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Subject Topic: How much can i tow?
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14/9/2012 at 8:44am
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Wear and tear will be higher if towing at cars limits as well.

Soem real life reviews rather than guesses can be seen here for various Ford Focuses

http://www.towcar.info/gebruikservaring.php?merk=Ford&serie=Focus



14/9/2012 at 9:03am
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Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 14/9/2012

Well that's OK then. Been pulling a trailer with his tent etc in and now wants to pull a caravan. No difference at all. Get as heavy as you can then. <img align="absmiddle" src="forum_images/smiley5.gif">

Phil





The 85% guideline is as antiquated as a horse and chariot when it comes to modern vehicles. However it seems a newbie is not allowed to cross this line even though they may have been towing for years whether a trailer or horsebox does not seem to matter.


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14/9/2012 at 10:24am
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I can't see what the debate is here really because the OP wanted to know how much they could tow. They now have the official figures to make their own calculation as to what they can safely tow (as Phil said) so the final choice is up to the OP now to decide whether they want to tow over the 85% recommended limit or not.


14/9/2012 at 8:35pm
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hi its me again. Just wondered if i would be Ok to pull an elddis Broadway 4 with my focus please. Thanks for you earlier replies


14/9/2012 at 8:47pm
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Elddis broadway
Year - 2000
4 berth
Single axle
Mass in Running Order (Kg) - 1111
Maximum Technical Permissible Laden Mass (Kg) - 1300
Internal Length (metres) - 5.275
Shipping Length (metres) - 6.76
Width (metres) - 2.184
Awning Size (cm) - 933
Layout - EW

1999 model
Year - 1999
4 berth
Single axle
Mass in Running Order (Kg) - 1043
Maximum Technical Permissible Laden Mass (Kg) - 1300
Internal Length (metres) - 5.275
Shipping Length (metres) - 6.76
Width (metres) - 2.184
Awning Size (cm) - 933
Layout - EW

1998 model
Year - 1998
4 berth
Single axle
Mass in Running Order (Kg) - 924
Maximum Allowable/Authorised Weight (Kg) - 1150
Internal Length (metres) - 4.552
Shipping Length (metres) - 5.995
Width (metres) - 2.184
Awning Size (cm) - 863
Layout - EW



-------------
"I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.


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14/9/2012 at 9:07pm
 Location:  Dumfries
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Quote: Originally posted by barrington on 14/9/2012hi its me again. Just wondered if i would be Ok to pull an elddis Broadway 4 with my focus please. Thanks for you earlier replies



Your Focus cannot tow above 1200kg and your proposed Elddis van has a MPTLM of 1300kg unless its a 1998 model in which case it would be ok as it has a MPTLM figure below your cars max tow weight


14/9/2012 at 9:15pm
 Location: whitstable kent
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A 1995 model
Year - 1995
4 berth
Single axle
Mass in Running Order (Kg) - 949
Maximum Allowable/Authorised Weight (Kg) - 1200
Internal Length (metres) - 5.047
Shipping Length (metres) - 6.5
Width (metres) - 2.184
Awning Size (cm) - 895
Layout - EW

-------------
"I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.


14/9/2012 at 10:22pm
 Location: HULL
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My focus is an 07 plate 1.6 so does that mean i can tow a 1995 van please as they are both 1200kg


14/9/2012 at 10:52pm
 Location: Keswick
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As surfer said just go for it. What does it matter if you are on a one in eight hill with road works and traffic lights and you have to try a hill start. Fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Honestly, just look at the cars kerb weight and then think about a van that is 85% of that weight fully loaded and think about wheter your car can manage more than that. 

There is more to towing a caravan that just the max weight of the caravan.

Get you max possible weight of van and hope that its noseweight suits your car. If you can't get it down to the max for your car then you can't really tow it. No one has mentioned that factor just yet.

Just take all these issues into account and take a reasoned view

Phil



-------------
If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe    


14/9/2012 at 11:35pm
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Quote: Originally posted by barrington on 14/9/2012


hi its me again. Just wondered if i would be Ok to pull an elddis Broadway 4 with my focus please. Thanks for you earlier replies

All you need to know is the MTPLM of the caravan then calculate the percentage in relation to your cars kerbweight which I provided in my previous post. A percentage calculator is provided in the link below.

http://www.percentagecalculator.net/




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15/9/2012 at 12:24pm
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what would you advise the most my car will pull please. Sorry for all the questions


15/9/2012 at 1:21pm
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The caravan club (and other professional organisations dealing with motoring advice,) the British Horse Society; DfT all recommend that the total weight of the van (its MTPLM) should not exceed 85% of the kerb weight of the car. Check the cars handbook for the kerb weight

Quote from CC handbook - The ideal is to have the heaviest practical towcar for your caravan. The heavier the car, the less likely you are to experience a swaying or snaking caravan. Try and aim for an ALW (total weight of your caravan including what you add) of no more than 85% of the car’s kerb weight.

If you past your test after January 1997 the max you can tow will be 750Kg unless you have past a further test in order to be qualified to drive vehicles/trailers within category B+E.

Phil

 



-------------
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15/9/2012 at 2:56pm
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Quote: Originally posted by cwdc56768 on 15/9/2012

<font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="">The caravanclub (and other professional organisations dealing with motoring advice,) theBritish Horse Society; DfT all recommend that the total weight of the van (itsMTPLM) should not exceed 85% of the kerb weight of the car. Check the cars handbook for the kerb weight</span>

<span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;=""><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="">Quote from CChandbook - The ideal is to have the heaviest practical towcar for </span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="">your caravan.The heavier the car, the less likely you are </span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="">to experience a swaying orsnaking caravan. Try and aim </span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="">for an ALW (total weight of your caravan includingwhat </span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="" 115%;="">you add) of no more than 85% of the car’s kerb weight.</span></span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,=""><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span>

<font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;=""><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="" 115%;="">Ifyou past your test after January 1997 the max you can tow will be 750Kg unlessyou have past a further test in order to be qualified to drivevehicles/trailers within category B+E. </span></span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,=""><o:p></o:p></span>

<font size="3" face="Times New Roman">

<span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;=""><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,="" 115%;="">Phil</span></span><span 10pt;'="" ?Arial?,?sans-serif?;="" 32);="" 31,="" rgb(35,=""><o:p></o:p></span>

<font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book"><font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book"><font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book">

<font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book"><font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book"><font color="#231f20" size="3" face="OceanSansStd-Book"><p align="LEFT"> 




I think the last bit is incorrect. A B licence allows you to have a combination with a maximum train weight of 3500kgs. However the MTPLM must be lower than the towing vehicle's MIRO. Therefore if the car weighs 1700kg to can tow up to 1700kg, but not over. Most new cars have a maximum towing weight lower than the kerbweight.


17/9/2012 at 10:22pm
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hi

sorry to be a pain but looking for the mtplm for a 1991 lunar moonlight 4 berth if anyone could help me please

 

thanks for all your help and guidance



17/9/2012 at 10:39pm
 Location: whitstable kent
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Hi

Lunar Planet Moonlight 1991
Show as imperial
Year - 1991
4 (optional 5) berth
Single axle
Mass in Running Order (Kg) - 724
Maximum Allowable/Authorised Weight (Kg) - 876
Internal Length (metres) - 4.35
Shipping Length (metres) - 5.74
Width (metres) - 2.21
Awning Size (cm) - 838
Layout - argos


-------------
"I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.


18/9/2012 at 12:13pm
 Location: HULL
 Outfit: MONTANA 6
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thanks for that, should be ok to pull in my focus as its 1200kg



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