Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by janus on 05/7/2011

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Quote: Originally posted by nelmo on 04/7/2011

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Utter tosh!! That is the ONLY legal requirement - you must not exceed the towing weight of your car, no matter what it is you are towing (horses, trailers, haystacks etc).

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That is the bit that is utter tosh, the weights that you must not exceed are the caravans maximum technical permitted laden mass Plated on the caravan ), the cars Maximum Allowable mass and the cars Maximum train weight ( both plated on the car ) and the towbar maximum noseweight ( plated on the towbar ). The manufacturers maximum towing weight that they put in the handbook is an advisary figure that has only civil law implications ( it may invalidate part of your warranty if you exceed it ). If you insist upon loading your car to its maximum weight and then trying to tow a caravan at the manufacturers recommended maximu towing weight you may well find yourself towing an illegal outfit as it may well exceed the maximum train weight.

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Quote: Originally posted by Greendemon315 on 05/7/2011

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It's steep and long. I used to go up in a coach very early every Saturday morning. It was a twelve speed gearbox and the hill required ten down changes in quick succession.
Jim

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Hi Rune Caster

You obviously know it better than I do.  We were OK with the coach, a lot better than some.  It was just the number of gear changes, one right after the other. Six and a splitter on a DAF chassis was what we normally used. This was after turbos came in.  It would have been interesting before.

Now that I think about it, I can remember a couple of caravans stuck on the hill.  No idea what they did.  It's a long reverse down, although perfectly achievable, but you would never dare unhitch on that slope.

Jim

My thought was that the OP now has a different outfit and weight ratios and wants to know how they will cope. Travelling to South Devon (if that is his direction),  he will have to go up Telegraph Hill which is a very long 1 in 10. It's what he will feel from the car/engine etc whilst driving which should give him a good idea of just how the rig will cope generally. There's always steeper hills to test your outfit on but after a long journey to Devon, if that hill is comfortable then maybe the OP has his answer.

Phil

Lots of views on this one, In my experience I would never exceed the recomendations, and if the van feels unstable, then it is exactly as it feels. If its unstable then it is dangerous.

Remember that tyre pressures should be right as well, and they can make a huge difference to the towing experience.

Whattowcar.com will be able to give views and experiences.

Have been on whattowcar and all the reviews have come out that the outfit will be great and the vectra is a fantastic tow car.

There has been alot of debate on this subject which i wasnt expecting It is only 2% over the reccomended 85% and as ive said before we travel light compared to some so will never be upto the max weight

There has been alot of talk about some hill and about power of the tow car which is not an issue for us as the vectra has more than enough power and talke

Hey try the dip into Lynton and out into Lynmouth.....now there's a challenge!!!!!!

Have a good time

Phil