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Subject Topic: new to EVERYTHING (towing) Post Reply Post New Topic
27/8/2013 at 8:38pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Abbey Gloucester
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we have a ford mondeo estate ghia 52 plate and in the past have towed a trailer weighing approx 250kg no probs. just brought our first ever caravan an abbey gloucester 1999 yr. this is obviously a big change but according to all our calculations we are within towing limits etc.

the rear of the car seems very low even without towing, someone has mentioned using support assistors.

just wondering if there is any advice anyone could give us please.



27/8/2013 at 9:03pm
 Location: County Durham
 Outfit: Elddis Encore 254
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Hi Samjed,

Your car should have a kerb weight of 1618kg. Using the 85% rule you can safely tow a caravan with an MTLPM of up to 1375KG. The Abbey County Gloucester has an MTPLM of 1230KG so you are fine in that regard.

Given the rear of the car is very low you probably should check the nose weight. The node should be between 5% and 7% of the caravans weight. When fully loaded this should be between 61KG to 86KG.

Of course if the car is sitting low at the back without towing then I'd get your rear suspension checked before towing.

Hope that helps.
Graeme


27/8/2013 at 9:30pm
 Location: preston
 Outfit: Cabanon saturn tt. suncamp manoir 6
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sam these are what you will have been told about
first ones i found so not sure if the price is good or not

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GRAYSTON-SPRING-ASSISTERS-RAISERS-1993-2001/dp/B00B00LSWI


27/8/2013 at 10:40pm
 Location:  Surrey
 Outfit: Peugeot Boxer Utah + Lunar Ariva
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Don't forget you cannot load the car up thinking its not counted weight wise it is all of it. They tend to take 2 x 12 stone people and ordinary bits already on the car. So have you got too much in the boot so causing to be to low down. The nose weight is so important on the van when loaded keep to just under it.

Load over axle of  the caravan not stuffing the front locker box with heavy weights. A pair of scales adjusting the weight to match the piece of wood on them to stop the  jockey wheel stuck into the rubber of the scales. If you have no proper jockey wheel scales. DONT go over weight. Dangerous for snaking etc.

Got all this info last year from the site and have the whole lot written down in a jotter notebook to keep for further use. I put it all down and its been very handy to refer to when I have forgotten anything.



-------------
Chrissie

Be Strong-Think positive.


27/8/2013 at 10:55pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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How many passengers in the rear of the car? Luggage in the boot?

Caravans noseweight?

11 year old springs maybe tired also. The springs on a mondeo are fairly common for breaking, Those rubber donuts put extra stress on the springs.

Check your weights 1st.



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28/8/2013 at 11:51am
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: 1996 Bailey Senator 5000
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Likely the mondeo has been used for carrying loads in the past and the springs are sagging. Pretty cheap to replace and as has been said the mondeo is prone to snapped rear springs.

Having just replaced a rear spring on my mondeo it's not a big job. A decent garage should charge 2 hrs labour on top of £60 for the springs.

I have a nose weight of 60KG for my van and even with kids in the back and suitcases and cooler in the boot it doesn't ride that low at the rear.



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