Towing advice please (weights)

[Bowler]

Can anyone give me some sensible towing advice please.

Last year we bought a cheap caravan, so we can have some weekends away. Despite my initial aversion to what I then considered to be the wheel-bound spawn of Beelzebub, I’ve actually really enjoyed the experiences do far, so now what to invest in a more modern caravan that is a little more relevant to our needs.

After some initial confusion, I’ve finally got my head around this MRO/MTPLM thing, but I’m still totally confused about the whole MTPLM vs vehicle weight issue. Trying to seek advice on the more traditional caravanning forums, seems to result in hitting the barrier along the lines of “you musn’t exceed 85% and woe betide you if you do”

This is restricting the choice of the next caravan for us. I fully respect that 85% used to be the law and now is only a recommendation, but they seem to treat the 85% thing as if I’m gonna die of leprosy in a horrible fireball if I do. To confuse things even more, the caravanning community then seems to suggest that it possible to drag 100%, if you are “an experienced tower” (whatever that means)...

Packed for a weekend away, our tow car (2012 Sportage), is about 1850kg (with a tank full of juice) so the whole 85% thing appears to limit us to dragging a caravan of around 1550kg, all up.

I fully respect the advice being offered by the caravanning experts is based on years of experience but the KIA manufacturers blurb says that our tow car has a maximum laden weight of 2175kg and a maximum (braked) tow weight of 2000kg

We are looking at Caravans that have an MRO/MPTLM of around 1550/1800, but all the stuff I’m reading is that I should steer well clear of vans with these weights, based on the nominal weight of the tow car. I estimate (wet finger) that the stuff we put in the van will weigh no more than 150kg, but the whole balancing thing between the car and van is doing my head in…

I don’t want to make light of road safety, but can anyone offer any real world and unbiased advice about what I can realistically drag behind a car that is around 1750 to 1900, as I’m really confused

Please....

Thx

Edited by Bowler on Tuesday 15th July 00:01

[R0G]

Caravans are different to other types of trailer by their design = big bubbles

The 85% advice is given so the towing vehicle is 15% heavier than the caravan for better control

That advice is for - AT THE TIME OF TOWING IT

The figures used are to give the worst case scenario where the vehicle is virtually empty with the caravan fully laden

If you know that at the time of towing your vehicle will weigh 2000 and the caravan will weigh 1700 then that is 85%

The figures are also used to do a like for like comparison

Many experienced caravan towers go over the 85% as they know their set up will cope safely with that


This does not apply to other types of trailer

Do you have a B+E on your licence?

[Rosscow]

You must be looking at some big arse caravans!

My Ace twin axle 6 berth has a MIRO OF 1430 and a MTPLM of 1700kg.

Are you sure that your Kia only weighs 1850 laden? What is the kerb weight?

[Bowler]

Thanks for these comments

There is no issue with my licence for towing (I’ve got BE)

The Kia is 1600kg min kerbside weight, but I consider these to be an irrelevant figure as I don’t tow with the car completely empty and no-one in it. Kia also quote a maximum kerbside weight of 1754, but I cannot find anything anywhere that defines what this (max kerb weight) relates to….. Is it ready to roll with a full tank and no passengers/luggage?

I've put the car on a weighbridge. It was 1750 with me in it, no luggage to speak of and about a third of a tank of juice, so I’m reasonably happy that it’s a fair point to start. Based on this, I estimate that with all our crap for a weekend (mainly beer...) the car will be 1850ish (single occupant), or just over 1900 with 2 occupants. The single occupant weight is important to me, as my wife often tows it alone.

We are looking at twin-axle vans that are 4 to 5 years old that have MRO/MPTLM weights of around 1650/1800. I fully recognise that there are (a lot) lighter twin axle vans around, but the ones we like/want are in this weight range (+/- 50kg)

It is the MPTLM when compared to the probable/actual weight of the car that is giving me grief. On the face of it, if I try and pull an 1800kg van, with a car that weighs around 1800 itself, I need to be confident that it’s safe – especially if I’m gonna ask my wife to drag it about, alone.

Maybe I’m looking at this from the wrong angle? Is it easier to consider the MRO of the van and then weigh (or estimate) everything that goes in it to get an “all-up” weight? Then maybe put anything reasonably heavy in the car and not the van??

[Rosscow]

Well yes, that would be a good start.

For example I always put our awning (about 35kg) in the boot. You could also pre-fill an Aquaroll at home and put that in the boot (another 40kg). This will also get you up and running quicker on-site.

Beer and heavy foodstuffs could also be stuck in the car.

In fairness though it does seen that you're trying to pull a relatively heavy caravan with a relatively light car.

Out of interest what maximum nose weight does your car/towbar have?

[Rosscow]

Have you had a play with this website?

http://www.whattowcar.com/

It's quite a good tool

[Bowler]

Rosscow said:

In fairness though it does seen that you're trying to pull a relatively heavy caravan with a relatively light car.

Out of interest what maximum nose weight does your car/towbar have?

I think you are right as the relative lightweight nature of the car is the real barrier here. Although we bought (what we thought was) a reasonably good tow car and we currently have no issues with how it is performing it's job, I think we under-estimated what the real barrier would be if we want to move up a notch in term of Van size (note to self: buy a RR or similar)

The Tow Ball weight is 80kg

Thanks for all your help. I think we need to consider again about what the next Van will be

[R0G]

2013 caravan towcar of the year is this one
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/business-car-leasi...
Kerb 1360
GVW 1998
Towing 2000

[Rosscow]

Rog, that car makes the situation even worse doesn't it?!

[Rosscow]

I tow my caravan with a 3.0 V6 Audi A6 Avant.

There's no way I's fancy doing serious mileage towing my caravan with a 1.6 - it must be pretty gutless.

[Rosscow]

Actually Rog that's only tow car of the year for up to 1450kg caravans.

OP's desired caravan winner is a 3.0 V6 Jaguar XF.

OP, why not look at lighter twin axles? Mine is lighter, Sprites are lighter still.

You definitely don't need a range rover!!

[surveyor]

[quote=Rosscow]Actually Rog that's only tow car of the year for up to 1450kg caravans.

OP's desired caravan winner is a 3.0 V6 Jaguar XF.

OP, why not look at lighter twin axles? Mine is lighter, Sprites are lighter still.

You definitely don't need a range rover!![/quote

You always need a Range Rover!

I towed our twin axle Sprite with an E class Merc, close to 100% weight match. Despite the twin axle layout, it was not altogether a comfortable experience, the most unnerving being around car transporters....

[Bowler]

Rosscow said:

OP, why not look at lighter twin axles? Mine is lighter, Sprites are lighter still.

You definitely don't need a range rover!!

The issue is that we both have a clear view on what we ideally want (layout Etc). Whilst we're prepared to compromise on the ideal, we are not in any kind of position to buy new. In any case, this will (only ever) be used for weekends away so I'm not prepared to throw too much cash at it, which leads to vans that are ~5+ years old. It seems to me that the older they are, the heavier they seem to be (in our desired layout) so it's a balancing act between layout, age, weight and the filthy lucre...

BTW, I won't buy an RR, cos I'm not that keen on walking The words I used were "or similar"

[powerstroke]

The rules are what is the total loaded weight of the van ?? Less than
Towing capacity = OK.more not OK!!! Nothing to do with the unladen weight of the tow car not in law anyway.

Edited by powerstroke on Wednesday 30th July 07:16

[R0G]

powerstroke said:

The rules are what is the total loaded weight of the van ?? Less than
Towing capacity = OK.more not OK!!!

That does not make sense