checking my calculations

[radiomark]

would some experienced caravan person be able to advise on some calculations ive made.
I will be towing a caravan for the first time this summer.

Tow car will be volvo 740gl B200E estate
Assuming the kerb weight is 1400kg the 85% of this 1190kg

maximum towing weight is 1500kg which i dont want to go anywhere near, but my question is would it be reasonable to go to say 1200kg total caravan weight.
I have not bought a caravan yet as 1190kg is a fairly low weight.

thanks in advance
mark

[dodgyken]

I have towed 1500KG with that car - and it was, um er, well interesting - especially when trying to go up hills!!!

Remember to add your weight, your passengers and any luggage to the cars weight - and then run the 85% calc.

[JIM C]

Remember that by loading the car your are increasing the kerb weight and with passengers which gives a bit more scope for towing.
Jim

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Well, whilst loading the car with people will "increase" the kerb weight, it also increases the load on the car!!

When making the 85% rule calculation you are supposed to use the manufactures quoted figure for this.
This should include an adult driver and a tank of fuel...
Sticking 3 fat adults in the back and using that as the basis of your calculations is not going to help you..

Do remember that the 85% rule is a guide, particularly for those people who have no experience of towing in a car before.
If you have towed before, you shouldn't have an issue with 90%.

Do remember that the 85% or 90% should include whatever you are carrying in the caravan...
And don't exceed the nose weight for the car either.... So loading your caravan is going to be an art form...

Des. . .

[radiomark]

Thanks for the replies,Im going to stick to the original figure to be on the safe side as this will be the first time towing.

[Paul Clifton]

My two pence worth.

"The 85% figure is a recommendation, not a legal limit, given by all caravan clubs to give good power to weight ratio for successful towing. You can legally tow up to the car manufacturer’s towing limit. This may be in excess of 100% but only if you passed your car driving test before January 1st 1997."



"The usual definition of kerb weight is a vehicle in its ready to use condition with all tools, spare wheel etc. and a full tank of fuel. Many vehicle manufacturers are, however, now following European Directive 95/48/EC which specifies the kerb weight as a car in ready to drive condition with the fuel tank 90% full, a driver on board weighing 68 kg and luggage of 7 kg. Any extras or accessories fitted after purchase will increase the weight and reduce both payload capacity and hence the towing limit. When looking at a car’s specification in a brochure please check the method of determining the kerb weight. If it is to the EC Directive you must allow for the weight of any other passengers and luggage and deduct that weight from the towing limit accordingly. This could easily reduce the towing limit by 250-300 kg. If in doubt please check with the car makers technical department directly. Do not rely on a car dealer’s salesman, as they are often uncertain on towing information."

Paul.

[radiomark]

just returned from my first caravan holiday.Had a great time and towed the caravan with no problems at all.
thanks for alll the advice

[dodgyken]

Glad to know you enjoyed clogging up the roads

Only kidding - Volvos do tow very well indeed. The V70 towed the 1800KG of trailer and race car pretty well - but after the remap it is quite frankly scary. It pulls uphills with no problems at all - averages 28mpg and is a supremely balanced and easy to tow rig - despite coming in around 4200KG in total!

[minesa240x3]

I just got back from my hols two weeks ago and while we were there we changed our caravan,We went from our old Elddis Tornado 15ft to an Elddis Sirocco twin axle 21ft and weight unladen 1258kg.The MTPLM is 1600kg.
It took me quite a while to convince the caravan sales place that my 1991 "J"reg 240 estate was legally allowed to tow that much weight.I showed them the owners manual which states that I can tow 1500kg at fifty miles an hour and 1600kg at 45mph.
Now I realise my car is at it's limit and that having a 2.0l auto is not ideal but the journey home was interesting to say the least.
While trying to get the noseweight right I used scales and aimed for about 65kg and thought I had it right,but on reflection and after one hairy moment of snaking on the M4 downhill doing 50mph and a sidewind against me.
I rechecked it when home and realised that when I checked the weight the tow hitch was directly above my towball by about four inches and as it was lowered onto the ball the weight drasticly reduced to about 47kg.Silly old me hadn't thought about the TWIN axles!!.it was nearly balanced between the axles.
It actually pulled up the long hills very well much to my suprise,I intend spending much more time on setting it up and also fitting another swaybar on the jockey wheelside of the hitch,The heavyduty coilsprings and assisters seemed fine maybe some new rear bushes would be in order as it still has the originals.
Ideally a 2.3l manual would suit it better but I spent all my pennies on the caravan so my old 2.0l will have to keep us going.
Anyone got an oil cooler they don't want or know of a car model that has one I could source and adapt from the scrappie.not many 240 auto's bothered with extra oil coolers.
Well heres some piccies of the old van and the new one.
Regards Brian.

[minesa240x3]

Pictures didn't appear so heres hoping.