What can I tow??

[ILoveMondeo]

Thinking of getting a car trailer to stick the TVR + future caterham on for transport to track days.

I passed my test in Jan 95, so according to the little pictures on the back of my card, and the Internet I can drive pretty much anything up to 8.25 tonnes!

Is this right? Can I really just get a trailer, strap up a car and bugger off?

I thought there were some complex rules regarding max weight of towed load vs tow vehicle (no towing a XJ with a fiesta for example?).. or have I just confused that with the MAM limits of the licences issued later?

Also, I've never actually towed anything before, so a lesson or two might be useful. I imagine reversing can be fun. Other than that, watch your corners and tootle along at 55mph in lane 1?

[Zoobeef]

Pretty much!

You need to make sure you don't go over the towing capacity of the car though still.

[ILoveMondeo]

Zoobeef said:

Pretty much!

You need to make sure you don't go over the towing capacity of the car though still.

aha, towing capacity, I guess that'll be in the handbook somewhere?

Thank you!

[TPS]

ILoveMondeo said:

I thought there were some complex rules regarding max weight of towed load vs tow vehicle (no towing a XJ with a fiesta for example?).. or have I just confused that with the MAM limits of the licences issued later?

Also, I've never actually towed anything before, so a lesson or two might be useful. I imagine reversing can be fun. Other than that, watch your corners and tootle along at 55mph in lane 1?

As you have a pre 96 licence you have less restrictions.

However you won't want to exceed the gtw of the tow vehicle etc.

[TPS]

ILoveMondeo said:

aha, towing capacity, I guess that'll be in the handbook somewhere?

Thank you!

Also normally found on the vin plate.

[ILoveMondeo]

found it online, the A8 can tug along 2300kgs apparently.

More than I'll need for trailer + TVR, and waaaay more for trailer + caterham!

Thanks chaps!

[tehguy]

Providing you do not exceed the vehicle specific weight limits you can tow any trailer with a category B vehicle, any trailer with a category C1 vehicle as long as your gross train weight does not exceed 8,250kg (you can drive a 7.5 tonne lorry with a 750kg trailer), or any trailer with a category D1 vehicle (minibus)

Key things to remember when towing:

make sure load is correctly distributed and secured - if your car is rear engined, load it backwards
make sure all the lights on your trailer work properly
make sure the brakes work - the handbrake should hold it, fully loaded, even on a gradient
drive smoothly, no sharp braking, when cornering make sure you wipe off your speed before you turn
always make sure the breakaway cable is connected
acceleration will be slow so bear this in mind when overtaking
speed limits when towing: single carriageway 50mph, dual carriageway 60mph, motorway 60mph - on a motorway with 3 or more lanes, you cannot use the rightmost lane

Edited by tehguy on Wednesday 28th May 12:33

[Rosscow]

Don't forget you also need to tow to the maximum permissible nose weight.

This will be the lowest figure from:

Car limit
Tow bar limit
Hitch limit

For example, your car may be a Ford and in the hand book it may say maximum weight on tow bar of 75kg.
However, you may have fitted a Witter tow bar rather than a Ford one and the Witter info may state 85kg.
The hitch head on the trailer may state 150kg.

In this scenario you would have to adjust nose weight by shifting items on the trailer so that you do not exceed the 75kg limit of the car.

[ILoveMondeo]

Rosscow said:

Don't forget you also need to tow to the maximum permissible nose weight.

This will be the lowest figure from:

Car limit
Tow bar limit
Hitch limit

For example, your car may be a Ford and in the hand book it may say maximum weight on tow bar of 75kg.
However, you may have fitted a Witter tow bar rather than a Ford one and the Witter info may state 85kg.
The hitch head on the trailer may state 150kg.

In this scenario you would have to adjust nose weight by shifting items on the trailer so that you do not exceed the 75kg limit of the car.

Whats a nose weight? Weight in front of the axle on a single axle trailer? For a 2 axle car trailer this would be a negligible amount wouldn't it?

Thanks

[Rosscow]

ILoveMondeo said:

Rosscow said:

Don't forget you also need to tow to the maximum permissible nose weight.

This will be the lowest figure from:

Car limit
Tow bar limit
Hitch limit

For example, your car may be a Ford and in the hand book it may say maximum weight on tow bar of 75kg.
However, you may have fitted a Witter tow bar rather than a Ford one and the Witter info may state 85kg.
The hitch head on the trailer may state 150kg.

In this scenario you would have to adjust nose weight by shifting items on the trailer so that you do not exceed the 75kg limit of the car.

Whats a nose weight? Weight in front of the axle on a single axle trailer? For a 2 axle car trailer this would be a negligible amount wouldn't it?

Thanks

The nose weight is the downward weight applied to the tow bar.

The general rule of thumb is that it should be between 5 and 7% of the trailer weight.

If you had a trailer loaded to 2 tons gross weight, then it should be between 100 and 140kg.

However, your tow bar or car may specify a nose weight limit of 85kg (as my Audi A6 does).

[TwigtheWonderkid]

TPS said:

As you have a pre 96 licence you have less restrictions.

However you won't want to exceed the gtw of the tow vehicle etc.

Pre 97 I think.

[Rosscow]

For example, the Westfalia detachable towbar for the latest A8 has a limit of 100kg:

http://westfalia-automotive.co.uk/audi_towbars_and...

[ILoveMondeo]

Rosscow said:

For example, the Westfalia detachable towbar for the latest A8 has a limit of 100kg:

http://westfalia-automotive.co.uk/audi_towbars_and...

Excellent, nice high limits and you've gone and found me a towbar too! Thank you!

Feel free to find me a decent trailer too

Edited by ILoveMondeo on Wednesday 28th May 14:08

[Zoobeef]

I use my A4 to tow my twin axle trailer with vx220 on it and it's spot on so a bigger A8 should be nice.

I have a lower towbar weight than yours and I just stand on the towbar (70kg) and measure the distance to the floor. Then hook up the trailer and put the car on it and make sure the measurements about the same.

[TPS]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

TPS said:

As you have a pre 96 licence you have less restrictions.

However you won't want to exceed the gtw of the tow vehicle etc.

Pre 97 I think.

No need to think,you are right.
:-)