Motorhome tow capacities, damage to vehicle ?

[R TOY]

I have a Swift suntor 630g which I use to tow an Elise race car and spares etc. Weight total about 1500-1600kg inc trailer.
According to the plate in the vehicle I have a tow capacity of 2500kg so legally I assume no prob !
The swift spec advises iirc max of about 1250kg so maybe i'm pushing my luck ?
I know of an almost identical m'home which tows a Bmw M3, so must add 500kg over my weight and coming home this weekend I noticed a similar type m'home towing a double decker trailer with what looked like 2 Mg's or similar on board which must add up to 3000kg + !

I keep having a look under the rear extension of the chassis and all appears solid enough but I do wonder how strong the alko extension is and if i may damage the m'home. (Probably a lot stronger than it looks)

Trailer puts around 100kg on the tow bar.

Anyone had any issues towing or seen any damaged back ends ?

[magooagain]

I am just about to have a tow bar fitted to my camper van. Its a Knaus Wienburg imperial s on a renault master chassis.120hp
I have sent photos and measurments to the company that is going to build and install the tow bar.
They asure me that it will be mainly achored to the renault chassis,then run along side the chassis extension.
I will be pulling a twin wheel Iffor car trailor wieghing about 500kgs and a Fiat coupe at about 1350kgs.
My long wheel base transit 125hp had no problems atall pulling it.

I will now go and check what i can legally pull!!

[nagsheadwarrior]

Swift are one of the very few manufacturers to mention towing capacities in their handbooks,most dont so people just go off the weight plate for the base vehicle thats under the bonnet and i must admit ive not run into anyone who's had problems yet.
The old 630g and L that were made upto 06 were not deemed suitable to tow at all by swift,a colleague recently sold an 06 model and we fitted a towbar for the customer in the deal,this has caused a lot of grief as she spotted the no towing bit in the handbook which we were ignorant of!

[Lunablack]

I have a swift Kontiki and my max running order is 5500kg.... The van is rated at 4000kg which leaves 1500kg for towing...

Currently I'm towing an Ifor Williams car trailer at 350kg's with an old Yaris 850kg's giving a total of 1200k's

I built and mounted the towing hitch myself, (following advice from a towbar place) and have been keeping a close eye on the mounting points and the chassis...and am pleased to report no problems at all

Edited to add pic and to say that nose weight of 80 seems good

Edited by Lunablack on Thursday 13th June 15:06

[magooagain]

Looks like mine can tow 2000kgs. With a vehicle max wieght of 3.5ton. So 5.5 ton combined.

[elbandito1980]

Do you think you could use a motorhome to launch a boat? Something like a 4m RIB?

[Petemate]

Lunablack said:

I have a swift Kontiki and my max running order is 5500kg.... The van is rated at 4000kg which leaves 1500kg for towing...

Currently I'm towing an Ifor Williams car trailer at 350kg's with an old Yaris 850kg's giving a total of 1200k's

I built and mounted the towing hitch myself, (following advice from a towbar place) and have been keeping a close eye on the mounting points and the chassis...and am pleased to report no problems at all

Edited to add pic and to say that nose weight of 80 seems good

Edited by Lunablack on Thursday 13th June 15:06

I was under the impression that any motor vehicle registered after (I think) late nineties had not only to be type approved for towing but also to be fitted with a type approved tow bar. Top marks to you for fabricating the tow bar though - good feeling when one makes something (I speak as a creative Virgo...)
Nice looking outfit.

[Lunablack]

Petemate said:

I was under the impression that any motor vehicle registered after (I think) late nineties had not only to be type approved for towing but also to be fitted with a type approved tow bar. Top marks to you for fabricating the tow bar though - good feeling when one makes something (I speak as a creative Virgo...)
Nice looking outfit.

You are quite correct...... But the regs don't include, vehicles over 3500kg's....

If I'd taken it to a professional place, they'd only fabricate something similar to what I came up with anyway....

But just to be on the safe side, I had the MOT done at a VOSA truck place, and I asked the chap doing the test to have a good look at my work.... He was happy enough.......he was surprised I was only towing up to 1500..... He thought it was capable of towing a tank

[R TOY]

I think that only applies to vans rated 3500kg..
The higher class > 4000kg don't need a rated towbar for some inexplicable reason (Sure someone will soon correct me if wrong !)
My towbar bracket doesn't appear to have any type of rating on it and looks fabricated rather than purchased.
Was already on the van when I bought it , I just assumed it would be up to the job.
eta
Darn'it...That's what happens when you pop for a coffee during a post

Edited by R TOY on Thursday 13th June 19:43

[Chrisgr31]

elbandito1980 said:

Do you think you could use a motorhome to launch a boat? Something like a 4m RIB?

If you try this can I suggest filming it because it may well go wrong and we all like a laugh!

[Petemate]

Lunablack said:

You are quite correct...... But the regs don't include, vehicles over 3500kg's....

If I'd taken it to a professional place, they'd only fabricate something similar to what I came up with anyway....

But just to be on the safe side, I had the MOT done at a VOSA truck place, and I asked the chap doing the test to have a good look at my work.... He was happy enough.......he was surprised I was only towing up to 1500..... He thought it was capable of towing a tank

That told me, didn't it!! Well done too for getting it checked. Top job.
Pete

[nagsheadwarrior]

I may be wrong here but i think all new but only new stuff now has to have a type approved towbar,this has only just come in.
Alko chassis stuff is ok with the off the peg alko bar and elddis use witter chassis extensions which do an off the peg bar but it could be tricky with other brands.
Thats how the chap we use sees it and he only does custom fabricated motorhome towbars.

[Lunablack]

R TOY said:

Trailer puts around 100kg on the tow bar.

This would be the only thing that I would double check...... My swift book covers lots of different models.... But not yours unfortunatly.....

But for the ones in my manual they all say tow bar nose weight max 80kg's..... I aim for 70 by moving the car back or forwards as required on the trailer.....it's surprising how little movement is required to add or remove10kg's

Overnight stop in a French Aire

[R TOY]

Very nice ! I'm guessing your van has a full Alko chassis whereas mine is van based with an Alko extension.
Yes, I think 100kg is on the heavy side but with a wheel rack up front with 8 wheels/tyres and a spares box I don't seem to be able to get any lighter, even with the nose of the car hanging off the trailer.
I have tried with the car driven on forwards but the weight of the engine at the back of the trailer affects the stability.
Only pic I can find at a v rainy and nasty Donington last year