My trailer was manufactured before 1 January 2016 and is designed to be drawn at speeds of 40km/h or less. Is this trailer required to have a breakaway brake?
Agricultural trailers manufactured before 1 January 2016 that are not designed to be drawn at a speed of more than 40km/h may be fitted with a secondary coupling device (for example, a chain or wire rope) instead of a breakaway brake. Trailers already in use which are designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, and which don’t already have a breakaway brake fitted, must have one fitted.
All agricultural trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, irrespective of their speed rating, must be fitted with a breakaway brake.
I have a piece of interchangeable towed equipment (eg baler, sprayer) that has no brakes. Do the revised braking requirements which took effect on 1 January 2016 apply to these types of towed vehicles?
No. The revised standards only apply to such equipment if it was fitted with brakes by the original manufacturer. However, if a braking system has been fitted, and provided the vehicle is designed to be drawn at speeds of 40km/h or less, the service brakes must be capable of generating minimum brake efficiencies of 25% and the parking brake 16%. A breakaway brake or a secondary coupling must also be fitted.
All agricultural trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, irrespective of their speed rating, must be fitted with a breakaway brake.
If a braking system has been fitted, and the vehicle is designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, it must have a service brake with an efficiency of at least 45%, a breakaway brake with an efficiency of at least 13.5% and a parking brake with an efficiency of at least 16%.
My trailer, which was manufactured before 1 January 2016, is designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, but due to financial reasons cannot be fitted with a pneumatic braking system incorporating load-sensing functionality.
There is no requirement to retrofit these systems to trailers and interchangeable towed equipment manufactured before 1 January 2016. However, it may mean, due to the performance of the braking system already fitted, that the trailer should not be used at speeds over 40km/h.
What are the lighting and visibility requirements for agricultural tractors/self-propelled agricultural equipment?
Agricultural tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines must be equipped with full lighting systems at all times, and not just during lighting-up hours. They must also be fitted with a working flashing amber beacon which must be lit when the vehicle is in use in a public place, day or night.
What are the revised lighting and visibility requirements for agricultural trailers and interchangeable equipment?
Agricultural trailers and interchangeable towed equipment must be equipped with side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting. They must also be fitted with a marker lamp on their right-hand side if, when coupled to an agricultural tractor, the overall length of the combination is more than 10m.
Agricultural trailers with a DGVW over 3,500kg must also be fitted with reflective rear markings. If these trailers form part of a combination of vehicles that is over 10m long, they must also have reflective side markings.
Finally, a rear “long vehicle” marking must be fitted to agricultural trailers forming part of a combination of vehicles over 13m long. The reflective and long vehicle marking requirements do not apply to pieces of interchangeable towed equipment that can carry more than three times their own unladen weight, for example slurry tankers, fertiliser or manure spreaders, grain chaser bins, and so on.
I use my tractor to draw a trailer for a purpose other than agriculture, fisheries or horticulture. What requirements must I adhere to?
The axle weight limits for trailers being drawn by an agricultural tractor for a purpose outside of agricultural, fisheries, forestry or horticulture are outlined in the weights and dimensions leaflet, a copy of which is available on the RSA website (www.rsa.ie).
Also, the maximum imposed load that can be put on an agricultural tractor’s coupling by a trailer’s drawbar must not be more than the tractor manufacturer’s specifications, as detailed on the plate affixed to the coupling device.
My agricultural trailer is not fitted with an authorisation plate showing a figure for its maximum permitted laden weight in Ireland. However, it has a manufacturer’s plate. My tractor is also plated. What rules must I adhere to with regard to the maximum laden weight at which I can operate?
If your trailer is not fitted with an authorisation plate, you are limited to a laden weight of not more than three times the unladen weight of the tractor being used to tow it. You are also subject to the following restrictions: 13t for a rigid drawbar single-axle trailer, 19t for a tandem axle or 22.5t or a tri-axle.
What are the plating requirements for agricultural trailers?
From 1 January 2016, trailers must be fitted with an authorisation plate (sometimes referred to as a national weights and dimensions plate) containing the information such as: manufacturer’s name, vehicle identification number (VIN), maximum design speed and permitted laden weight, maximum drawbar loading, vehicle length and width.
It may also contain information on design weights, if higher than the national limits permitted in Ireland. Retrofitting authorisation plates to agricultural trailers manufactured before 1 January 2016 will not be required unless they are rigid drawbar trailers which have a design speed of over 40km/h, or have a design gross vehicle weight of over 19t for tandems or 22.5t for triaxles.
I have customers who need authorisation plates retrofitted to their rigid drawbar agricultural trailer(s). What process must I follow?
Retrofitting of authorisation plates to agricultural trailers will only be required if they are capable by design of being drawn at speeds over 40km/h or at laden weights over 19t for tandems or 22.5t for tri-axles.
If trailers need to have authorisation plates retrofitted, this can only be carried out by a trailer manufacturer or their authorised distributor. This applies even if the trailer was originally fitted with a manufacturer’s plate. There is a process to be followed:
The trailer owner must allow you to examine the trailer.You must inspect the trailer in accordance with the requirements laid down in Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic (Plating and Speed Rating of Agricultural Vehicles) Regulations 2014 – that is, you must fill out the plating certificate (Schedule 1) and complete and sign the examiner’s declaration at the bottom of it. Read more
Trailers can move fast too – with devastating results
New rules bring changes for trailer manufacturers
My trailer was manufactured before 1 January 2016 and is designed to be drawn at speeds of 40km/h or less. Is this trailer required to have a breakaway brake?
Agricultural trailers manufactured before 1 January 2016 that are not designed to be drawn at a speed of more than 40km/h may be fitted with a secondary coupling device (for example, a chain or wire rope) instead of a breakaway brake. Trailers already in use which are designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, and which don’t already have a breakaway brake fitted, must have one fitted.
All agricultural trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, irrespective of their speed rating, must be fitted with a breakaway brake.
I have a piece of interchangeable towed equipment (eg baler, sprayer) that has no brakes. Do the revised braking requirements which took effect on 1 January 2016 apply to these types of towed vehicles?
No. The revised standards only apply to such equipment if it was fitted with brakes by the original manufacturer. However, if a braking system has been fitted, and provided the vehicle is designed to be drawn at speeds of 40km/h or less, the service brakes must be capable of generating minimum brake efficiencies of 25% and the parking brake 16%. A breakaway brake or a secondary coupling must also be fitted.
All agricultural trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, irrespective of their speed rating, must be fitted with a breakaway brake.
If a braking system has been fitted, and the vehicle is designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, it must have a service brake with an efficiency of at least 45%, a breakaway brake with an efficiency of at least 13.5% and a parking brake with an efficiency of at least 16%.
My trailer, which was manufactured before 1 January 2016, is designed to be drawn at speeds over 40km/h, but due to financial reasons cannot be fitted with a pneumatic braking system incorporating load-sensing functionality.
There is no requirement to retrofit these systems to trailers and interchangeable towed equipment manufactured before 1 January 2016. However, it may mean, due to the performance of the braking system already fitted, that the trailer should not be used at speeds over 40km/h.
What are the lighting and visibility requirements for agricultural tractors/self-propelled agricultural equipment?
Agricultural tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines must be equipped with full lighting systems at all times, and not just during lighting-up hours. They must also be fitted with a working flashing amber beacon which must be lit when the vehicle is in use in a public place, day or night.
What are the revised lighting and visibility requirements for agricultural trailers and interchangeable equipment?
Agricultural trailers and interchangeable towed equipment must be equipped with side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting. They must also be fitted with a marker lamp on their right-hand side if, when coupled to an agricultural tractor, the overall length of the combination is more than 10m.
Agricultural trailers with a DGVW over 3,500kg must also be fitted with reflective rear markings. If these trailers form part of a combination of vehicles that is over 10m long, they must also have reflective side markings.
Finally, a rear “long vehicle” marking must be fitted to agricultural trailers forming part of a combination of vehicles over 13m long. The reflective and long vehicle marking requirements do not apply to pieces of interchangeable towed equipment that can carry more than three times their own unladen weight, for example slurry tankers, fertiliser or manure spreaders, grain chaser bins, and so on.
I use my tractor to draw a trailer for a purpose other than agriculture, fisheries or horticulture. What requirements must I adhere to?
The axle weight limits for trailers being drawn by an agricultural tractor for a purpose outside of agricultural, fisheries, forestry or horticulture are outlined in the weights and dimensions leaflet, a copy of which is available on the RSA website (www.rsa.ie).
Also, the maximum imposed load that can be put on an agricultural tractor’s coupling by a trailer’s drawbar must not be more than the tractor manufacturer’s specifications, as detailed on the plate affixed to the coupling device.
My agricultural trailer is not fitted with an authorisation plate showing a figure for its maximum permitted laden weight in Ireland. However, it has a manufacturer’s plate. My tractor is also plated. What rules must I adhere to with regard to the maximum laden weight at which I can operate?
If your trailer is not fitted with an authorisation plate, you are limited to a laden weight of not more than three times the unladen weight of the tractor being used to tow it. You are also subject to the following restrictions: 13t for a rigid drawbar single-axle trailer, 19t for a tandem axle or 22.5t or a tri-axle.
What are the plating requirements for agricultural trailers?
From 1 January 2016, trailers must be fitted with an authorisation plate (sometimes referred to as a national weights and dimensions plate) containing the information such as: manufacturer’s name, vehicle identification number (VIN), maximum design speed and permitted laden weight, maximum drawbar loading, vehicle length and width.
It may also contain information on design weights, if higher than the national limits permitted in Ireland. Retrofitting authorisation plates to agricultural trailers manufactured before 1 January 2016 will not be required unless they are rigid drawbar trailers which have a design speed of over 40km/h, or have a design gross vehicle weight of over 19t for tandems or 22.5t for triaxles.
I have customers who need authorisation plates retrofitted to their rigid drawbar agricultural trailer(s). What process must I follow?
Retrofitting of authorisation plates to agricultural trailers will only be required if they are capable by design of being drawn at speeds over 40km/h or at laden weights over 19t for tandems or 22.5t for tri-axles.
If trailers need to have authorisation plates retrofitted, this can only be carried out by a trailer manufacturer or their authorised distributor. This applies even if the trailer was originally fitted with a manufacturer’s plate. There is a process to be followed:
The trailer owner must allow you to examine the trailer.You must inspect the trailer in accordance with the requirements laid down in Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic (Plating and Speed Rating of Agricultural Vehicles) Regulations 2014 – that is, you must fill out the plating certificate (Schedule 1) and complete and sign the examiner’s declaration at the bottom of it. Read more
Trailers can move fast too – with devastating results
New rules bring changes for trailer manufacturers
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