Towing with a Freelander

[hettystearn]

I was on earlier trying to decide if I should choose a 3.5 horsebox or a 4x4 and a trailer. On the trailer front I have been recommended a Freelander as apparently they are not too bad to use as a road car too. Views???

I would be towing a Ifor Williams 511 trailer with a 17.0 horse in. I know I would not be able to tow 2 horses but that will not matter.

Does anyone have any opinions on how good they are to tow with, stability etc? Especially considering size of trailer I would use.

Thank you.

 

[daviedevs]

I was on earlier trying to decide if I should choose a 3.5 horsebox or a 4x4 and a trailer. On the trailer front I have been recommended a Freelander as apparently they are not too bad to use as a road car too. Views???

I would be towing a Ifor Williams 511 trailer with a 17.0 horse in. I know I would not be able to tow 2 horses but that will not matter.

Does anyone have any opinions on how good they are to tow with, stability etc? Especially considering size of trailer I would use.

Thank you.

Illegal!!

Max towing limit for a freelander is 2000kg. For a 511 trailer and a big 17hh horse you really need something that will pull 3.5 ton..ie defender/discovery/shogun/landcruiser.

We all know that most vehicles can pull trailers..its the stopping in control thats the issue.

The max gross weight for a 511 is 2700kg..Trailer 1000kg..Capacity 1700kg....so anything that can tow that is legal..but when it comes to our horses the bigger the better.



Good luck with search.

 

[CobsGalore]

I have a freelander, and it does about 30mpg and has been an absolute life saver in the recent snow - brilliant 4x4.

It doesn't get very good reviews towing from people on here, but my friend pulls a lightweight trailer with pony in it no problems, and I am looking at getting a lightweight trailer soon. But, If my freelander isnt up to the job then I will get something beefier!

If I were you I'd be looking at a lighter trailer if you plan to put a 17h horse in it!

Say your horse is 700kg then your trailer will need to weigh less than 1300kg for it to be legal and safe.

 

[hettystearn]

Arragh, this is exactly what I told him but he (4x4 salesman) said trailer is 1000kg and horse is 500-600kg so I would be ok with Freelanders limit of 2000kg. Now very confused!!

 

[ClassicG&T]

We tow 2 horses with our Freelander. One about 500kg, the other approx 600kg. our Ifor williams in 1900Kg.

It pulls brilliantly

 

[fairyclare]

I sometimes drive our freelander at work, a few weeks ago I was called up to tow out a Ford Focus who had got stuck on some matting on a steep driveway (apparently because a vehicle has Police written on it means it can go anywhere......!) the freelander was rubbish, utter utter rubbish, I enjoy driving it around as a patrol car but I would never consider towing my horse with one seeing how it struggled to move the stick Focus!

 

[ROG]

Illegal!!

Max towing limit for a freelander is 2000kg. For a 511 trailer and a big 17hh horse you really need something that will pull 3.5 ton..ie defender/discovery/shogun/landcruiser.

We all know that most vehicles can pull trailers..its the stopping in control thats the issue.

Good luck with search.

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL and nor is it unsafe

HB511 is 1000 unladen so that leaves 1000 for the horse/load if keeping to the manufacturers (non legally enforceable) towing capacity of 2000

 

[CobsGalore]

We tow 2 horses with our Freelander. One about 500kg, the other approx 600kg. our Ifor williams in 1900Kg.

It pulls brilliantly

So your trailer only weighs 800kg?

 

[ROG]

So your trailer only weighs 800kg?

Depends what freelander - the F2 has a manufacturers non legally enforceable towing capacity of 2000 kgs

 

[daviedevs]

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL and nor is it unsafe

HB511 is 1000 unladen so that leaves 1000 for the horse/load if keeping to the manufacturers (non legally enforceable) towing capacity of 2000

If your trailer has a max gross weight of 2700kg then the vehicle towing it has to be able to tow that weight regardless of what its carrying.

Stupid law i know...but thats how it is nowadays.

 

[wanderersmelody]

I've got a freelander and I tow my Wessex Olympian trailer and my 16.1 horse. It's tows a dream. I love it. Never sways, never whips, gives my horse an excellent ride. It never struggles, I get on and off the fields in the mud, go up and down the motorways on my own. Does 55 comfortably. Really really happy with both. Would never tow two though. I use my car for day to day running around too and it's just brilliant. I was one of the only 4 x4 cars to cope well in the snow up our yard too. I love having a trailer too. Great for hay/straw collecting and storage. Cheap to maintain and insure. My freelander is a diesel if that makes any difference. It's good for a smaller 4x4. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a bigger car that could tow two but I can't afford it!

 

[ROG]

If your trailer has a max gross weight of 2700kg then the vehicle towing it has to be able to tow that weight regardless of what its carrying.

Stupid law i know...but thats how it is nowadays.

NO IT DOES NOT - sorry for SHOUTING but this internet MYTH has been going on for too long


Now calmly..... there is no law or rule which states that the towing vehicle must be able to tow the full MAM of the trailer or match the manufacturers recommended, non legal, towing capacity

This example would be perfectly legal when driven under B+E licence rules ..
Vehicle
Kerb 1600 = law
GVW 2200 = law
GTW 4700 = law
Towing capacity 2500 = NOT law

Trailer
Unladen 1000 = law
MAM 3500 = law

If the trailer was loaded to 2700 and the vehicle loaded to 2000 then all the legal weights have been complied with
The towing capacity has been exceeded by 200 but unless it is deemed unsafe then all is ok

 

[Carefreegirl]

OH has one, love it for normal driving but not for towing.

 

[Orangehorse]

It depends on which model Freelander it is, so you must know this first. The later ones are larger than the early ones (which had rubbish engines). I looked at a Freelander a couple of years ago and said the to the saleman they they looker larger than the early ones, and he confirmed that. So you must know your facts and figures regarding the weight of the trailer and the manufacturer's recommendations for the towing limits for that particular make model and year of vehicle.

 

[CobsGalore]

I've got a freelander and I tow my Wessex Olympian trailer and my 16.1 horse. It's tows a dream. I love it. Never sways, never whips, gives my horse an excellent ride. It never struggles, I get on and off the fields in the mud, go up and down the motorways on my own. Does 55 comfortably. Really really happy with both. Would never tow two though. I use my car for day to day running around too and it's just brilliant. I was one of the only 4 x4 cars to cope well in the snow up our yard too. I love having a trailer too. Great for hay/straw collecting and storage. Cheap to maintain and insure. My freelander is a diesel if that makes any difference. It's good for a smaller 4x4. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a bigger car that could tow two but I can't afford it!

Do you have a freelander 1 or 2 out of interest?

 

[daviedevs]

Although trailers with overrun brakes can weigh up to 3500kg gross, actual maximum weights are set by the specifications of the vehicle that is doing the towing. The law says you must not exceed the Gross Train Weight that the manufacturer has set for the towing vehicle. Look in the vehilce handbook or on a plate riveted to the vehicle to find this figure. You then have to subtract the weight of the towing vehicle (including fuel, driver, passengers, luggage or cargo) from the Gross Train Weight. The amount you are left with is the maximum theoretically-possible weight of trailer that can be towed legally. REMEMBER, the law does not care whether the trailer is empty or packed to the roof with bricks, what counts is the plated gross vehicle weight of the trailer.

Obtained form a trailer dealer.

 

[Jazzy B]

I've got a freelander and I tow my Wessex Olympian trailer and my 16.1 horse. It's tows a dream. I love it. Never sways, never whips, gives my horse an excellent ride. It never struggles, I get on and off the fields in the mud, go up and down the motorways on my own. Does 55 comfortably. Really really happy with both. Would never tow two though. I use my car for day to day running around too and it's just brilliant. I was one of the only 4 x4 cars to cope well in the snow up our yard too. I love having a trailer too. Great for hay/straw collecting and storage. Cheap to maintain and insure. My freelander is a diesel if that makes any difference. It's good for a smaller 4x4. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a bigger car that could tow two but I can't afford it!

^^^^ this, I tow an ifor with mine, my lad is 15.1 and its tows absolutely fine and my lad keeps on getting on the trailer, so must be having an okay ride. I can do the school run and drive to work without crippling myself with fuel bills. No in an ideal world, I would probably have a bigger 4x4, but I can't afford it and the freelander is a good compromise

I love my freelander!

 

[ROG]

Although trailers with overrun brakes can weigh up to 3500kg gross, actual maximum weights are set by the specifications of the vehicle that is doing the towing. The law says you must not exceed the Gross Train Weight that the manufacturer has set for the towing vehicle. Look in the vehilce handbook or on a plate riveted to the vehicle to find this figure. You then have to subtract the weight of the towing vehicle (including fuel, driver, passengers, luggage or cargo) from the Gross Train Weight. The amount you are left with is the maximum theoretically-possible weight of trailer that can be towed legally. REMEMBER, the law does not care whether the trailer is empty or packed to the roof with bricks, what counts is the plated gross vehicle weight of the trailer.

Obtained form a trailer dealer.

That is correct as it talks about GTW

You stated that the towing capacity cannot be exceeded by the trailer plated MAM which is incorrect

Please research carefully before posting what you perceive to be legal facts on this issue as it could confuse others - the best thing to do is to say 'I think' rather than make a statement that is not right
You are. of course, entitled to an opinion

 

[Northern Hare]

The following Q&A is from the Ifor Williams website:

"My vehicle has a maximum towing weight of 1500kg and my trailer has a maximum gross weight of 2000kg. Can I still tow this trailer?

Yes, as long as the unladen weight of the trailer you are towing combined with the trailer load does not exceed 1500kg, then you can tow this trailer with your vehicle.

There is no legal requirement to downrate the plate on your trailer.

Drivers must also possess the appropriate driving licence with B+E category for towing this particular trailer combination as well as adhering to tachograph rules, if applicable."

 

[smirnoff_ice07]

I tow with my 53 plate Freelander 1. It's the 1.8 petrol and we have pulled both my horses in a very heavy trailer and it managed, although I wouldn't do it too often, we use the disco for towing 2 now. My Freelander manages my connie in a newish Richardson no problem and it is the most comfortable car ever to drive. It's fairly economical as an everyday car and overall I love it,it's a cracking car

 

[cm2581]

Please read the trailer towing guide here
www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/publications/leafletsandposters/safetyandmaintenanceleaflets.htm
Im no expert but I wonder if a heavier trailer but with the combination still within gvw would have problems with the rear axle weight? As ROG stated towing weight is not law but the combination and the axle weights are. I've never had axle weights checked but I'm wondering if maybe I should even though I'm well within the GTW, GVW and max towing weight!

 

[cm2581]

Oh and if anyone still thinks this is wrong I'd love to watch the argument with VOSA!!!

 

[[59851]]

Ummmmmmm, don't bother, get a proper 4x4 like a discovery or defender if you want a Landy - freelanders are for taking the kids to school in London - totally useless for towing and off road.....

 

[CobsGalore]

Ummmmmmm, don't bother, get a proper 4x4 like a discovery or defender if you want a Landy - freelanders are for taking the kids to school in London - totally useless for towing and off road.....

I can't quote for towing, but they are brilliant off roaders. They may not be as good as a defender, but then a defender is a rubbish commuting car. A freelander is the best of both worlds.

 

[chestnuttyy]

I think you'd be over the legal weights with that combo.

I tow an Ifor 401 and a 15.3 TB with mine, but that's an awful lot lighter (about 1300KG in total).

 

[ROG]

Please read the trailer towing guide here
www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/publications/leafletsandposters/safetyandmaintenanceleaflets.htm
Im no expert but I wonder if a heavier trailer but with the combination still within gvw would have problems with the rear axle weight? As ROG stated towing weight is not law but the combination and the axle weights are. I've never had axle weights checked but I'm wondering if maybe I should even though I'm well within the GTW, GVW and max towing weight!

Rear axle weight on the towing vehicle can always be an issue especially in the way that the trailer has been loaded

Its actually possible in some cases for animals to move to the most forward point they can which can cause an issue or for them to move to the rear for the opposite effect

 

[Paint Me Proud]

we towed with a Freelander for a while, only short trips to the local riding school for lessons and a longer emergency dash to the vets.

Never had a problem with towing with it.

Here it is in use

However we now have a new Land Rover Discovery instead because my mum didnt like the Freelander

 

[ROG]

That picture is TOOOOOOO WIDE and has made me scroll from side to side so I can read the rest of the whole thread !!

 

[Paint Me Proud]

That picture is TOOOOOOO WIDE and has made me scroll from side to side so I can read the rest of the whole thread !!

???

 

[ROG]

???

OH - its got smaller - maybe the site changes them automatically ???