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What can I tow PDF Print E-mail
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For safety always adhere to the 85% rule to work out if your car or van can tow a particular caravan. If you exceed the 85% ruleyou may put yourself and others at risk. Even experienced caravanners with years of experience towing caravans adhere to this rule unless absolutely forced.

 

To correctly use the rule you will need to do some research

Your car's nominal kerbweight

Your car's maximum towing weight (for a braked trailer)

Whichever figure is lowest is the figure to use to calculate our 85% figure.

 

Multiply the lowest figure by 0.85 to calculate.

 

If your caravan Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass is the same or lower you will be able to tow safely.

 

Lets look at some examples

 

  • Ford Mondeo 2002 2.0 diesel
  • Kerb weight is  1487KG
  • Max Tow Weight is 1800KG
  • So the kerb weight is the lowest and 85% of that is 1263KG

 

As you can see the maximum towing weight listed in the handbook far exceeds the recommended safe towing weight suggested by the 85% rule

 

Noseweight

 

Nose weight is the load your caravan puts on your tow hitch at rest. either use a nose weight gauge or a bathroom scales under the hitch using a piece of scrap wood or plastic placed vertically between the hitch and he scales. Do not measure at the nose wheel or by allowing the caravan to tilt forward as you will not get an accurate result.

Your nose weight should not exceed 8% of the caravans Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass.

 

As an example your caravan Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass is 1100KG. The noseweight should not exceed 88KG. If it does, redistribute the weight inside the caravan to reduce the noseweight.
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