Carlow to Monte Carlo.. Prep

TrailerBob

I have a decent road trip coming up in August - driving to Monaco. I'm bringing the jeep, and pulling a 12x6 box trailer behind. Driven on the continent before, but never hauled a fully loaded trailer there

Question is - am I missing anything that I need/should bring?

So far I have:
2 hi-vis vests
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Extensive tool kit
Headlamp converters
Jump leads
Tow strap
Various bulbs, fuses etc

Plans for:
Full service of the jeep
Spare wheel & tyre for trailer
20ltr jerry can for diesel
Rear view camera if money allows (hard to see around the trailer on passenger side)
New LED lights for the trailer - lenses are cracked
A good playlist for the iPod

Any other recommendations?
There's probably something obvious I'm not thinking of. And yes I'm planning early but I'm getting married in 3 weeks so I need all this out of the way first!
Thanks

pete4130

Towing/caravan mirrors?

SV

Don't you need to have a breathalyser kit in the car now by law in france?

TrailerBob

pete4130 wrote: »

Towing/caravan mirrors?

I have thought about those Pete, though none of the ones I have found have fixings big enough to attach to my mirrors.. Cruiser mirrors are huge! I'll keep looking though.

I tow the trailer here a good bit, and its not generally a problem. I'm just thinking about being on the right, and visibility behind being restricted

Looked up the breathalyser and it seems to be recommended alright

JJJJNR

Beans, you'll need some beans.

Red Kev

You should check the legality of carrying a full jerry can around with you on motorways, it's illegal in some countries.

Have a proper reg plate made up, not some hand painted one, and make sure the lights for the reg plate on the trailer are working.

Trailers can be expensive on French motorway tolls, you should try to get an idea of prices before you leave.

Extra wide mirrors are probably obligatory with a trailer of that size, you should check this out as well.

Bpmull

A decent size jack 2 1/2 or 3 tonne. If you get a puncture on the trailer you'll be thankfull of it. Also a decent extension bar for talking of the nuts of the wheel just makes it easier make sure you have the right size for the jeep tyres as well as the trailer. Also a mini tyre compressor can be bought in halfords for 10 euro just plugs into cigarette lighter.

challengemaster

Do you have the correct license? Once you leave Ireland you're screwed if you don't.

TrailerBob

challengemaster wrote: »

Do you have the correct license? Once you leave Ireland you're screwed if you don't.

Yeah I have all that end well sorted. I do about 5000 miles a year here with trailers so all is up to scratch in terms of plates, licences, lighting etc. I'm pretty anal about all that myself. I know there's a lot of number plates drawn on a bit of wood in black marker, but that's not me!

I also have a full toolkit including sockets, spanners, jack, and much more so hopefully I could fix anything bar a catastrophic failure on the roadside.

I'll check the toll costings, but luckily my costs are covered for this trip.

As for the jerry, i think it's illegal to have it inside the vehicle, as I know a few guys who do North Africa road trips with full cans on their roof racks. But I'll look that up to find out for sure. Just don't want to get caught out on the autoroute. But planning ahead may sort that too.

Cheers for the replies... Especially about the beans :rolleyes:

Taylor365

Thread title sounds like a great race of old

Fred Swanson

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TrailerBob

Looking online about Jerry cans, and it only seems to be a problem for petrol. Diesel is far more stable in small spaces and there's no regulations mentioned where I have looked. I'd rather have a spare few gallons of diesel just in case. I will quite likely end up driving late at night with fewer service stations operating.

Ill get a cheap breathalyser in the shop, I want no reason for the gendarmerie to get annoyed with me, so it's easier in the long run.

pcardin

I was also about to comment on can filled with fuel as I always tought it's illegal to have it full escpecially when crossing borders (not 100% sure tought). Altought borders are open there still can be a mobile borderguard-customs checkpoint unit anywhere close to border that may stop you. If they will find an extra fuel that is outside the cars tank they can fine you.

as per breathalyzer - fine cost less than thingy itself and chances are slim that you will get checked for that.

Most important things to have from my experience are spare bulbs (and make sure all the lights on your car work), high viz jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher. Also make sure your spare wheel is in good order.

slimjimmc

80 km/h and 90 km/h stickers for the trailer.
They're probably not mandatory for visitors but who wants the hassle.
http://www.motoring-into-europe.co.uk/product-speed-stickers.html


Phone car charger and spare phone.

georgefalls

Don't forget, take your own Tayto... They don't have them anywhere else..!

aman23

Spare wheel bearings for trailer.
Was warned before over jerrycan in the uk, I was told had it been full (which it was a couple of hours before hand) I could have been done, under some obscure revenue act, re the importation of fuel oil, not in a vehicles attached fuel tank. Or something along those lines.
Happy trails!

granturismo

Do you wear glasses for driving, then you need a spare pair for France.

mawk

You should probably get some snacks too. Sounds like a long drive.

Also, a good jack. A roll of duct tape and an extending magnet.

And about 7good led torches

pcardin

aman23 wrote: »

Spare wheel bearings for trailer.
Was warned before over jerrycan in the uk, I was told had it been full (which it was a couple of hours before hand) I could have been done, under some obscure revenue act, re the importation of fuel oil, not in a vehicles attached fuel tank. Or something along those lines.
Happy trails!

Exactly what I was concerned about. Only fuel allowed is the one in cars tank when crossing boarders. If I remember correctly ferries also do not allow board with any additional fuel outside car tank is carried.

testicle

granturismo wrote: »

Do you wear glasses for driving, then you need a spare pair for France.

Only in Spain afaik

eringobragh

drove through France last 3 weeks definitely worth loading the SCDB speedcam database onto your satnav (www.scdb.info)

Must have passed at least 40 speedcams in 2000kms or roads, not sure if they work or not as the French just zoom by them :P

Marcusm

eringobragh wrote: »

drove through France last 3 weeks definitely worth loading the SCDB speedcam database onto your satnav (www.scdb.info)

Must have passed at least 40 speedcams in 2000kms or roads, not sure if they work or not as the French just zoom by them :P

Supposedly the French are attuned to this one; satnavs are supposed to have the positions disabled for France. Anecdotal evidence suggests the gendarmes ask to inspect!

Frustrating thing is they've started to incorporate the cameras into the crashbarriers so they are invisible. Not sure if an Irish plate would raise the ire that a UK one does. YMMV.

Fred Swanson

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Marcusm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Why not? Collecting cash fines from UK & German reg'd cars is well reported as a gendarme's favourite activity? I don't believe the reports of numbers being phoned on to their mates int he next department but I've known too many Brits who have been pulled over and fined for absence of beam benders, lack of relevant equipment not to mind speeding to believe it is true. Never happened to me myself despite driving a couple of thousand miles a year in France on UK plates but plenty of fist hand comments. A friend of mine even had his car impounded for speeding (excess 220kph) to know that foreign plates are not a protective mechanism.

eringobragh

Marcusm wrote: »

Supposedly the French are attuned to this one; satnavs are supposed to have the positions disabled for France. Anecdotal evidence suggests the gendarmes ask to inspect!

Frustrating thing is they've started to incorporate the cameras into the crashbarriers so they are invisible. Not sure if an Irish plate would raise the ire that a UK one does. YMMV.

...LOL I've hear a million stories about the french police ... a pinch of salt is required in most instances, I obeyed their high viz & triangle rule as I had them in the car anyway but left with nothing else.

...nice bit of road without those pesky cams spoiling it

Fred Swanson

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Top Dog

May have missed it, but in case it hasn't been mentioned already - break-down warning triangles are mandatory for travel in France as far as I'm aware

Marcusm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Not sure that an unmanned photo radar could identify that the satnav was turned on to note the speed camera positions!

eringobragh

Marcusm wrote: »

Not sure that an unmanned photo radar could identify that the satnav was turned on to note the speed camera positions!

couldn;t give a feck if they did...if i knew they didnt bother with unmannered radar I wouldn;t have wasted good brake pads at each one

TrailerBob

Cheers for all the replies lads. Interesting mix of stories about the cops. I generally stick to the speed limits so should be ok. I'll probably shadow an artic or two for a while. Have the hauling donkey ready for the road.



Equipment gathered, tools, bulbs, all the other stuff packed in. Now to back it into the shed, go off and get married, then come back for the road trip to Monaco. Happy days