Manky Monkey Motors

iv got one of those 4ft x 3ft trailers erde ones im sick of the waines (kids) breaking my mudguards all the time 
so question was do you need to have mudguards on a trailer
 

It seems so.
http://www.chastheboat.co.uk/download/legal-trailer.pdf.

But like a lot of things related to vehicles, define a mudguard.
At one point vehicles including motorcycles and bicycles had mudguards that came to below the axle line. I think the wording was something along the line of, 'Guards must be fitted to prevent, within reason, spray from the tyres affecting other road users', or some other vague twaddle.

Yeah, I think that's still the case Dave -must prevent spray within reason. So if it's not raining, presumably you don't need guards?
When we put Flap's orange trike through the MOT it didn't have guards. The examiner actually rang VOSA for advice & they told him if they're not fitted, they can't be tested & therefore can't fail. So it can be MOT'd without them, (aren't they talking about MOTs for trailers & caravans at the moment?), but you could still be pulled over on the road, under the Construction & Use regulations, for not having them.
Lots of hotrods don't run mudguards & there's plenty of custom motorcycles with no front ones. Personally I don't know anyone who's been stopped for not having them & I don't know what the penalties would be, but I prefer to fit them on my vehicles, just for my own peace of mind.

New trailers are now been tested the teardrop caravans comes in November 2013

thanks very much
it gets used for doing the ebay pick ups so will have to grumble and moan and fit them

Hi Al,What are they doing to break the guards on an erde,
I have one, and as trailer guards go i thought they were pretty good made of steel.

If its the plastic mudgards they are smashing off the brackets get a crossply tyre or anything with no steel brasing wire, and cut guards out of that, will look a total bodge but
A they wont smashe them anymore
B they will keep it legal
c will cost very little if anything.

just like making plant pots   ;)

Thats it saves taking them the tip.  ;D ;D

it never had any mudguards on it when i got it so just put plastic mudguards as only really use it for stuff getting picked up or the coup run (cleanie run)
iv just got a sheet roller so this time will make them out of metal but if these ones get broke i will do the tyre ones if there is a next time
it is the mudguards they break the brackets are always fine
it is the waines at the weekend playing in it waiting for there pal that stays two minutes away but cant go in for
the other trailers we have we keep at the farm but its a bit out the way so having the wee one at the house is handy

Now as regular readers will know my memory can be a little, err, unreliable but!

I seem to recall being pulled back in the late 70's and being told my wheels stuck out too far from the body (car). I was told at the time that if you look directly down to the wheel/tyre it should be covered. I know I fitted a set of those plastic wheel arch things you used to get and was fine afterwards.

Now is/was that right or am I mis remembering?

Mind you if I am right it has most likely changed since

That certainly used to be the case, I remember we got stopped in our rally Cortina Mk1 after we put wide wheels on and before we flared the arches.

General rule of thumb seems to be that it's okay to see sidewall but not tread but like a lot of vehicle regulations I cannot find any specific rulings.

 I swear i saw a orange model B type ford rod up the A1 north yorkshire with no mudguards on at all, or if it had any the brackets were invisible and the guards themselves were soo-- soo close to the tyre it was not distinqusable, i was entering the A1 and could not get up to the car for a proper look. looked fenderless to me. 

Plenty running about without them. Either the Police don't know the regs or they assume if you've driving a radical hotrod on the street it must be legal.
Some guys carry a temporary set in the boot in case they get pulled over, or have a set in the garage, (you're usually given a "producer" in such circumstances, meaning you have to show your vehicle with the modifications listed by the Police rectified within 7 days). Personally I'd rather fit a good looking set of guards than go fenderless & have to cross your fingers every time you see a patrol car.