[shep53]

My stock trailer is standard 3500kg gross and my last towing vehicle was rated at 2700kg max , when I asked about re plating  I was told that the braking system works 100% at max wt and  to re plate down the braking system would need re calibrated , then done again for any new vehicle , was easier to buy a new towing vehicle rated at 3500kg max  .     Have been pulled in 3 times at check points only ever checked tyres, lights ,brakes and soundness .            Probably already done  but ive retightened , lifted,put on new ball hitches a few times  (no torque bar ) and I always apply LOCTITE    THREAD  LOCKER .  For a smooth running trailer  you need to get the ball at the correct height , the trailer when attached  should be almost level just slightly down at the front , some brackets have a choice of   holes  to fit the ball hitch or if not you can buy different length necks on the ball hitch

[devonlady]

I have a single axle 6ft X 4ft trailer and the only advice I can give is this. Practise reversing in private, this will save embarassment  at the abattoir

[ladyK]

Thanks all, more good advice 

Didn't pick it up yet, as OH is still battling against a work deadline and can't leave the house, but will do later this week.

Just as well, as this plating business gets ever more confusing... and why oh why will a M16 bolt not fit a 16mm wrench bit?
How do you know what fits what - short of taking the bolt along to the shop? (I know I must have got something terribly wrong...)

Trailer reversing shall be practised in due time. Though getting the trailer parked up in our narrow awkward drive will be a crash course in itself! 

[shep53]

OK  a m16 bolt is 16mm dia on the round but the head is much bigger and needs a 24mm spanner .     Please stop worrying about the trailer plate , your landrover can pull 3500kg  max so can pull any trailer ,  and most braked trailers are plated at 3500kg max .

[Possum]

A neighbour told me the best place to practice trailer reversing is the cinema carpark during the morning. Lots of space and no-one around to laugh at your early efforts.    He was right!

[Marches Farmer]

Don't forget to insure it, both for theft from your proerty and for damage whilst being towed.

[cloddopper]

That's ridiculous Cloddopper!  We have a wee unbraked ifor sheep trailer. If I tow it behind the Landy, I can load it right up to the 750kg all up maximum. However, if I pull it with my Fabia I'm limited to about five sheep.

Am I really supposed to change the ID plate every time I change the numberplate?  Grrrr.

Shep's post  confirms what I've said.

 The guys who got pulled are big machinery movers using small heavy trucks and double wheeled trailers . Most operating daily from Hadrian's wall down to Plymouth & Cornwall , so are easy targets to seek out for starters.

 It will not belong before we have to have a separate group specific road licence for all  trailers plus insurance and an individual MOT just like it is in most of the rest of the EU

 The whole aspect of driving and other folks safety is being/ has been  taken off the police and put into civil management using those black & yellow chequered  traffic cars you see .

[shep53]

Over the last few years there have been strong rumours of towing vehicles needing tachograph's  and trailer needing an mot , but so far resisted  .  The problem is that most trailers are not serviced annually and faults are common mostly brakes and lights so we are not helping ourselves !!

[ladyK]

So we picked up the trailer yesterday...
Trailer looking good, seller very helpful, towed it 90 miles back home, all running very smoothly and feeling rather pleased. And then it all went wrong... 
Attempting to back trailer into our gate wasn't going to be easy (steep and narrow single track, tall verges/hedges both sides, gate a bit of an awkward angle)... and our inexperience showed us up straight away. We either got Landy riding up against the verge, or jackknifing the trailer... But then we only got 3 attempts - then the Landy suddenly died (total loss of power, still half up the verge, facing uphill, obviously blocking the road...) 
Just about didn't loose the trailer downhill when unhooking it... now we also have a heavy trailer stood across the track, facing uphill, one wheel against the verge. Spent half an hour desperately trying to push or pull the trailer around to get it into the drive and off the road, but no hope in hell. Next a very embarrassed phonecall to helpful farmer neighbour who soon arrived with his 3 teenage kids in tow. Together we somehow managed to bump the trailer off the road and into the drive. Landy had to be precariously towed backwards and downhill off the verge.
Now we have a dead Landy stood in the hedge, a trailer facing into the field but blocking the gate (no clue how we ever going to get it out of there) and we have also both badly hurt our backs in the process. Feeling rather sombre today...

Hoping that if I can get you to laugh about it maybe I can start laughing about it too 

[shep53]

   Ah the old pride comes before a fall    , sure we've all been there

[Possum]

We certainly have.   We had the same problem with our single axle trailer when we first got here. Very narrow lane and a right-angle reverse into a narrow gateway. We nearly burnt out the clutch trying to get it in. Eventually we called it a day, unhitched it  and pushed it back to the outhouse ourselves.  Really glad no-one was watching.

[hughesy]

A tip for manouvering a trailer in a tight spot with a Land Rover. Put the transfer box into low range. It'll slow everything down and save you having to ride the clutch all the time.

[Womble]

^ Good tip.  Just beware that it will also give you considerably more power and may result in a bent towbar when the rear of the trailer grounds on a rock. Please don't ask me how I know  .

[chrismahon]

One thing we found very useful was a pair of hand held two way radios. This allows the spotter at the back to relay instructions clearly to the driver without the embarrassment of screaming at the top of their voice.