Kg, car doesn't even knows it's there,loaded or unladen.

the second is a 6 birth dog trailer, tare weight is 600Kg, laden weight can get right on the limit, 1.1 to 1.2 tonne, car tows this one well, but I do have electric brakes on it and I also use a load levelling system, with this set up this combo works extremely well.

But as Lakes said, I sometimes worry about what the extra strain is doing to the structure of the vehicle as a whole,as our tow bars(after looking at some of the English ones)are fitted differently, I regularly put Bruce on car ramps and have a good inspection underneath for loose fittings,any signs of cracking or wear, but the car is a great tow car. with limits

[Doggie 1]

Welcome to the forum, shezzaar.

[Mike SX]

max braked trailer of 1200kg

Here in the UK, the trailer & any 3rd party damage caused, is usually only insured whilst it is attached to the vehicle.....

[Just Rick]

more worried about the trailer coming adrift going up some fairly local steep hills than the i30 towing abilities.

I have only ever seen this happen,when someone has fitted an incorrect ball to hitch size,incorrectly fastened the hitch to the ball or total hitch and/or ball failure, the last one is fairly rare though.

[shezzaar]

thanks for all the replies, im confident now that the car will be able to take it.

In england cars registration is from when it was bought such as our '58' plate means it was bought after june in 2008.

[Doggie 1]

I'm a 58 plate too because I was born in 1958. 
Before June though. 

[Shambles]

In england cars registration is from when it was bought such as our '58' plate means it was bought after june in 2008.

Ummm not quite. '58' means it was registered on or after September 1st 2008

[Phil №❶]

Please explain 

[shezzaar]

well as i have now been corrected

My car was first registered in Britain on the 1st of september 2008 or until (i guess) 31st December 2008.

[Shambles]

My car was first registered in Britain on the 1st of september 2008 or until (i guess) 31st December 2008.

It's from 1st September 2008 upto 28th Feb 2009

You're having no luck are you


(PS, send me the reg number and I'll let you know exactly the date it was registered )

[Mike SX]

an incorrect ball to hitch size,incorrectly fastened the hitch to the ball or total hitch and/or ball failure, the last one is fairly rare though.

Nearly happened to me, I must have disturbed some would-be thieves who had just managed to lift the trailer  off the ball, so it was "resting" on top & not fully engaged, the brake grab wire had also been cut, I pulled away, turned right up a hill, the trailer fell off the top of the ball & went straight towards Woolworths, and ground to a halt, (no damage). Insurance said they would not have settled as it was not hitched to the vehicle at time of the collision.

[Phil №❶]

an incorrect ball to hitch size,incorrectly fastened the hitch to the ball or total hitch and/or ball failure, the last one is fairly rare though.

Nearly happened to me, I must have disturbed some would-be thieves who had just managed to lift the trailer  off the ball, so it was "resting" on top & not fully engaged, the brake grab wire had also been cut, I pulled away, turned right up a hill, the trailer fell off the top of the ball & went straight towards Woolworths, and ground to a halt, (no damage). Insurance said they would not have settled as it was not hitched to the vehicle at time of the collision.

That stinks, they take your money, but won't pay up. In any accident, I would expect the separation of a trailer, to be quite a likely possibility.

[Dazzler]

an incorrect ball to hitch size,incorrectly fastened the hitch to the ball or total hitch and/or ball failure, the last one is fairly rare though.

Nearly happened to me, I must have disturbed some would-be thieves who had just managed to lift the trailer  off the ball, so it was "resting" on top & not fully engaged, the brake grab wire had also been cut, I pulled away, turned right up a hill, the trailer fell off the top of the ball & went straight towards Woolworths, and ground to a halt, (no damage). Insurance said they would not have settled as it was not hitched to the vehicle at time of the collision.

That stinks, they take your money, but won't pay up. In any accident, I would expect the separation of a trailer, to be quite a likely possibility.

A trailer detached from a vehicle here in Tassie last year and a following mini bus transporting Cancer patients hit it and then veered off into a telegraph pole. Three of the patients on the bus died including one of Trish's Aunties and a mate's Mum 

[Phil №❶]

Yes, I remember that, very sad.

Is the separation of a trailer, the same in Oz, I hope not. 

[Dazzler]

Yes, I remember that, very sad.

Is the separation of a trailer, the same in Oz, I hope not. 

Not sure Phil..

[Mike SX]

Three of the patients on the bus died including one of Trish's Aunties and a mate's Mum 

That's a terrible incident for you both.

DIY trailers, braked & unbraked commercially manufactured trailers, including caravans, are rarely in constant use, and can remain unused and stationary outside in all weathers; with the number of trailer & caravan incidents, it may be sensible to introduce some sort of annual roadworthy test to include tyres, braking & hitch assemblies.

[bryanj86]

I tow a boat with my 1.6 diesel 2011 model.  Its about 400kg total (trailer and boat etc). the problem I have is the wind resistance as its a tall boat lol. Car tows well but uses about 15.-2 l/100 more towing it at 110km/h lol

[Lakes]

Hi Bryan that's about normal as wind works like weight too.
like for instance you buy a one & a half Ton ute would be a big difference in economy laden & unladen.
after reading back on the old posts on trailers coming adrift. are you saying they where not safety chained to the car?

[Mike SX]

...... old posts on trailers coming adrift. are you saying they where not safety chained to the car?

No, the trailer chain was chopped through with bolt crops - by the prospective thieves, it had been bolted on to the cross bar, (which holds the captive, yet detachable tow ball).

In the UK, I'm yet to see a large caravan with a safety chain connected

[Tourer_Guy]

In the UK, I'm yet to see a large caravan with a safety chain connected

Wow, that's crazy.