Towing with a van

Toffee44

Toffee44

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Does anyone tow with a van? Towing a ifor Williams 510 with two ponies weighing 900kg.

We are looking for a family van that needs to fit 3 kids (3 under 5) and the dog. Looked at crew cab trucks but can't find one that fits 3 car seats across the back but the main reason we need a van is our family life and travel to see family etc. Can't justify a towing vehicle and a van unfortunately.

Any recommendations?

We know the set up is long and my OH is experienced at towing and holds HGV licenses. We seem to have underestimated van towing capacities that are built the way we need for a family.

Moral of the story should have just bought more horses not had more kids 🤣
 
Be careful with van towing weights

Example
GVW 3500
GTW 5500
Max tow weight 2500

Usually the GTW minus GVW is the max tow but it can be different with vans

If the van was fully loaded then the max tow would be 2000
If the van only weighed 3000 at the time of towing them it can tow 2500
 
This is what we have learnt and why I'm asking here. Everything we assumed would work doesn't as we are sitting at max tow at 2500kg on everything we've looked at.

Have very much underestimated towing capacity of most vans it seems and I don't even have big horses!

ROG said:
Be careful with van towing weights

Example
GVW 3500
GTW 5500
Max tow weight 2500

Usually the GTW minus GVW is the max tow but it can be different with vans

If the van was fully loaded then the max tow would be 2000
If the van only weighed 3000 at the time of towing them it can tow 2500
Click to expand...
 
@ROG sorry to jump on this post but would it be ok and legal to tow a ifor Williams 403 with a 600kg horse with a 2015 ford custom without B+E (passed in 1999) will take the test if I really need to 😂
 
Toffee44 said:
Does anyone tow with a van? Towing a ifor Williams 510 with two ponies weighing 900kg.

We are looking for a family van that needs to fit 3 kids (3 under 5) and the dog. Looked at crew cab trucks but can't find one that fits 3 car seats across the back but the main reason we need a van is our family life and travel to see family etc. Can't justify a towing vehicle and a van unfortunately.

Any recommendations?

We know the set up is long and my OH is experienced at towing and holds HGV licenses. We seem to have underestimated van towing capacities that are built the way we need for a family.

Moral of the story should have just bought more horses not had more kids 🤣
Click to expand...
If crew cab won’t work What about going to a pick up type car with a covered back? We tow a large 6 berth caravan with a van but it only has the 3 seats so I take the car too which is a pain. Crew cab is next on our purchase list but I alway thought they had room for 5?
 
Have seen people towing with VW or Transits converted into camper vans. No idea on weights though but see a few around.
 
Consider the van weights first as normal pay loads these days are massively different.

For example.

Renult trafic lwb type van...is no longer a 3 to van. Most are 3.2tn ( payloads are large at around 1.2 ton)

The Ford customs some models have a payload if 1.4 tn and are actually 3.5tn.

The towing limits on all of these will reflect these weights.

If you go larger sprinters, crafter etc the vans payloads are often smaller than that of the above vans.

There's so much to consider van weights and towing weights that it's always going to be tricky.

Of all the vans I've had in recent years that have carried weight the most effortless and problem free was the Ford custom.
 
How about getting a multimac 3 seater child seat! I have the 4 seater one in back of my Corsa as I have a little childcare business. Then you could have a large 4x4 or pick up truck😊
 
pinkypug1 said:
@ROG sorry to jump on this post but would it be ok and legal to tow a ifor Williams 403 with a 600kg horse with a 2015 ford custom without B+E (passed in 1999) will take the test if I really need to 😂
Click to expand...
Everyone now has free B+E so no need to take a test

On the V5 doc what is the max tow weight ?
 
Toffee44 said:
This is what we have learnt and why I'm asking here. Everything we assumed would work doesn't as we are sitting at max tow at 2500kg on everything we've looked at.

Have very much underestimated towing capacity of most vans it seems and I don't even have big horses!
Click to expand...

900kg of horse and 997kg of trailer would only be 1900kg in total so a 2500kg capacity should be enough?
 
pinkypug1 said:
Im in N Ireland so test still applies if combo is over a 3500kg if im correct? I will need to look
At v5 to get weight. Thanks
Click to expand...
About time NI had same rules as mainland UK !

In that case I need to know all the weights for B licence towing
Vehicle GVW
Vehicle GTW
Max tow limit
MAM of trailer
Weight going into trailer
 
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