2006-10-10 08:01:42 · 12 answers · asked by PRB2304 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Boats & Boating
In the UK a caravan or trailer towed behind a motor vehicle of less than 3500kg Gross Vehicle Weight is restricted to a maximum width of 2.3 metres (7 foot 6.5 inches).
The American ball hitch diameter is are usually 2 inches whereas the European (UK) is 50mm, therefore the trailer coupling may need changing to be compatible with the 50mm ball. Braking mechanisms. American caravans/trailers do not always have brakes on all wheels, and it is common for a two axle trailer to have brakes on only one axle. This is prohibited in Europe where regulations demand that each individual wheel must brake
American caravans/trailers do not always have a parking brake. European requirements demand that a caravan/trailer must be fitted with a parking brake that is capable of holding the vehicle stationary on an 18 per cent up or down gradient. Also, the working parts must be held in the locked position by a purely mechanical device.
2006-10-11 03:05:52 · update #1
possibly because of their length and width and as someone has also said, the behind the times designs that the american makers seem to get away with. The lighting of the trailers, the braking system and the emergency snatch cables dont get fitted. and to be honest, some of the boats the americans pull around wouldnt even fit under most of our bridges and overpasses. As it seems the americans could tow their house to the next street and get away with it
2006-10-10 10:37:54 · answer #1 · answered by lee g 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American Boat Trailers
2016-10-31 23:12:40 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As someone else said, maybe the width is a problem, but I don't think so - I towed a ford mondeo with a honda accord a couple of years back and the trailer had to be wider than the mondeo, therefore wider than my accord as they are a similar size car. It was peeing with rain that day and I wasn't pulled over.
Different countries have different rules and legislation regarding the construction and outfitting of many things. In the UK the lights on a car (presumably trailer too) need to be a certain distance from the ground in order to be legal. Also the configuration of the lights may be different in the US. Some countries don't have fog lights, for example. Ask at your local DVLA office. Check the site below for more info.
2006-10-10 12:46:05 · answer #3 · answered by cm_carey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same reasons that a UK trailer would not automatically be legal in the US... in order to travel on the road, in either country, a trailer will have to be certified to the standards which apply in that country.
Those manufactured there will have been built to the appropriate standard, and the manufacturers will have some kind of blanket certification... an imported trailer will have to be individually certified, before they can be used on the road.
If the "foreign" trailer is inspected and receives a certification from the appropriate body, then it's perfectly legal.
Just as an aside, how much does it cost to haul a trailer across the Atlantic? I'd have through the cost of transporting it would be greater than the cost of simply buying another one when you get there...
2006-10-10 12:04:48 · answer #4 · answered by IanP 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have not heard that they are actually illegal. I would guess however that it's to do with their width, if a trailer is wider than the vehicle it is being towed by that makes it illegal. I'm sure this puts most American trailers into the illegal catergory, unless you are towing it with a Hummer.
If you have gained a licence in the last few years there are strict limits on what you can tow without doing another driving test and gaining a trailer towing licence. The limits are all to do with the weight of the trailer in relation to the weight of the towing vehicle this could also go towards making the towing of American boat trailers illegal.
2006-10-10 08:04:40 · answer #5 · answered by ggreggers123 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do they have their own braking system, I think all EU spec trailers have to default brake, i.e. if the trailer becomes unhitched then the brake is applied, maybe American spec ones don't have this feature?
2006-10-10 08:12:52 · answer #6 · answered by strawman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tv set is produced to the lowest common denominator - i.e., the average IQ of the general public, whereas a written publication is written to the highest common denominator
2017-03-03 11:08:08 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-02-19 12:44:18 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love watching television, I love the pet shows, the medical shows and the court docket and Judges shows
2017-02-02 08:04:44 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its because they have not been tested to UK safety standards. You can have them tested over here,if they pass you will receive an engineers report allowing you to use it on the road. However you have to pay the cost so it might be just as well to buy British in the 1st place.
2006-10-10 08:20:14 · answer #10 · answered by Swish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋