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Hello, Would user payload of my caravan include a Gas Bottle and the spare wheel?

I'm just fettling to see if i can tow my 04 Fleetwood colchester 5204es with a Ford focus Wagon 3 1.6D The problem is the max towing weight is 1200kg so i only have a 70kg payload to play with.

If i was to take the van to a weigh bridge laden, will it be legal to tow  if the weight is 1200kg?, i take it that would be the weight of the van on its jockey wheel un-hitched on the weigh bridge?

Thanks

Azz

The nose weight is not included in the tow weight so if you have a 75 kg nose weight, the caravan can weigh 1275kg and still count as a towed weight of 1200kg.

If the spare wheel is standard, the it should be included in the unladen weight.

However the gas bottle and battery usually have to be included in the payload.

ok thanks i will need th find the max nose weight for the focus, as my van last time we weighed it was 85kg.

it defies the large locker at the front my van has.

My understanding is that there is an unladen weight (MIRO)which includes everything built into the caravan but not including things like spare wheels, gas bottles or battery. The you have the max laden weight (MTPLM) which is the heaviest the caravan can be with everything included. There is also EHE (essential habitation equipment) which includes such things as  battery, gas cylinders, fluids in water heater, toilet flush tank. However this is not an extra allowance it comes out of the difference between MIRO and MTPLM. Nose weight is just the downward force on the towball, it is nothing the do with the total weight of the van. It seems to me that your towing vehicles is not man enough for the van you have and whilst you could tow when empty, not always a comfortable experience, you have so little room to add anything you may need to think again. You could check your outfit here www.whattowcar.com

David

Hi thanks for the replies, Its not our main tow car,we ull with a Jag, its my new car im getting next month, Just poking to see if i can tow it legally, It would help as i can then bring the van home from storage with it on the way home from work and generelly shunt it if i need to.

The what towcar site matches it to 87% which is fine, i just cant exceed the 1200kg limit. I have towed with low power diesels before and its a knack to use the box and rolling mass to your advantage.

Thanks

Quote: Originally posted by johnjory on 09/4/2009

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Have not checked, but I think it likely that the Focus 'Max Permitted Drawbar Loading', (ie the max noseweight of the van) will be no more than 50kg-60kg.

You should load the van so it is balanced to produce a 'noseweight' of between 4% and 7% of the actual weight of the van. Look up the tech 'leaflets' on the Caravan Club or Camping and Caravanning Club website for full advice.

One suggestion to reduce the weight of the van is to put the spare wheel and gas bottle (Just make bl%%dy sure it is sealed! I suspect other people might have something to say about that, but sometimes you have to think for yourself.) into your car.

Within limits, arrange things to have the heaviest car and the lightest trailer, not the other way round.

Hope this helps.

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Please NO. This is not sensible advice.