Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 21/4/2011

---

I think that "without gas box" means the internal living area measurement. The 7m towing restriction is the overall length excluding the A frame.

Phil

---

Hi jennifer,

I have never understood why the legislators did not include the entire length of the van in the Regulations, when seeking to make it clear just how you measure the 7m. However, they didn't.

The Hobby is made overseas and, as they export to different parts of the world, which have different rules on towing, they provide a range of measurements to suit each countries legal requirements. All we need do is to look at hte UK Regs.

Just to make it clear, it is the Construction and Use Regulations which specify that if the towing vehicle has a permissible gross weight of less than 3.5Kg then the maximum length of trailer that it can tow must not exceed 7m. The definition, in Construction and Use Regulations (as amended),  of the 7m length of the trailer makes it clear that the coupling device and draw-bar are not included in the length dimension. So you include the front locker when measuring the length of the van. In the case of a caravan, where a protective box is mounted on to the front, which is supported on the draw-bar (for the purpose of storage of gas, for example,) then this box is included in the overall length. So if you do have a separate box, instead of a front locker, sat on your A frame you end up including most of the A frame i nyour measurement.

The larger Hobbys, 7 series and maybe top end 6 series, as indicated in this thread, exceed the 7m length and so you need a vehicle with a max gross vehicle weight of 3.5 kg and above to legally tow it.

Two errors are made

1. Vehicles over 3.5Kg tend to have a generic term of "commercial vehicle" applied to them and this has lead many to believe that any vehicle classed as a commercial vehicle (even if it less than 3.5Kg) can be used to tow the longer Hobby, and

2. When asked if a Disco can tow a 7.5m Hobby the answer is yes. This leads folk to think that if it can physically tow the Hobby then it is ok to do so. However, that is an answer relating to its physical attributes and nothing to do with what the UK law regulates.

Phil