Quote: Originally posted by bordercaz on 26/2/2008
To find what your car can tow you need different weights - 85% of the unladen or kerbweight, and the maximum towing limit set by the manufacturer.
To find out what you can tow you need the vehicles maximum train weight, the vehicles max gross weight, and the vehicles maximum kerbweight. The difference between the train weight and the gross weight is the minimum value that could be said to be the maximum towing weight. the difference between the train weight and the kerbweight is the very maximum that you could tow. The manufacturer may also have specified a maximum toweing weight, if you approach the department for transport they will tell you that this value has no meaning in law but that you would be unwise to exceed it as a court may decide to take the value into consideration as a guideline that you have ignored. I have been there and asked them.
Other things apply, depending upon the date that you got your licence. Firtst licence dated prior to 1997 the above information applies. First licence dated 1997 or later you must add that the caravans MTPLM must not exceed the manufacturers stated unladen mass for the car and that the total of the gross vehicle weight and the MTPLM must not exceed 3500kg.
The 85% guideline is just that a guideline, but it is a guide to best practice and is worthwhile considering.It does however have no legal standing whatsoever. It is a good starting point for someone starting towing but the CC version of the guideline says that for a more experienced driver with a car that is adequately powered up to 100% is perfectly acceptable.
Computer 22, you asked a simple question, and Caz gave you a simple answer/explanation.
However, your 2nd post suggests that you're just a little confused. The 2 weights which are particularly relevant are the car's KW, and the caravan's MTPLM. The car's towing limit, as set by the manufacturer, is particularly relevant if your car is under warranty, as sometimes it can be lower than the KW. However, if the car's towing limit is significantly higher than it's KW, you'd be advised to ignore it in the interests of safe towing.
The legally enforceable weight is the car's trainweight.
Quote: Originally posted by computer22 on 27/2/2008
Apologies but I am an absolute beginner at towing a caravan.
So am I right in saying its 85% of Maximum Technical Permissible Laden Mass, the figure then has to be under our Gross Vehicle Weight (1300kg)
Or is it 85% of Gross Vehicle Weight and MTPLM has to be under that figure.
I am so confused, sorry.
A good safe starting point is the The caravans MTPLM should not exceed about 85% of the towing vehicles unladen mass. These are the guidelines which are best practice and bear little or no relation to the actual legal limits that apply. Don't be too fussy about the 85% if it turns out at 88% or even 90% then provided that the car has sufficient power and torque and you are a careful and considerate driver then there is no problem.
Computer 22: What you can legally tow depends on the car, when you passed your driving test, and whether you passed a trailer test (B+E, C+E, D+E, etc.)
If you passed your test after 1996 and haven't passed a "+E" second driving test, the maximum technically permitted laden mass (MTPLM) or maximum gross weight of the caravan must not be more than the unladen weight of the towcar and the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of the combination must not exceed 3,500 kg.
If you passed your test before 1997 or have a "+E" entitlement, you're not restricted to a 3,500 kg or to the weight ratio.
In all cases, the actual weight of the car and trailer must not exceed the maximum train weight (MTW) the manufacturer specifies for the car and you should not tow more than the specified towing limit.
The 85% rule is just a guide with no legal standing. However, it is a very good rule of thumb that motoring organisations and caravanning clubs endorse and that you break at your peril. This states that the actual laden weight of your caravan should not exceed 85% of the kerbweight of the towcar. Note that this is what the caravan actually weighs on the day and not the MTPLM to which the licensing etc. laws refer.
Now to put this into practice. According to this page, 2001 Synergies have a kerbweight between 1525 and 1595 kg with an 85% match between 1296 and 1355 kg but all have a towing limit of 1300 kg. If you passed your test before 1997 or have a "+E" entitlement, that's what you can tow and you can use a caravan with MTPLM over 1300 kg provided it's only loaded to 1300 kg.
However, if you passed your test after 1996 and don't have "+E" you need to check the maximum gross weight (MAM) and maximum train weight (MTW) for the car to check whether the MAM of the outfit exceeds the 3500 kg limit. If the MTW for the car is 3500 kg or less, you'll be OK. However, if it's over 3500 kg you need to add the MAM for the car to the MTPLM of the caravan and if that adds up to more than 3500 kg, you can't tow it. To calculate this, you'll need to decypher your car's VIN plate, which should have three or four weights:
Front axle weight
Rear axle weight
MAM or gross vehicle weight
Maximum train weight
The MAM will be the same as or slightly less than the sum of the axle weights and the heaviest figure will be the MTW. Where only three weights are given, these will be the front axle weight, rear axle weight, and maximum train weight and in this case the MAM of the vehicle is the sum of the axle weights.
... Phew! Thankfully, it sounds more complex than it really is.
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Topic: Maximum Technical Permissible Laden Mass
