Towing Capacities

[Paul1]

A long shot but if i buy a tdi 130 bhp what would be the maximum i could pull on a braked trailer?

[Richard gal]

2000kg

[RADIOTWO]

A long shot but if i buy a tdi 130 bhp what would be the maximum i could pull on a braked trailer?

 

Hi Paul

 

You would be looking at about 1400Kgs

 

The way to calculate what you can tow is 85% of the kerbside weight of the car, or look on the data plate and it should tell

you on there, it will tell you the axle weights and kerb weight and gross train weights,

 

so if the gross train weight is 3200kgs subtract the kerb weight and that will give you the towable weight.

 

But also you have not said when you have passed you driving test ? if it was after Jan 97 you will have to poss pass another

test to tow a trailer

 

Radiotwo

[RADIOTWO]

2000kg

 

Not legally

 

Radiotwo

[swifty]

I pull just over 1500kg no probs with a 115 gal. I know other tow more. If you feel comfortable towing over the 85% limit its only recommended

if your experienced.

 

Swiftie

[RADIOTWO]

I pull just over 1500kg no probs with a 115 gal. I know other tow more. If you feel comfortable towing over the 85% limit its only recommended

if your experienced.

 

Swiftie

 

Hi Swifty

 

Have a look on your data plate, it will show a max gross train weight, if you are over that and get pulled you will get fined and

poss the outfit could get taken off you.

 

Radiotwo

[big_kev]

A long shot but if i buy a tdi 130 bhp what would be the maximum i could pull on a braked trailer?

 

What year did you pass your driving test ?

[davec]

I am trying to ascertain the weight of my 2003 Galaxy 1.9 tdi Ghia so I can check if my son in law needs to take a towing test to tow my Galaxy and caravan. I have found the vehicle ID plate but can not see what the numbers mean

V = 2510

B=4000

CD = 1240

F2 = 1280/1355

Which of these refers to the Gross weight and unladen weight?

carl.a

for am manal transmition the weights are

 

kerb 1683-2003

payload 467-787

permissible gross weight 2470

 

for auto trans

kerb 1716-2020

payload 450-754

permissible gross weight 2470

 

 

axle weights front 1240

 

rear 1280

 

hope this helps

 

 

This was from another posting I found so 1716 kg would be legal,i.e not more than 100%,85% is only a recomendation.I tow an Indiana with 130 gal and would probably need B+E had I not passed test 30odd years ago.It pulls it very easily and is stable,you would be best to find a weighbridge if you passed your test recently though as you would invalidate your insurance and be driving without a licence effectively(I think)the maximum outfit must be less than 3500kgs if you passed test after 1997

Edited February 23, 2010 by davec

[big_kev]

4000kg minus 2510kg equals 1,490kg.

 

Therefore the maximum towing weight recommended by the manufacturer is 1,490kg.

Insurance and police would take a dim view if this was exceeded......the legal aspect of this is somewhat of a grey area.

 

Remember this is the MAM ( or gross weight of the trailer/caravan, as plated on the trailer/caravan ).

Your caravan will have a plate on it.....otherwise its illegal to have on the road.

 

There is no legal requirement regarding the weight ratio of the towing vehicle to trailer......anyone who tells you otherwise is mistaken......the 85% rule is a guideline and the 100% rule is just made up.

 

Also worth noting is that the maximum legal weight that can be safely towed is 25 times the noseweight......this is a legal requirement.

Assuming the noseweight on the Galaxy is 75kg then the legal maximum weight is 1,875kg.....exceeding this is illegal....no ifs or buts.

Assuming the noseweight to be 85kg would give a maximum weight of 2,125kg

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this information helps

[tim-spam]

The Galaxy TDI 130 is homologated to tow 2000kg.

[RADIOTWO]

The Galaxy TDI 130 is homologated to tow 2000kg.

 

As I have already said not legally

 

Please look at the data plate, It will have four weights.

 

The highest which is poss 4000 this is in Kgs and is the Gross train weight (the weight of the car and the trailer combined)

the next is the weight of the car itself, and this is something like 2510, this is deducted from the 4000 which leaves 1490Kgs

which is the total weight the car can tow.

 

The other two numbers are the axle weights, one for the front and one for the rear.

 

Most plates I have seen start with the axle weights first, then the car, then the GTW

 

So when you get pulled by VOSA and or the Police these are the figures that are used, so any weights that are exceeded

will be acted on, so you could end up with one or more offenses.

 

Yes the cars will tow the weights, is it worth the chance ?

 

Radiotwo

 

Ps sorry to repeat this even though Kev has already explained this.

Edited February 24, 2010 by RADIOTWO

[tim-spam]

Every vehicle manufacturer has to give a maximum towing limit. This can be found in the vehicle handbook and also on the chassis plate, usually found under the bonnet. The information can be presented in a variety of ways. The clearest is when the plate gives the towing limits for both braked and unbraked trailers. Sometimes the car

[RADIOTWO]

Every vehicle manufacturer has to give a maximum towing limit. This can be found in the vehicle handbook and also on the chassis plate, usually found under the bonnet. The information can be presented in a variety of ways. The clearest is when the plate gives the towing limits for both braked and unbraked trailers. Sometimes the car’s Gross Train Weight (GTW) is given. This is the combination of the car’s Maximum Permitted weight (MPW) sometimes called Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and the trailers Gross Trailer Weight. To get the towing limit simply deduct the MPW from the GTW. It is an offence to exceed the car’s towing limit.

 

Of course, to take full advantage of this, you need category B+E entitlement, otherwise you are limited to a trailer weight of 750kg.

 

 

Tim

 

Why are you repeating what has already been said ?

 

Both Big-Kev and I have said this already and only wrote it after you stated about 2000Kgs

 

and the B+E entitlement in not correct, if you passed your test before Jan 1997

 

Silly me, I have just realized why you have repeated it (SPAM)

 

Radiotwo

[Richard gal]

When you take the outfit on a weighbridge it will be the gross train that matters first, so if the car is empty of extra load then the trailer gross can be more or less 2000kg, providing the trailer is plated to that weight.

 

If you take everything out the caravan and compress it into the boot (up to the car max gross) then your towing limit will drop.

 

But the car engine, brakes and body are built to tow a 2000kg braked trailer

[JRWR]

My owner's guide states:

 

"For trailers with overrun brakes the permissible trailer weight is 1,800kg for vehicles with DOHC engines and 2,000kg for vehicles with 2.8 l CD-V6 24V and turbo diesel engines."

 

So presumably that's the limit.

 

That may, however be reduced by the law limiting the Gross Train Weight of 4,000 kg. If you load your car to the maximum (so it weighs 2510kg) then you can only add another 1,490 kg before exceeding that. If, however, you don't load your car such that it weighs the EC kerb weight (minimum of 1,724 kg for a 130PS diesel Galaxy) then you could tow up to 2,276kg following the gross train weight ruling but you'd then have to reduce that to 2,000kg due to the manufacturer's limit stated above.

[big_kev]

My owner's guide states:

 

"For trailers with overrun brakes the permissible trailer weight is 1,800kg for vehicles with DOHC engines and 2,000kg for vehicles with 2.8 l CD-V6 24V and turbo diesel engines."

 

So presumably that's the limit.

 

Yes.......but not on Public Roads in the UK.

[RADIOTWO]

When you take the outfit on a weighbridge it will be the gross train that matters first, so if the car is empty of extra load then the trailer gross can be more or less 2000kg, providing the trailer is plated to that weight.

 

If you take everything out the caravan and compress it into the boot (up to the car max gross) then your towing limit will drop.

 

But the car engine, brakes and body are built to tow a 2000kg braked trailer

 

Sorry to come back on this, Richard you are not grasping the point ! Its the law you have to observe, not what the car will tow.

 

Yes the car is capable of towing 2000Kgs and as stated the engine, brakes etc will cope with that weight, but the figures that are on the data plate are the ones you have to

use.

 

Using your scenario about when at the weigh bridge take every thing out of the car, but it does not work like that.

 

You decide to go way for the week , you put two adults and two teenagers, and some luggage in the boot, hitch up the caravan, and you have your awning gas bottles etc,

you drive down the road and get pulled by the Police, (Vosa) the then get the portable weigh pads out. stick the front axle on and ok you are under 1240Kgs then they do the

rear axle and you are under 1280kgs, but you will find with four passengers, a full tank of fuel and the luggage you will be close to 2510Kgs, ( and the driver and passengers

cannot get out) so we know the GTW is 4000kgs so (this is the magical amount) so 4000-2510= so you have only 1490Kgs left so no you cannot tow 2000KGS

 

In fact hear is a good one, Unless I have got the numbers wrong, the 130 BHP can tow less that the 115BHP ! admitting by only 40Kgs

 

Radiotwo

[JRWR]

QUOTE (JRWR @ Feb 25 2010, 18:44:14)

My owner's guide states:

 

"For trailers with overrun brakes the permissible trailer weight is 1,800kg for vehicles with DOHC engines and 2,000kg for vehicles with 2.8 l CD-V6 24V and turbo diesel engines."

 

So presumably that's the limit.

 

Yes.......but not on Public Roads in the UK.

 

OK, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this.

 

As I see it there are two limits:

 

1) is the Gross Train Weight - don't exceed that and you're within the law. You can reduce the Gross Train Weight either by towing a lighter trailer or not loading your car so that it's up to the maximum kerb weight.

 

2) is the permissable trailer weight. Ford state that for a turbo diesel engined Galaxy the maximum permissable trailer weight is 2000kg. Don't exceed that and you're within the law.

 

Granted you could pass one of the two conditions and fail the other but if you fail on either then you're breaking the law.

[JRWR]

Sorry to come back on this, Richard you are not grasping the point !

 

I think the point is .. say Richard is a single chap (no other adults or teenage kids) and he has no luggage in his Galaxy because he's loaded up his van so it weighs 1999kg and his Galaxy kerb weight is at its minimum (the weight of the car, him as driver and a full tank of fuel) at 1724kg then how is he breaking the law?

 

Don't say he might add more weight because of course he might - in the same way he might stop and shoot someone and go beyond what's legal. But until he does that, what's the problem?

Edited February 25, 2010 by JRWR

[Richard gal]

The original question.... "A long shot but if i buy a tdi 130 bhp what would be the maximum i could pull on a braked trailer? "

The answer is still 2000kg

Practicalities alter the answer according to circumstance, but if you have a 1999kg gross boat trailer, and you are taking it to the boat yard on your own with no other items in the car, you are legal according to the car plate.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Richard gal

[RADIOTWO]

Sorry to come back on this, Richard you are not grasping the point !

 

I think the point is .. say Richard is a single chap (no other adults or teenage kids) and he has no luggage in his Galaxy because he's loaded up his van so it weighs 1999kg and his Galaxy kerb weight is at its minimum (the weight of the car, him as driver and a full tank of fuel) at 1724kg then how is he breaking the law?

 

Don't say he might add more weight because of course he might - in the same way he might stop and shoot someone and go beyond what's legal. But until he does that, what's the problem?

 

At the end of the day it does not affect me, as I keep to the law, but my comments are to hopefully stop someone getting caught out.

 

Yes "Richard" may be a single chap etc, but you don't see many single persons driving around in a MPV and towing a large caravan so be realistic 2470/2510Kgs is a realistic weight.

and as said Car/Caravan(Trailer) cannot be more that 4000kgs

 

So the rest is just maths

 

I would hate one of you guys coming on here saying what a S**t day on my way on my holls, and found to be over weight, heavy fine and the car and Caravan taken off them just

because likes of me did not explain the law.

 

Radiotwo

[sparky Paul]

There's no actual law that specifies the relationship between vehicle weights and maximum trailer weight, but the Police and insurance companies will take a very dim view should anything happen whilst you are exceeding either the GTW or maximum towing capacity of the vehicle. These are the important factors, as stated above.

 

It's summed up quite well here

 

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/v...entsfortrailers

Edited February 25, 2010 by sparky Paul

[davec]

any idea where the rating plate is I can only find tyre pressure sticker inside drivers door and its peeing down again :-(

[RADIOTWO]

any idea where the rating plate is I can only find tyre pressure sticker inside drivers door and its peeing down again :-(

 

Hi Dave

 

Under the bonnet Near the bonnet hinge on the offside !

 

Radiotwo

[davec]

Thanks for that I'll go and look