Caroline Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 We are looking into a car trailer, at the moment we have a Matiz but that could change to another small car, ie Micro, Citroen's Pluriel. This may be a numpty question but is there a width difference between the wheels, do the small trailers fit all cars, I see that smart trailers are for smart cars. Could use some useful pointers so that it sounds we know what we are talking about when discussing trailers. Any other helpful advice gratefully received. (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 If you use the search facility on this site you will find a wealth of information, makes etc. One thing I would bring to your attention is that Brian James (and others ?) trailers for Smart cars are designed for the nose weight to be about 70 kg on the towbar. However Smart cars are rear engined, putting a front engined car on a Smart trailer, whilst it might fit length and width wise could increase the nose weight to unacceptable limits as there is little "fore and aft" movement to make adjustment. We have an Toyota IQ which needs a wider small trailer than normal. Brian James were very good in giving me advice regarding their older trailers as model numbers had changed. They gave me the model numbers that the IQ would fit on. Unfortunately very few older trailers had been made for IQs. Happy searching ! Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I'll start the ball rolling, Caroline! Auto-Trail publish a maximum towing weight of 1040kg for the 2012 Dakota. You'll need to check if this is the same for yours. This is the maximum permissible total combined weight of the trailer itself, and the car being carried on it. You will, of course, need a towbar, and this will increase the MRO of your van, and obviously the load on the rear axle. When the trailer is hitched, it will place approximately an additional 70kg downforce onto the towball, which will also add to the rear axle load. This downforce is essential for trailer stability: get this wrong and the trailer will begin to wag around behind the van with potentially disastrous consequences. Because of the rear overhang of the Dakota the cumulative load at the rear axle will be rather more than the combined self-weight of the towbar plus the trailer downforce. Until these weights are actually known/calculated, I would assume 100 - 125kg extra rear axle load. So, you first need to know how much spare axle load capacity your van has when fully laden, with all passengers, pets and toys on board. You will also need to know the kerbweight of your car, or any other you consider buying. You will find fitting car plus trailer within a MAM of 1040kg tight, but possible, so you will need to select the car with care. Even a Smart is quoted at around 750kg kerbweight, leaving only 290kg for the self-weight of the trailer. You will need a specialist trailer to keep the dimensions compact, the weight light, and the balance right. Some have a flat deck, some wheel guides. Try "Googling" Bantam Trailers or Smart Trailers and you should find most of the contenders come up. I think you will find the firms well clued up on what is required, but I also think you may have first to choose your car to get within the workable weight limit, and then choose the trailer to suit the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 PMSL sorry Caroline, I was wondering when someone might answer this I watched it get nearly to the bottom and thought poor lady hasnt got a reply . Now you've gone and done it Brian :D :D you've started the ball rolling . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 What about an A-Frame-anybody any views on these? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-02-20 6:19 PM Auto-Trail publish a maximum towing weight of 1040kg for the 2012 Dakota. Caroline, According to an AT Technical Specification sheet for 2008 that I have downloaded from the AT website your Dakota should have a Max trailer weight of 1,250kg so somewhat better than Brian envisaged but still tight. As a rule of thumb the hitch download should be around 7% of the trailer weight, ie 70kg for a 1,000kg trailer. And a decent towbar will probably weigh in the order of 50kg (at least ours on our Merc Cheyenne does). I can recommend Towtal at Stoke on Trent for quality of towbars but unfortunately not paint finish :-( Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thanks for that guys, will pay a bit of attention to kerb weights ect. We already have a tow bar fitted, did have an A Frame but we were not very confident in it, nothing to do with make or type just us. I think we have a bit of weight difference to play with it is not as tight as on some models. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aultymer Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Given that, in many mainland Europe countries, a separate registration is required for all trailers how can car trailers be legal there? Would a toad displaying it's own registration not be closer to, say French, regulations than any trailer showing the towing vehicle registration mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 aultymer - 2012-02-20 10:46 PM Given that, in many mainland Europe countries, a separate registration is required for all trailers how can car trailers be legal there? Would a toad displaying it's own registration not be closer to, say French, regulations than any trailer showing the towing vehicle registration mark? There is no problem with towing a caravan with the same no plate as the car!! (Well not yet anyway) if all of Europe had the same rules, France has an MOT only every two years (I Think) Driving rules are not uniform in all countries. other wise the EU would make us drive on the RIGHT One has to abide by the rules of country in which one drives, which makes a lot of nonsense of the whole can of worms (i.e A Frames) PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 PJay - 2012-02-21 12:07 AM aultymer - 2012-02-20 10:46 PM Given that, in many mainland Europe countries, a separate registration is required for all trailers how can car trailers be legal there? Would a toad displaying it's own registration not be closer to, say French, regulations than any trailer showing the towing vehicle registration mark? There is no problem with towing a caravan with the same no plate as the car!! (Well not yet anyway) if all of Europe had the same rules, France has an MOT only every two years (I Think) Driving rules are not uniform in all countries. other wise the EU would make us drive on the RIGHT One has to abide by the rules of country in which one drives, which makes a lot of nonsense of the whole can of worms (i.e A Frames) PJay Thank God for the EU and Europe wide harmonisation on everything-could be confusing otherwise Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Mike B. - 2012-02-21 10:44 AM.......................Thank God for the EU and Europe wide harmonisation on everything-could be confusing otherwise Mike Apologies for OT, but isn't it funny how one half of the population complains that Europe is robbing us all of our national identities by homogenising everything into Euro-soup, and the other half complain that they haven't yet succeeded! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-02-21 1:51 PM Mike B. - 2012-02-21 10:44 AM.......................Thank God for the EU and Europe wide harmonisation on everything-could be confusing otherwise Mike Apologies for OT, but isn't it funny how one half of the population complains that Europe is robbing us all of our national identities by homogenising everything into Euro-soup, and the other half complain that they haven't yet succeeded! :-D Isn't it just-EU is supposed to make us all equal. However, it appears some are more equal than others. Bit like the Human Rights Act but better not mention that. Apologies for going OT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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