confused as to car weight and tow limit

[volvo145]

Originally Posted by billyboggins

Thanks for a very informative and comprehensive reply, i do all the things you talk about too,Have only just changed 'vans to this much heavier Geist and although I am an experienced tower just thougt I would try and find a definitive answer which you have supplied, thanks againBTW I live about 2 miles from Sheringham High, hope you had a good timei

If its the 550 that you have the max payload weight is 217kg which puts you up to your maximum weight for your car.
Check the plate on your van to confirm.
German vans often have a higher payload than Uk spec'd one.

[billyboggins]

yes its the 550 and i agree 217 puts me right on the limit ,,think i'll pay more attention to loading than i usually did in the past..thanks for the help

[volvo145]

Originally Posted by billyboggins

yes its the 550 and i agree 217 puts me right on the limit ,,think i'll pay more attention to loading than i usually did in the past..thanks for the help

"Happy caravanning"!!

[kenny]

Originally Posted by Munro83

Well I'm on the hunt for our first caravan. I too find the whole weight thing confusing, I thought it had to be no more than 85% of the car weight?
My car is a 2009 v70 2.4d, what's the max I can tow?

The phase 3 V70 are a nightmare. On newer cars the figure shown is a manufacturers recommended max. Some are as low as 1500KG some are 2100KG the legal max is your train weight.
Check your registration document the recommended figure is there half way down the second page.

[billyboggins]

nothing on my documents at all..that's where the story began !!

[c_lee]

The car VIN plate gives the various relevant KG weights needed for loading and towing capacity.

If you are stopped for a check this is what the authorities will refer to to check if you are overloaded.

Can't remember at the moment the various position on the VIN plate but the highest figure is the Maximum Train Weight ( IE: car + caravan - absolutely everything, passengers too ).

The second highest figure is the car's maximum authorised loaded weight.

( BTW: If you subtract the cars VIN Max Loaded weight from the VIN Max Train Weight that gives authorised max braked trailer weight ).

Two other figures are given too and these are the maximum car axle weights front and rear.

You might notice that both axle weights added together can be higher than the car's maximum authorised weight so both axles can not be fully loaded at the same time.

On the towbar assembly for a fully hogomulated (sp?) car there should be the towbars specs and this will show the maximum towing weight for that towbar and the allowed maximum noseweight ( S figure ).

If you wonder whether this is really worth you going into in such detail do a google search and look at the penalties for overloading car/caravan.

Up to 10% - allowances possible, dump some kit here or redistribute the weight if possible otherwise you don't proceed any further.

10 - 20% HMM - dump kit before being allowed to proceed and fixed penalty/points.

Get to 30% and you are in real trouble, no fixed penalty/points definite court appearance and consequences.

In the first year or two of our revived caravaning I always checked the noseweight and thought we didn't really have a lot in the Lunar we had then so couldn't possibly be overweight.
Then I took it to a weighbridge in about year 2 before a month in Cornwall trip.
Jesus what a shock - we were over 20% on the caravan.
That's when I began to look at consequences and bought the CWC.

The caravan has a weight plate too giving the MTPLM and that is the maximum it should be loaded too.

Sorry if I'm teaching some to suck eggs but newbies need to know if they value their license and don't want to have to start dumping kit in the skip at a weigh station check.

Colin

[billyboggins]

Perfect explanation thanks very much ,,now for the long and winding road...and there is me thinking of buying another car ...where else would you find such helpful advice apart from VOC ?

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by kenny

The phase 3 V70 are a nightmare. On newer cars the figure shown is a manufacturers recommended max. Some are as low as 1500KG some are 2100KG the legal max is your train weight.
Check your registration document the recommended figure is there half way down the second page.

The variation is understandable - I think the 1.6d cars were rated only 750kg max, the cars that can tow 2.1t are the AWD XC70 D5's. The manufacturers figures are often based on what the car can set off with on a specific gradient, hence those cars with low ratio boxes usually have much higher limits.

[billyboggins]

sold the geist ..too heavy, gutted probably the best van i have ever owned,,it will NEVER leak unlike British built tin boxes..got a Bailey Pageant Burgundy series 6 fixed bed ..well within my towing limits