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Subject Topic: 1.4 towing a 500kg trailer
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Person2011finley
20/10/2017 at 4:28pm
 Location: Birmingham
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1.4litre petrol car 90bhp towing a 500kg trailer tent plus luggage and another person. The question is will I be able to drive down to south coast from the midlands easy enough or will the trailer cause problems ?

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2018 1.4tfsi Audi A1 Sline(150ps) and
2012 Sunncamp Holiday 240s


PersonRob and Tina
20/10/2017 at 4:43pm
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What is the maximum weight the can can tow? I assume that the trailer is unbraked so may be a bit on the heavy side. If the trailer is within the weight limit I would expect it to be ok but you may have to use the gears a bit more than you would if solo on steep hills.

Rob


Person2011finley
20/10/2017 at 5:43pm
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600 is the max on a 12% gradient

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2018 1.4tfsi Audi A1 Sline(150ps) and
2012 Sunncamp Holiday 240s


PersonFrancais
20/10/2017 at 5:51pm
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As above, check the car handbook to find out max unbraked tow weight of the car, if no handbook car manufacturer will be able to advise.

I doubt the car will be below 500kg, but if it is, just fill the trailer accordingly and check the gross weight does not exceed that of the spec for the car, or trailer which ever is the greater.


PersonLlaniDavis
20/10/2017 at 7:46pm
 Location: Llanidloes Powys
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Quote: Originally posted by Francais on 20/10/2017
As above, check the car handbook to find out max unbraked tow weight of the car, if no handbook car manufacturer will be able to advise.

I doubt the car will be below 500kg, but if it is, just fill the trailer accordingly and check the gross weight does not exceed that of the spec for the car, or trailer which ever is the greater.


It is quite possible that it could be below 500kg, because there are many cars that are not Type Approved for towing, therefore their limit is NIL.


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PersonOpensauce
20/10/2017 at 8:06pm
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Seat Ibiza is ok to tow the tt. I think the question was more about towing ability. As pointed out. Use the gears.


Personnavver
20/10/2017 at 8:07pm
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In principle it should be fine for towing along the road etc. I have a friend with a 1.2 Fiat Punto tows a 750kg trailer no problem.

Towing a trailer is much easier on the car than towing a caravan as there is virtually no wind resistance but a massive amount with a caravan. Even a caravan which weighs nothing would be hard work with a small car.

However, you must check the max tow weight for your car and if the trailer is unbraked you must use the unbraked limit which may be much lower.

Personally I would be wary of going down long steep hills if it is unbraked especially with a full car.


PersonLlaniDavis
20/10/2017 at 10:55pm
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Quote: Originally posted by navver on 20/10/2017
Personally I would be wary of going down long steep hills if it is unbraked especially with a full car.


That is what gears are for!


Person2011finley
21/10/2017 at 11:21am
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Thanks for the replies, I’ve booked the car in to have a towbar fitted if anything and it doesn’t work out then I’ll know for my next car what to look for. Thanks again guys!

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2018 1.4tfsi Audi A1 Sline(150ps) and
2012 Sunncamp Holiday 240s


Personmoppetsdad
21/10/2017 at 11:53am
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For about nine or ten years we towed our van of about 850kg to Scotland every year with a 1.6 petrol 90bhp Skoda Felicia with no problems what so ever and always managed to keep up with the traffic easily, if you look in my gallery at number three photo you will see us on a campsite at Oban before we boarded the ferry to Mull (That's us between the little puck and the other big van)

Most years we stayed at a campsite at Achnairn a bit north of Lairg and well above Inverness and went out on day trips from there which is 606 miles from home in Norfolk the trip done in two hops up and back.

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/gallery.asp?profile=160521&gall=3

So towing a trailer tent of 500kg should be easy peasy, it's all down to how you drive. Remember years ago,ok I know things are different now, but folks travelled all over with a lot less powerful cars and survived.

We also towed round to Applecross and as anyone who had ever done that route will tell that is great fun!!!

Post last edited on 21/10/2017 12:40:45

-------------
David

    

I've stood on Lego and didn't even cry!!


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PersonDarrenElbrow
23/10/2017 at 8:24pm
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Check on the V 5 it will give you the max towing weights of braked and unbraked trailers. Also the vin plates inside the door of the car will have the info as well.
We tow a 650kg folding camper with our 1.6 petrol Mini Cooper Clubman with the 2 of us and the dog. Our car has a max limit of 750kgs braked and 500kgs unbraked


PersonGrampian91
24/10/2017 at 7:36pm
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Is the folding camper braked?

i wouldnt have thought it would be, adding brakes adds quite a bit of weight itself.


PersonRob and Tina
24/10/2017 at 7:42pm
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Folding campers are usually braked, trailer tents are usually unbraked.

Rob


PersonOpensauce
24/10/2017 at 8:34pm
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Some trailer tents did come with option of brakes. Having brakes will allow them to be towed within the braked tow wight limit of a small car with plenty of margin rather than the unbraked option which might be marginal for a small car.


Personnavver
25/10/2017 at 8:26pm
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All Dandys are braked even the small ones. Its surprising how much stopping a 500kg trailer needs.

I was towing our 500kg Dandy with the Mondeo, a huge car for a little trailer. Approaching stopping traffic in the middle lane a Mini suddenly dived out of the fast lane right in front of me and slammed the brakes on. Even with a braked trailer it really tested the Mondeo brakes to the full. I would hate to have had an unbraked trailer.


PersonDarrenElbrow
28/10/2017 at 12:21pm
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Our Conway Challenger is braked . I’ve towed a 500kg load in an unbraked trailer with our previous car and I had someone pull out on us and it almost ended in disaster.
Like others said folding campers are usually a good few hundred kilos heavier than a trailer tent, and almost all come with brakes



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