ROG are you still about? Help!!

[Flowerofthefen]

Looking at tow vehicles.

OH is trying to talk me into a 2008 freelander 2, 2.2 td4 gs.

Trailer is a 505 classic
Horse weighs approx 600kg

Only ever travel one with no partition.
Freelander tows 2000kg.
I've got myself mixed up with what weights are what! Some people really rate them others hate them!! Help!

 

[Merry neddy man]

Bump

 

[MereChristmas]

Try here
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/welcome-to-hho-towing-clinic.490195/

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Thank you!

 

[Littlewills]

My car has a towing capacity of 2000kgs. I've happily towed a 510 with a 500kg horse. You can tow up to 2000kgs total, but its best not to go right to the limit.

 

[phizz4]

If you have a B + E licence then there shouldn't be a legal reason for your choice. The car should cope with the weight. If you don't have the full licence you need to calculate the GVW of the Freelander and add that to the MAM of the trailer and that total needs to be less than 3500 kg.

 

[billybo-95]

Hello! ROG just wondering if you can help me!

I have 2 scenarios I would be grateful for your help with clarifying please! (looking at buying either of the cars)

Scenario 1...
B Licence
Skoda Octavia
Kerb Weight - 1400kg
GVW - 1985kg
Towing Capacity - 1400kg
Unladen Trailer - 750kg
Gross Trailer Weight - 1600kg
Horse - 500kg
Other than getting the trailer downplated to say 1300kg, am I correct that this set up is legal?

Scenario 2...
B licence
Ford Kuga
Kerb Weight - 1539kg
GVW - 2250kg
Towing Capacity - 1900kg
Same trailer weights
I assume this is not legal as the GVW plus towing capacity exceeds 3500kg at 4150kg? Or am I wrong?

Thanks for your help!

 

[phizz4]

Not Rog but my pennyworth. kerb weight seems a bit low for an Octavia. I wouldn't be looking at towing with anything less than a 2 litre diesel engine. Octavia 4x4 or Scout a better bet.
Scenario 1. GVW plus GTW = 1985 + 1600 = 3585. Illegal. Downplate trailer to 1500 or less and you would be legal. However, watch for the fact that the vehicle wieght must be greater than the trailer's MAM. With a 1400 kg Octavia the trailer would have to be downplated to below 1400 kg. But if you went as far as 1300 kg the trailer with horse on would weigh more that 1300 kg.
Scenario 2. 2250 + 1600 = 3850. Yes, illegal. Trailer would have to be downplated by over 350 kg. you need to be careful that you don't downplate so much that the weight of the trailer plus horse is greater than the new downplated value.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...towing-a-trailer-with-a-car-or-van-the-basics
The recommendation, not the law, is that the trailer shouldn't weigh more than 85% of the tow car's weight. you don't want the tail wagging the dog.

 

[Parrotperson]

I wouldn't touch a Freelander of that age because they often have problems with the engine losing oil suddenly.

 

[ROG]

Hello! ROG just wondering if you can help me!

I have 2 scenarios I would be grateful for your help with clarifying please! (looking at buying either of the cars)

Scenario 1...
B Licence
Skoda Octavia
Kerb Weight - 1400kg
GVW - 1985kg
Towing Capacity - 1400kg
Unladen Trailer - 750kg
Gross Trailer Weight - 1600kg
Horse - 500kg
Other than getting the trailer downplated to say 1300kg, am I correct that this set up is legal?

Scenario 2...
B licence
Ford Kuga
Kerb Weight - 1539kg
GVW - 2250kg
Towing Capacity - 1900kg
Same trailer weights
I assume this is not legal as the GVW plus towing capacity exceeds 3500kg at 4150kg? Or am I wrong?

Thanks for your help!

1 - Down plate to 1500 not 1300 but due to max tow of 1400 can only load trailer with 650

2 - down plate trailer to 1250 but that only leaves 500 for trailer load which is VERY tight

 

[ROG]

The recommendation, not the law, is that the trailer shouldn't weigh more than 85% of the tow car's weight. you don't want the tail wagging the dog.

85% is for caravans only

 

[phizz4]

The way to work it out is to take the GVW away from 3500 kg. The answer is the amount you have to play with in terms of the weight of the trailer plus the horse(s), up to the MAM of the trailer. The higher the GVW the less you have to play with. While you can, legally, tow up to the towing capacity of the car you can run into problems with lack of engine power and instability. Yes, the 85% is recommended for caravan towing, the the Caravan and Motor Home Club does state that experienced towers can tow up to 100% of the kerb weight. But, the contents of caravans don't move around, unlike horses.
Using the trailer weight and horse weight supplied, you have the following options.
Downplate the trailer to a MAM of 1400 kg. You then can tow with a vehicle with a GVW up to 2100 kg.
Downplate the trailer to a MAM of 1300 kg. You then can tow with a vehicle with a GVW up to 2200 kg.

You have more leeway over trailer/horse weight with the first option, with the second I would be tempted to put the trailer onto a weighbridge first. Things like a spare wheel often don't get counted in the weight specification.