The car

[Pete Grey]

It looks a very useful device MB, over here you don’t see many vehicles fitted with winches.

As for the UK towing rules can be confusing, they go on about “Maximum Authorised Mass” of the towing vehicle and the “Maximum Technically Permitted Unladen Mass” of the trailer.

Towbars must be from an approved supplier and usually come with a 50mm towball.

As a general guide we are allowed pull a trailer up to a max 3,500kg, trailers over 750kg must have brakes (overrun). This is with an ordinary driving license.

Speeds are limited to 50mph on ordinary roads and 60mph on motorways.

If the trailer is less than 85% of the mass of the vehicle the RAC say there should not be any difficulty towing, but above that care should be taken.

However even the smallest car can pull an unbraked 500kg trailer down to the tip.