[Closed] Trailers - talk to me

What do you want to know?
How to load them to prevent snaking?
How to manage a snaking trailer?
Size and colour?
How to reverse park with a trailer?

So instead of buying a new car i thought about a trailer.

Very sensible!

Reduced speed is a factor, not that you'd know it by how people drive. Consider the height, cos the higher it is the worse fuel economy you'll get. Also a closed one with a hard top will be more fuel efficient.

Very handy things though - I'd say get one.

I just wanted to know if people get on with them, especially for long journeys like to the south of france.

The load limit on the one ive looked at is 250kg which i'm sure will be fine. I don't know about loading other than spreading it evenly??

And yes i'll have to have a good carpark reversing practice session before i set off.

The hard top are alot more expensive than the others though

If you passed your test after 1997 you need a test to tow anything over 750kg. This should not be an issue however for a camping / kayak / bike trailer. I expect a trailer like this will be unbraked as most under 750kg are

Bad time of the year to buy at the moment as prices will be higher 2nd hand. Check tyre, lights, wheel bearing, floor and chassis for corrosion. Not much to go wrong with a trailer and easy to fix.

EDIT:
Small trailers are easy to tow, just keep an eye in the mirror when manoeuvring and don't turn too tight as the corner or the trailer can hit the side of the car on full lock. Also don't speed with an empty trailer over rural bridges, they can take off!. Longer trailers are easier to reverse than small ones. Very small narrow ones that you can't see in the mirrors are practicably impossible, just wheel them.

If you passed your test after 1997 you need a test to tow anything over 750kg.

Not true:

"Drivers who passed their test on or after this date [1/1/1997] have category B entitlement only, which restricts the entitlement to motor vehicles with up to eight passenger seats and an MAM of up to 3500kg with trailers up to 750kg MAM (4250kg combined), [b]or larger trailers provided the combination of the trailer and towing vehicle does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle[/b]."

I don't know about loading other than spreading it evenly??

You want it nose heavy. This helps prevent snaking.

Towing isn't an issue. Whether you like towing is.

I don't. It's a pain in the arse. You may feel differently... or maybe not.

If you can't get the load even, try and get the heavy stuff as close to the drawbar as possible. Heavier weight towards the rear will almost guarantee a snaking trailer. If it does start to snake, lift your foot off the gas briefly, then floor it briefly to pull yourself out, then slow the **** down... 😀 This shouldn't be a problem with such a small trailer though.

thanks all, i'm watching a couple on ebay to see how much they go but new they seen to be about £400 and plus a new bike rack is getting quite pricey

I've got a wee trailer from Halfords, erde I think. I got the hardtop too, which almost doubles the capacity, and also means I can see the trailer when it's behind the car, without the hardtop I can't until a certain angle.

Just to go down a different tack - what and how many kayaks are you taking, how many bikes, how many people? You say you have a towbar mounted bike rack?

Challenging your assumption it's not possible without a trailer.

Put gear in the kayaks in drybags on teh roof, bikes on the back as usual . . . small wheeled trailers are all very well going to the tip, not so ideal on a 130K's autoroute . . . we used to get all our wet gear and camping gear in the boats, bikes on a towbar rack and plenty room inside the car . . . and that was a ford fiesta . . . also consider what you _need_ to take, most people carry far too much

I carry my surfksi and 4 or 5 bikes plus associated gear inc v large tent and kitchen sink quite regularly for 800/1000km drives in an A4.

Go for a slightly larger trailer (ideally it should be the same width as the car as it makes reversing a doddle) and then you can ditch the bike rack and put the bikes in the trailer. If its a low mount bike rack then the bikes are at risk anyway if you turn too tightly.

Heavy items should go over the axle, you shouldn't deliberately load heavy items at the front. Aim for around 50kg noseweight on a small trailer.

Check your bike rack hasn't gouged your towball, if it has you will need to replace it.

Learn how to check the dates on the tyres, replace if perished or if over 6 years old. At 6 yrs old my tyres were all misshapen with the tread blowing out. Invest in a suitable spare wheel and wrench for the trailer.

I've got this for sale. Will take 350 as a bit o work is needed on the tailgate gas struts.
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if the trailer is constructed out of something better than wood what about mounting a tow hitch above the loading area so you use your existing bike carrier but above the trailer? just a thought, wouldn't cost much to do either.

Now that is a smart ickle trailer...buy it! Much better than an old heap with a tarpaulin bungy'd over it.

four bikes go in nicely with the front wheels off + SHED load of kit.

If I'd have seen that a couple of months ago I'd have been very interested.

I carry my surfksi and 4 or 5 bikes plus associated gear inc v large tent and kitchen sink quite regularly for 800/1000km drives in an A4

How many passengers?

Not trolling, I'm amazed - I struggle to get a family in a Verso for a week or two (though the wife insists on taking loadds of food so we don't waste holiday time in Tesco) including a 450L roof box.
Nowhere to put bikes (and I'd really like a little surfski....) so I too was considering a small trailer with some sort of racking arrangement for the toys.

I struggle to get a family in a Verso for a week or two (though the wife insists on taking loadds of food so we don't waste holiday time in Tesco) including a 450L roof box.
Nowhere to put bikes (and I'd really like a little surfski....)

Are you taking too much stuff?

Usually 3 passengers, 4 adults is a bit right for sure. Ski and 2 bikes on the roof, 2 on the back and stack the boot.