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Subject Topic: What weight are you towing? Post Reply Post New Topic
16/6/2013 at 9:34pm
 Location: Plymouth
 Outfit: Rollerteam t-line 590
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Having read through some posts I was wondering how many people are towing vans heavier than the 85 percent guideline. Dose any one allow in calculating their figures the weight of motor movers, towbars, passengers etc? Or tow a heavier van because its a twin axle and tows better? I suppose sometimes you don't want to change the car but just wish it was heavier.


16/6/2013 at 9:39pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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People exceed the 85% because its not a law. Its a guideline.

The issue is when you get close to 100% or above. Then the unexpected tends to bite you.



16/6/2013 at 10:03pm
 Location: Lowestoft Suffolk
 Outfit: Skoda Superb DSG + Elddis Affinity 550
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There are so many posts here on the subject of 85%, noseweight, tyre pressures and other general technicalities, I would suggest that a high number of people (who are UKCS members) are remarkably aware and compliant.


16/6/2013 at 10:04pm
 Location: Lowestoft Suffolk
 Outfit: Skoda Superb DSG + Elddis Affinity 550
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PS

Just look at the suffix of Grampian91's post for example.


17/6/2013 at 10:20am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered
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I think there is a lot of fuss surrounding the 85% guidance.
Too much emphasis seems to be that if you stay below this magical figure then you have a "safe" outfit, all you have is an outfit that your car can pull relatively easily.
Every time there is one of these threads some one will come along with a large tow car and a small van and state " I don't know it is there" which makes me cringe. There is so much more to being a safe outfit than just having enough power to tow with.


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17/6/2013 at 10:58am
 Location: Cambridgeshire
 Outfit: 2017 Swift Accent 580 & Ford Kuga AWD
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I tow at above 85% i wish I had a 4 x 4 but cant afford to buy one and couldn't afford to run it if I did. The Mondeo does a excellent job of towing our Unicorn without the high running costs, but i'm towing at 90%.

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Easter - Burford
May - WoodFarm Dorset
June - IOW
Aug - can't decided
October - Yorkshire
Plus many more weekends at every possible chance!


17/6/2013 at 12:57pm
 Location: Derbyshire
 Outfit: ElddisAvante462 Honda CRV SE2.2 i-Dtec
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We will be towing above the 85% ratio with our new caravan when we get it, but only if we take it and load it to its max gross laden weight, not not its MIRO.

As we tend to put most things like clothes and any awning we may be using (rare these days) into the car, as there are only the two of us, and we are experianced towers, and every other factor on the CC's outfit matching service is ok, we are quite happy with this. However, when we next change the car, probably in a couple of years time, we may look for a compact 4x4 to serve both as a towcar, and to give us a better chance in bad winter weather of getting out into the countryside to look after my elderly Dad should any problems arise that cannot wait for the weather to clear.

Julia



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Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife

Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!


17/6/2013 at 7:36pm
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: 1996 Bailey Senator 5000
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I'm at 96% on my Mondeo based on manufacturers figures but I do have the top line model so the bells and whistles likely add a significant amount. Expect in the low 90's.

Doesn't worry me as I've towed since I was 18 and much bigger/heavier outfits than my van. Experience and understanding of loading, speed, hazard perception etc count more than numbers.

If we're talking numbers I'd like to see the statistics on caravan accidents and see how many are with over 85% loading. A muppet pulling a light 2 berth single van with a discovery is more likely to be a danger than an experienced 5 berth twin pulled by a Mondeo.


17/6/2013 at 10:06pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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I think mines at 72%. But when i bought the van i had a montego estate and it must have been close to 100% if fully loaded.

But i only towed it a few times for shorter breaks, It was only a 1.6 petrol so not as relaxed to tow as it is with my current car.

It towed it and some would have said its a brill towcar, But for me i wanted something better.

I bought a Rover 800 diesel. I must have half the amount of times i needed to change gear.
Those hills on the M5 and A30 where i would normally change down were a thing of the past.

I would change down and be doing 4000 or even 5000 revs in a petrol car rather than let the revs drop too low which is worse.

Mate said his 406 diesel was the best towcar ever, I had to wonder why he struggled to overtake the old S2 LandRover on one of the hills on the A30. When he dropped below 30mph i said to the missus phone him up and asks if he wants a push.

There will be people with grossly overloaded and illegal outfits who will say it tows brilliantly.




Post last edited on 17/06/2013 22:13:59


18/6/2013 at 12:12am
 Location: Lichfield
 Outfit: Coachman Amara 450
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I used to tow with a Ford Focus 1.6 manual diesel estate at around a 92% match which towed okay on the flat but when it came to motorway inclines and basic hill starts then I felt the cars incapability but it coped. Where the serious problem lies regarding the match is not just the starting off or the pulling but the actual stopping power as well. When you are travelling down hill the caravan in tow is actually pushing the car so you need the sufficient kerbweight and extra stopping power to stay in control should the unexpected happen. If however you have a match over 90% then the weight of the caravan (in extreme circumstances) could possibly jack-knife the car and just the very thought of this made me feel uncomfortable as a responsible caravanner. In view of this I changed my car to a Focus sizes vehicle which is a Volvo V50 (2.4 manual diesel) which has a higher kerbweight plus the extra pulling power and most importantly the necessary stopping power in order to be safer. The conclusion is that I now tow with a match of 83% merely for my own safety plus other road users and pedestrians alike but at the end of the day you either take the advice and abide to the 85% recommendation or you ignore it. However, these figures haven't just been produced out of thin air, much research and development has been implemented and tested over the years for the sake of all of us and I prefer to acknowledge that the investment has been made in the name of road safety in general for everyone but my advice in general would be to not exceed a 90% match.


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18/6/2013 at 8:40am
 Location: south staffordshire
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Amethyst + santa fe
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I tow at 80% of car's stated weight when van fully loaded but that doesn't take into account 3 extra people, dog, kayak, 4 bikes, cadac, camp chairs, picnic table and kitchen sink!!! Probably around 75% all in all.


18/6/2013 at 9:10am
 Location: Shropshire
 Outfit: Bailey Phoenix GT 75
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Max 1400Kg which with the Sorento is within 85% guidelines, its effortless!

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DS-There's more to life than football!!!


18/6/2013 at 8:06pm
 Location: Blyth Northumberland
 Outfit: Bailey Pageant Monarch two berth
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I don't have a weigh bridge near me so I check all my weights. My caravan's basic weight is, unloaded 1246kg. Max is 1600kg. Additional permanent weights are: air con 34kg, battery 30kg, spare wheel 14kg, motor mover 55kg, safe 11kg. Basic weight before extras 1390kg
Weight allowed for extras 210kg
Loading the caravan to 1600kg would put me at 91.4% 3300kg train weight. I try to keep it at 85% and have a list of all the thing we take.
Fred.



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