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[w3526602]

Hi,

Another mate in the Swansea Valley bought an American boat trailer. It had electrically brakes, operated by the foot brake ....

.... stop lamp switch activated an electric pump. which "inflated" the trailer brakes.

... but I have read that electric braking is not allowed in UK. (What about if the electrics RELEASE the trailer brakes, like HGV brakes do?) Or maybe not?

Discuss!

602

[22900013A]

It means brakes on the trailer operated by the driver, from the towing vehicle, *not* brakes that work independently. Either when pressing the brake pedal or via a separate control. I know SEB used air braked trailers which ran off the vehicle engine.
Systems were available on our vehicles in the 60s onwards, Feeney & Johnson made them, Dixon be
ate may have had a similar system for their articulated rigs.

Just an edit to add I'm talking here specifically about series LandRovers and going on the assumption a driver has B&E or equivalent.

[Wittsend]

As interesting the replies and anecdotes are - our original poster is based in Australia 

The rules and regulations are likely to be different from ours.


 

[22900013A]

Quite so Alan, certainly in connection with licensing, but the manufacturers weight limits were the same and it's unlikely the Australians ignored them and allowed more generous limits. But you never know 

[Wittsend]

I'm just thinking of those road trains

None of us here are likely to have any local knowledge of what the Ozzies can do.

 

[Robin]

Hi,

Another mate in the Swansea Valley bought an American boat trailer. It had electrically brakes, operated by the foot brake ....

.... stop lamp switch activated an electric pump. which "inflated" the trailer brakes.

... but I have read that electric braking is not allowed in UK. (What about if the electrics RELEASE the trailer brakes, like HGV brakes do?) Or maybe not?

Discuss!

602

As Alan says, the OP is in Australia, but just to say electrically operated brakes are allowed in the UK - have been for some years now   

[Ed Straker]

Thank you all for the interesting replies and anecdotes regarding the towing. 

Unfortunately (Fortunately) my Father in Law was very keen on revisiting some of his childhood country towns and offered his vehicle and to pay for fuel.  So instead of a s2 the vehicle was recovered bay a very powerful diesel Mercedes Van.  The farmers at the pickup had already used a tractor to remove the land rover from the field and parked it at an easy recovery position.

Given it was an over-nighter and some pretty extreme hills it was probably for the best.  although I am sure the 2a 109 would have made it eventually.

The rescued vehicle is an interesting very early Series 3 with original 2a styled door catches and a very early series 2 hardtop fitted.

I would never have looked at a three in the past but have started to like them in the last year or so.  I have also noticed that the friendly rivalry between 2 and 3 owners of the past seems to have disappeared of late.

Here are a few photos of the recovery.

[Ed Straker]

Interesting hard top.

[Ed Straker]

ample help.

[Ed Straker]

over ride cable braked trailer

[Craig T]

Nothing wrong with a good series III, A great model and a natural progression of the mark.
Must admit I have been tempted in the past to find a nice 88" station wagon series III and restore it but I went the other way in the end and found myself an 86" station wagon instead.

Not too many good series III's out there that haven't been modified beyond recognition. What is your plan with it?

Craig.

[Ed Straker]

hoping to bring it back to life one day.

It has sat in a field since 2008 by the look of things.

There is a fair bit of rot in the chassis and bulkhead.

J

[w3526602]

Hi,

Looks nice. But the photo brings back memories ...,

1. Did you check the trailer's draw-bar for it's MGW (or possibly even a VIN plate). Whichever, you didn't exceed it, did you?

2. Did you check all four trailer tyres, to ascertain their indivual and combined MGWs.

No ... neither did I, apart from the first time I used any particular trailer. But the men in white(?) coats can get quite snotty about such things. If being legal was "within my gift", I tried very hard to comply. My insurance covered carrying goods for hire and reward (behind a 1957 Series One 88").

3. I'm now trying hard to remember the way I loaded Series Land Rovers.    I think I loaded ....

SWB ... reversed onto the trailer, pulled as far forward as it would go, which put the engine somewhere close behind the rear axle of the trailer.

LWB ... driven onto the trailer, pulled as far forward as it would go ... hoping that the rear "mass" behind the trailer axles balanced the weight of the engine.

I won't claim i that I was technically correct, but both layouts felt comfortable to me.

Cue question!  Does anybody have a source of check-weigh results, from which we can reference the centres of gravity for both 88" and 109" wheelbases, and various body configerations ... a 12 seater estate will have a C of G further back than a 109" truck cab.

I presume that the CofG wants to be roughly halfway between the two trailer axles?

602

I once towed a 4-wheel trailer, carrying a complete S1 109" with truck cab, plus a spare S1 109" tub, on a trailer, from the Swansea Valley to somewhere North of Blackpool, behind my 1957 S1 (S2 engined ) 88". Snow on the mountains. No heater. Fourteen hours for 460 miles (return) journey.  Started with a full tank, refilled three times, arrived home close to empty. Say close to 40 gallons. Character building.

602

[autorover1]

Don't get me on whether a tachograph may be required in UK for hire & reward !

[22900013A]

Don't get me on whether a tachograph may be required in UK for hire & reward !

It would be unless you are moving your own property or doing the work as a favour. Even taking a vehicle to a show where it might win a prize is technically a reward, folks have been prosecuted for that one in the past.