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Quote: Originally posted by par_darrell on 23/1/2007

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I have a question regarding towing weights.
We have a Rover 220sd (obviously 2.0 diesel) which tows our 92 sprite musketeer like a dream with the vans weight 990kg maximum fully loaded. The cars ideal towing weight is 1000kg max loaded but 100 % of the weight would be 1120kg.
Some (not all) books,internet sites,etc etc say you can go up to 100% of the cars kerb weight if you are an experienced tower (i've been a lorry driver carrying max 44 tonnes for the last ten years!) so could possibly class myself in this category , but , if I did go to the maximum kerbweight and if push came to shove ( as we say in these parts ) how would the law look at the situation whilst the recovery was picking the tomato sauce , fishing rods, clothes etc from the hard shoulder as the last of the 20 mile jam was making its way past us.(I've been in those jams on a Friday before the school holidays.)

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Providing you don't exceed the caravan's max weight, the max towing weight for the car, or the GTW for the whole outfit, the law wont have much to grumble about.  Exceed any of these, and you'd probably end up with some of the tomato sauce all over your face. 

Legally you can tow up to the cars maximum tow load which will be stamped on the cars VIN plate, in most cases the max tow will be heavier than the cars kerb weight (but I wouldn't recommend going over 100%) and you should not exceed the Gross Train Weight..

Don't be complacent about towing, because driving an artic and towing a caravan have totally different characteristics, stability being one of them (I too am a class 1 driver)