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Subject Topic: Towing weights Post Reply Post New Topic
Personbode5997
05/9/2016 at 7:38pm
 Location: Brum West Midlands
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I've been looking around to change my car,so,I've been looking at car towing weights.Right,so some of the Internet sites that have car towing weights on have some rather bizarre weights on them.A Audi A2 certain models can tow 1100 kegs braked,Mitsubishi Colt,1100 kegs.These cars have small engines,I must admit,I'm a little confused about all this.My pennine weighs 1000 kegs,somehow I can't see a Toyota Corolla 1.5 towing this,anybody shed any light on these figures?

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Ahhh!!!the weekend and freedom.


Persontango55
05/9/2016 at 8:02pm
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The towing weights are nothing to do with engine power. When a vehicle manufacturer fits a crash beam at the rear of each vehicle by the means of mounting fixtures, it's this very part that is removed and replaced with an identical part but includes the welded brackets in the centre to accommodate a towball ie. detachable, fixed flange or swan neck. Each vehicle towbar has to have a stress limit whereby the bolt mountings snap which is identified as the stress level to which a specific towing weight is applied for the said model. These vehicles have to be tested in accordance with health and safety requirements along with crash reports and the towbar also undergoes a very similar test for the same reason. This is the reason why some figures look rather bizarre as the figure is related to the maximum towing capacity and not a safe towing match. The vehicle's kerbweight is the figure to operate to and not the towing limit.


PersonNannamel
05/9/2016 at 8:07pm
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Hi. Just found a site called uptow.com. They have a list of Toyota corollas. Don't know which is yours but they all have a towing capacity of 1000 kg upwards. Also all of them have an 85% ratio of above 1000 kg.
I don't know how they work out towing capacity but I don't think it is just based on the cc of the engine.
Mel

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Nanamel


Personbode5997
05/9/2016 at 8:10pm
 Location: Brum West Midlands
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A lot of the weights are on the 85% rule,I find the actual size of the car,not the engine size,can actually tow my folding camper.Does anybody on here tow a large trailer,with a small car?I don't want to have to buy a large car,I want something smaller to tow with.

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PersonNannamel
05/9/2016 at 9:35pm
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You might be mixing up towing capacity; that is the max weight a car can pull a trailer off a one in four hill, with recommendations for towing stability; that is the 85% advice. You may find that a small engined car that has a relatively high kerb weight will give you an 85% figure that is higher than the cars towing capacity as described in the handbook. You have to go with the figure for towing capacity.
Mel

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Nanamel


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PersonOpensauce
06/9/2016 at 8:41am
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Max tow weights for car are technical figure calculated on what trailer weight car can move on an 8% hill. Worked out on engine power & torque which is pulling power. Modern diesels have much higher torque than same size petrol so make better tow car.

All you need to do is stick to around 85% kerbweight of car & you are ok provided max tow weight is not exceeded. Some cars do have max tow weight below 85% of kerbweight so always check manufacturer figure as quoted in literature from manufacturer.

Do not take data from internet sites like matching websites as gospel & always check against manufacturer data before buying anything.

Also check towbar download weight is sufficient for caravan. for example no point in towing a 1300kg caravan if car only allows max 55kg on towbar.

Max towbar weight or noseweight is arrived at due to strength of towbar mounts designed into specific car & may bear no relation to max tow weight arrived at by engine performance.

Max weights are not an invitation to load to those weights. It does not mean they are 'safe'. Car manufacturers simply provide technical data as figures to work within to allow driver to establish what is safe for them to tow.


PersonBlue Sky Pennine
06/9/2016 at 11:37am
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Couple of slightly misleading answers here to be honest. Firstly, it's a common misconception that towing weights represent the weight a car can tow up a certain gradient. This is crazy, if you think about it. The maximum towing weight is a legal figure for the maximum we can tow, it is, indeed, based on what it can tow up a specified gradient, but that is just a tiny part of it. It's, also, based on various other factors, like suspension, braking etc. How scary would it be if a car could tow 2 tonnes up an 8% gradient, but it couldn't stop in time when braking at speed? Towing weights are calculated as a result of extensive and varied testing on a whole host of factors, before granting type approval.

Secondly, kerb weight, and any percentage, thereof, is totally irellevant here. It is only a quide, anyway, but, more importantly, it only applies to caravans, not trailers, folding campers etc. This is because caravans are large sided, non aerodynamic boxes, with low internal density and high centre of gravity. This means they are much more prone to snaking, caused by cross winds, over taking lorries etc. Because of this, they need a heavier tow vehicle, to prevent the 'tail wagging the dog'. This is not relevant to folding campers, and, hence, as I say, therefore, neither is kerb weight (85% or otherwise).

For a folding camper, the only thing you need to know is the car's legal towing capacity. This is on the car's V5 document and VIN plate. Never rely on matching or other internet sites to advise you what you can, actually, legally and safely tow.

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The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..


Personsmartecosse
06/9/2016 at 3:03pm
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Quote: Originally posted by bode5997 on 05/9/2016
A lot of the weights are on the 85% rule,I find the actual size of the car,not the engine size,can actually tow my folding camper.Does anybody on here tow a large trailer,with a small car?I don't want to have to buy a large car,I want something smaller to tow with.


We have a Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 HDI (90) and it comfortably tows our Pathfinder.........we've just completed almost 2,500 miles in it this summer towing the Pathfinder and had no problems at all.


Personnavver
06/9/2016 at 8:30pm
 Location: West country
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Look at your V5 registration document and in your car for a plate showing weights. Post up what you have.
You need

max tow braked trailer
kerb weight of car or mass in service.


PersonBlue Sky Pennine
07/9/2016 at 11:56am
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You wont find either of those on the car's VIN plate. What you will find are four weights.

The top weight is the max gross weight of the car. The second weight is tue Gross Train Weight (max weight of car plus trailer). Obviously, therefore, the difference between the two is the maximum amount you are allowed to tow (braked). This is the figure you need, and the ONLY figure you need. Again, kerb weight has no relevance to folding campers, whatsoever. The bottom two weights on the plate are the maximum weights allowed over each axle.

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The one good thing about being wrong is the joy it brings to others..


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Personbode5997
11/9/2016 at 6:19pm
 Location: Brum West Midlands
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Ok,looked at. Focus C max 1.0 eco boost,salesman says same power as a 1600,this car is a petrol by the way.The towing weight is a braked trailer for 1200kg.Hang on,this is a 1.0 litre petrol engine,able to tow 1200kg braked?Am I missing something here,does anyone on here tow with one of these?Im looking at a new car,my pathfinder weighs 1000 kg,so,can this car tow my trailer?????

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Ahhh!!!the weekend and freedom.


PersonOpensauce
11/9/2016 at 8:05pm
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You need to look at the torque figures. 1 litre turbo has 170nm of torque which is better than the 1600 old technology petrol but not as good as the 1.5 diesel which has 270nm of torque so will make a better towcar for a tonne.

Engine sizes mean not much nowadays, you need to unlearn everything you thought you knew about engines. It's all about forced induction, turbocharging. With better metal technology & better electronics specific power outputs can be reliably produced that would not have been possible a few yrs ago in a production line engine.

The only limitation on power & torque by forced induction is the engine's mechanical ability to stay in one piece. For example, in the 1980s 1.5 litre turbocharged Formula 1 engines had outputs in excess off 700bhp.

Small turbocharged petrol engines appear to be the way forward particularly if car diesels are being phased out due to nox emissions but diesels will be around for a few yrs yet & for fuel economy & for towing diesels remain the best choice.


Personnavver
11/9/2016 at 8:40pm
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You're asking if your car can tow it but you still haven't posted the figures from your V5 and VIN plate. They and they alone hold the answer.



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