towing with a mondeo and towbar advice??

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Mel1

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I am buying a mondeo LX 2L TDci (2006) to tow one horse (about 500kg) in a double I for williams, does anybody tow with one? what do you think?

I need to get a tow bar fitted, and I dont know anything about towbar, the best quote I could find was £97 for the tow bar ("A1 towing" make) and £105 for fitting at home, does that sound like a reasonable price (based in the midlands)?
 
I think you are mad and putting not only your life and that of your horses at risk, but also other road users.

Please don't do it. Buy a more suitable tow vehicle instead
 
Well your towing capacity will be in the order of 1800Kg, so if the trailer and the horse and all your gear are within that and you have the appropriate licence you might be ok.

Personally I wouldn't, but my neighbour used to until a year or so ago. She's now upgraded her towing vehicle though, car pulled the trailer all right but whether it was legal or not I wouldn't like to say.
 
Please don't. Trailers are dangerous enough as it is without towing with a mondeo. You need a heavy vehicle more suited to towing a live load. I lost a horse in a trailer accident and it was only the weight of the vehicle we were in that prevented the car from flipping with the trailer.
 
We tow an Ifor Williams HB506 with one 500kg horse using a 2L VW Passat. It is within the legal towing capacities but its very far from ideal, and we will buy a more suitable towing car as soon as we can. The car does manage to pull the trailer ok but we have to carefully choose which competitions we go to as it would be impossible to pull the trailer on wet grass.
If you haven't already bought the Mondeo I'd go along with the others and say try to buy something more suitable.
 
The car's towing limit is 1800kg, so that car could physically tow your trailer & one horse.

However, manufacturer specs and caravan guidance does not take into account a 'live' load, which can easily make a trailer swing. your car would weigh just under 1500kg, so almost an identical weight to what you are towing. You would need to be very careful that you didn't get into a situation where the trailer controls the vehicle. for example, to have a sudden flat tyre, or if another lorry was to set up a backdraft, your trailer would swing and you wouldn't have the physical weight at the front, to stop the car following it.

So it's doable and legal, but not recommended. Does that make sense?
 
In addition to that, the clutch, brakes, transmission and engine on a mondeo will have to work very hard to tow. If you are doing it often, it will eventually do for your car.

With regards having a towbar fitted, Make sure it's a EC approved towball and don't attempt to do this yourself without a torque wrench and the proper bolts etc. Never reuse bolts. You'll also need the electrics done either by competent person or a professional. There is good advice on the witter site.
 
Can't imagine that the spec will give you the capacicty or be within the law for you to be able to do this.

So many 4wd's out there for real bargin money - why not buy a vehicle that will keep everyone safe???
 
Doesn't matter what you are actually towing, it's the MAM that Vosa will use. That's the maximum allowable mass that the trailer is capable of weighing and that is what will kill off using a mondeo. Mondeo is 1850kg max tow - the only Ifor you are LEGALLY allowed to tow is the 403 at 1600KG and i still wouldn't risk it. There's just not enough weight in that vehicle. The other problem is it's front wheel drive only and putting a trailer on the back reduces the balance on the front of the car so you have less grip and control.

Doesn't matter if you put one or zero horses in it, Vosa still go by the MAM, not what it actually weighs. This site is really helpful in that it lists just about all trailers and each ones maximum payload

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/index.htm
 
I once moved our (empty) IW down the road half a mile using a Mondeo, and it bossed the car about something awful! I would never want to tow one laden with a car!

Yesterday was the first time I have had to do an emergency break towing a trailer (since my test). The trailer was empty, and I was towing with a LR Defender, a labrador ran out of the hedge and straight in front of me - no doubt that if I had been towing with a car, the dog would have been a goner, and damage would most likely have been done to the trailer/car.
 
nooooo... i wouldn't.

also, it's not about what you're actually towing, more what you're allowed to tow - eg if you were pulling a trailer with max capacity of 3 tonnes even if you only put a hamster in it, you still HAVE to have a vehicle that is allowed to tow 3 tonnes.

i think. this is what my OH tries to explain to me all the time... i usually fall asleep ;)
 
i believe you can tow upto 1800kg. maybe swap your double in for a new single, the new ones are more stable. my friend used to tow a double with a new mondeo with no probelms, they didnt go far admitedly but driven sensibly they were fine, im waiting for my car to sell to get a 4x4 and i will be getting a 2.4 santa fe, or a 2lr freelander diesel. i wont be going far towing, only to local shows and back, not motorway trips. i just can justify buying a stupidly big 4x4 with a huge engine with a high tax and insurance just to tow one or twice a month, aslong as your within your legal limits and feel safe then i dont see the problem. youl know if its not right. if your not sure if your within your limits then go to a weigh bridge.
 
We tow using a mondeo, a fabulous towing car. HOWEVER, we have done our sums and know for a fact that as we only have a single ifor it is legal and if the trailer were a double we would be risking it. Also note my mare is only a lightweight 15hh. That makes a difference.
If you have finances for a mondeo, then I'd re-think and opt for an older 4x4 if you insist on a double.
Or get a single!!
 
i tow with a Mondeo estate & she is more than capable & well within legal weights (11h 1" sec A or 13H cob) id be more inclined to look at the towing weights than car style, there are way too many wannabe 4X4's out there that are big & bulky but have the towing capacity of a squashed gnat yep too many people seem to blindly think if its got the look of an off roader it must be good to tow!

GRRR!!!!! sorry but there are many engine sizes/types & i get really bugged by sweeping statements on things.
 
This is what I thought of when I chose my towing vehicle:

Do you think if you had your horse in your trailer and you were going along at 45-5-mph and had to stop suddenly that you would be able to and remain intact and on the road facing the same direction? If you were on the motorway and it was windy do you think the car is heavy enough to hold the whole thing in place? If you had to pull up a steep incline could you do that without burning your clutch out and rolling down the hill? If you had to descend a steep incline could you do so without the trailer pushing the car around? If your horse suddenly threw a nutter moment and started thrashing about would that destablise the whole rig? (I have seen this happen)
 
Sleepeeze_dad said:
http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/index.htm
Click to expand...

Have just looked at this brilliant website that Sleepeeze-Dad posted. You can either put in your make of car, and they'll tell you how much it can tow. Or far more useful, for those of us (like me!) who are not sure how much their trailer weighs, you can put in the make of trailer, combined weight of horses you will tow, and it gives you a list of makes and models of cars that are up to the job. Brilliant!

Have to echo above posts, that the Mondeo is not up to the job. Please don't risk your or your horse's lives. It may be able to pull the trailer, but if you get into trouble the car is NOT heavy enough to keep you safe.
 
Don't try and fit a tow bar yourself - get a garage to do it for you. Ours was fitted by a numpty and we have problems with the car electrics. Oh , and when the car went in for a service they were horrified to find that the bolts on the tow bar were not properly tightened! :eek: Good thing we had it serviced before taking the horse out with it.
 
Sleepeeze_dad said:
Doesn't matter what you are actually towing, it's the MAM that Vosa will use. That's the maximum allowable mass that the trailer is capable of weighing and that is what will kill off using a mondeo. Mondeo is 1850kg max tow - the only Ifor you are LEGALLY allowed to tow is the 403 at 1600KG and i still wouldn't risk it. There's just not enough weight in that vehicle. The other problem is it's front wheel drive only and putting a trailer on the back reduces the balance on the front of the car so you have less grip and control.

Doesn't matter if you put one or zero horses in it, Vosa still go by the MAM, not what it actually weighs. This site is really helpful in that it lists just about all trailers and each ones maximum payload

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/index.htm
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but you are completely wrong! Show me where on that website it says that it is the MAM, if you actually use their calculator it tells you quite clearly that it is within the Mondeo's capability...providing only one horse is carried

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicles.htm

I suspect you are confusing MAM or Gross weigh with Unladen weight

The VOSA clearly state in their leaflet "Quick guide to towing small trailers"

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/Quick Guide to Towing Small Trailers Feb 08.pdf

That "Where the trailer has a braking system, it is recommended that the trailer and load does not exceed 80-85% of the weight of the towing vehicle" It does not say anything about it being the MAM of the trailer, merely that that is the limit of the trailer + load

For a Ford Mondeo 2L the max towing weight is 1800Kg approx

Source http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicles.htm

IW trailers come in three models the 403 (Single) 506 (Double for horses under 16.2) 511 (Double for horses over 16.2)

Their respective weights are:

403 MAM/Gross Weight 1600kg Unladen Weight 767kg
506 MAM/Gross Weight 2600kg Unladen Weight 920kg
511 MAM/Gross Weight 2700kg Unladen Weight 1000kg

Source IW technical specs: http://www.iwt.co.uk/products/horsebox/hb403?tab=spec

Allowing for a large horse at 600Kg that puts all three trailers within the legal capability of being towed by the Mondeo, providing that the weight of tack pack/water etc doesn't take the combined weight to in excess of 1800Kg

As to whether it is advisable to tow with a Mondeo is an entirely different matter, personally I would prefer something a bit meatier with an off road capability to ensure you don't bog in on a field, or get stuck on a muddy lane. However if you are only looking to make shortish trips to local equestrian centres with good access and parking with a small horse or pony you should be ok, but I would not recommend long motorway journeys to Hunter Trials and the like where you are parking in boggy fields. Perhaps think of something like the SWB Mitsubishi Shogun that can tow 3500Kg.

If you really want to go with the Mondeo, make sure that you get a good towbar fitted by someone who knows what they are doing..if in doubt get it done professionally. I've no experience of the A1 towing brand, I would go with a Witter, or go and speak to an IW dealer in the area ask their opinion.
 
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Sleepeeze_dad said:
Doesn't matter what you are actually towing, it's the MAM that Vosa will use. That's the maximum allowable mass that the trailer is capable of weighing and that is what will kill off using a mondeo. Mondeo is 1850kg max tow - the only Ifor you are LEGALLY allowed to tow is the 403 at 1600KG and i still wouldn't risk it. There's just not enough weight in that vehicle. The other problem is it's front wheel drive only and putting a trailer on the back reduces the balance on the front of the car so you have less grip and control.

Doesn't matter if you put one or zero horses in it, Vosa still go by the MAM, not what it actually weighs. This site is really helpful in that it lists just about all trailers and each ones maximum payload

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/index.htm
Click to expand...
OH how many times!!!!
why do people keep posting rubbish about towing laws please get the facts right...



..
 
clipcloppop said:
nooooo... i wouldn't.

also, it's not about what you're actually towing, more what you're allowed to tow - eg if you were pulling a trailer with max capacity of 3 tonnes even if you only put a hamster in it, you still HAVE to have a vehicle that is allowed to tow 3 tonnes.

i think. this is what my OH tries to explain to me all the time... i usually fall asleep ;)
Click to expand...
you dont understand him or he is taking rubish sorry.....
 
perfect11s said:
you dont understand him or he is taking rubish sorry.....
Click to expand...

right, if i had a 7.5 tonne lorry, but unladen it weighed 3.5 tonnes, i still wouldn't be allowed to drive it on a pre 1997 licence... even unladen. that's right? yes?

now, there's something a bit odd about towing capacities too. something about what the trailer is capable of weighing, the car has to be capable of it...

oooh, hang on... maybe it's the driver. maybe the driver has to be licenced to drive it at full capacity or something.

my husband should know, he's a policeman. his friend who also tried to explain it to me is a traffic policeman... i think perhaps i just fall asleep when they talk...

maybe i'll ask again. and try to stay awake after the words 'towing capacity'... ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz no, no use, i can't... ;)
 
digger66 said:
Don't try and fit a tow bar yourself - get a garage to do it for you. Ours was fitted by a numpty and we have problems with the car electrics. Oh , and when the car went in for a service they were horrified to find that the bolts on the tow bar were not properly tightened! :eek: Good thing we had it serviced before taking the horse out with it.
Click to expand...
A good indicator of how well its fitted is the lack of scotch lock conectors if you see a bunch of these little blue horrors wrecking your wiring be very afraid
...........
 
clipcloppop said:
right, if i had a 7.5 tonne lorry, but unladen it weighed 3.5 tonnes, i still wouldn't be allowed to drive it on a pre 1997 licence... even unladen. that's right? yes?

now, there's something a bit odd about towing capacities too. something about what the trailer is capable of weighing, the car has to be capable of it...

oooh, hang on... maybe it's the driver. maybe the driver has to be licenced to drive it at full capacity or something.

my husband should know, he's a policeman. his friend who also tried to explain it to me is a traffic policeman... i think perhaps i just fall asleep when they talk...

maybe i'll ask again. and try to stay awake after the words 'towing capacity'... ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz no, no use, i can't... ;)
Click to expand...
yes because the lorry is legaly plated for that weight and your licence dosent allow it.. no its not the trailer small trailers ie under 3500kg arnt plated they just show design weights .. your licence assumming you have the trailer intitlement.. you must not excceed the gross weight (capacity) of the trailer and not load the trailer to excceed the towing capacity of the towing vehicle this applys to light vehicles, for HGVs the laws are different...
 
Someone I knew used her Mondeo to tow a 505 with one horse for a couple of years. It wrecked the car and she replaced it with a 4 x 4. I wouldnt fancy it to be honest, what with you, your tack, maybe passenger, horse, water, trailer etc, I reckon you could be pushing it.

Perfect11s I think clipcloppop may be talking about the 'down rating the trailer plate' to match the car issue that keeps coming up??
 
clipcloppop said:
right, if i had a 7.5 tonne lorry, but unladen it weighed 3.5 tonnes, i still wouldn't be allowed to drive it on a pre 1997 licence... even unladen. that's right? yes?
Click to expand...

Now Im confused :confused::confused:
I thought pre 1997 you could drive a 7.5t lorry as you have cat C1 on your license, do you mean post 97, cos if not, Ive been breaking the law :eek::eek:
 
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