Anyone towed a car trailer with a caterham on with a 123D?
Discussion
Trying to decide whether to buy a car trailer to tow my Caterham to circuits. The Caterham is alright but after a long day on track it can be a bit annoying to have to drive it home, especially if its raining!
Has anyone got any towing experience with a 123D? I can't see any problem as its got the power and the brakes seem up to it...?!
Any experience shared much appreciated!
Ed.
Has anyone got any towing experience with a 123D? I can't see any problem as its got the power and the brakes seem up to it...?!
Any experience shared much appreciated!
Ed.
I don't know, but I'd expect that the weight of the trailer with Caterham on top would exceed the maximum weight that can be safely towed with a 1 series.
I would also expect that you'd find it less stressful to simply drive the Caterham home than to tow it. (Driving a raw car is less stressful to me than towing anything.)
I would also expect that you'd find it less stressful to simply drive the Caterham home than to tow it. (Driving a raw car is less stressful to me than towing anything.)
CTrickle said:
Trying to decide whether to buy a car trailer to tow my Caterham to circuits. The Caterham is alright but after a long day on track it can be a bit annoying to have to drive it home, especially if its raining!
Has anyone got any towing experience with a 123D? I can't see any problem as its got the power and the brakes seem up to it...?!
Any experience shared much appreciated!
Ed.
You should have no problems as long as you have a suitable trailer. I've towed a westie with various vehicles, Astra, Megane and 330i. The astra and megane were absolutely fine. The 330i was a bit better but only because it had a bit more power. Stability wise all were perfectly safe and you could tow at 80-90 if you so wished.Has anyone got any towing experience with a 123D? I can't see any problem as its got the power and the brakes seem up to it...?!
Any experience shared much appreciated!
Ed.
As I say though a Brian James Minnow or similar is ideal. You need a light trailer....
Having said that I've towed a westie with an astra using a heavy tilt bed trailer and it was ok.
The most critical thing for stability is getting the nose weight right. Use a piece of timber and some bathroom scales under the trailer hitch to get the nose weight right and then mark where your Caterham wheels are on the trailer bed so you can go back to it each time.
The 123d should be ideal being rwd as fwd does bring up some traction issues sometimes.
Edited by rm163603 on Wednesday 1st October 16:19
mrmr96 said:
I don't know, but I'd expect that the weight of the trailer with Caterham on top would exceed the maximum weight that can be safely towed with a 1 series.
I would also expect that you'd find it less stressful to simply drive the Caterham home than to tow it. (Driving a raw car is less stressful to me than towing anything.)
I do agree though trailering can be stressful no matter what tow car and trailer you have. I always said trailering was less stressful than the track day! I wouldn't have driven my westie to the track as there is always the problem of illegal / unsuitable tyres and the very real potential for a breakdown at the track. If you have a trailer you just load up and go.I would also expect that you'd find it less stressful to simply drive the Caterham home than to tow it. (Driving a raw car is less stressful to me than towing anything.)
The comfort of the tow car is quite appealing at the end of a track day as well!
Unbraked towing capacity is 740kg according to this: http://www.gocaravanning.com/towcars/BMW-1-Series-...
Something like a Minno must be 400kg, or more, if I remember it correctly so that doesn't leave much capacity for your Caterham.
Seems like a good excuse to buy a bigger car to me.
Something like a Minno must be 400kg, or more, if I remember it correctly so that doesn't leave much capacity for your Caterham.
Seems like a good excuse to buy a bigger car to me.
FunkySon said:
Unbraked towing capacity is 740kg according to this: http://www.gocaravanning.com/towcars/BMW-1-Series-...
Something like a Minno must be 400kg, or more, if I remember it correctly so that doesn't leave much capacity for your Caterham.
Seems like a good excuse to buy a bigger car to me.
But a minno isn't unbraked... it's braked.Something like a Minno must be 400kg, or more, if I remember it correctly so that doesn't leave much capacity for your Caterham.
Seems like a good excuse to buy a bigger car to me.
The caravan club recommend a trailer weight of no more than 85% of the vehicle weight and certainly no more than 100%.
Say your 123d is 1400Kg that means you can tow 1190kg which should be more than enough.
Get the nose weight right and you will be fine.
A second car that 'could' be used on track if you have a biblically wet day or for sighting laps is a plus as well. You wouldn't take out a discovery or rangie on track but a 123d would be pretty decent if there was an issue or whatever with your Caterham.
Edited by rm163603 on Wednesday 1st October 16:38
A BMW 123D can tow 1200KG Gross, so providing the trailer weight with the caterham does not exceed this you are ok.
So for instance my trailer weighs 400kg plus say 500kg for a caterham, I would be ok.
I looked at towing with the 120D and given its rear wheel drive you should be ok. I originally towed an Ariel Atom + Brian James clubman with a rover 45 fwd and this was very stable at speed but a challenge on the 1:6 hills in my area!
Other the thing is to ensure you have the correct licence for towing the gross weight. So with my trailer grossing at 2000kg and car gross weight of 2100kg (123D is around 1935kg), I need a B+E licence because I've broken the 3.5t braked gross trailer+car weight - regardless of the actual weight towed/driven.
So for instance my trailer weighs 400kg plus say 500kg for a caterham, I would be ok.
I looked at towing with the 120D and given its rear wheel drive you should be ok. I originally towed an Ariel Atom + Brian James clubman with a rover 45 fwd and this was very stable at speed but a challenge on the 1:6 hills in my area!
Other the thing is to ensure you have the correct licence for towing the gross weight. So with my trailer grossing at 2000kg and car gross weight of 2100kg (123D is around 1935kg), I need a B+E licence because I've broken the 3.5t braked gross trailer+car weight - regardless of the actual weight towed/driven.
rm163603 said:
The caravan club recommend
Would people please stop quoting this crap in relation to towing trailers not caravans. Maybe its vaguely valid for a high sided box on wheels. It is totally irrelevant to a regular trailer.Go by what the car plate says, load the trailer correctly & all will be fine. The car manufacturers homolgate, test & approve the car for that use.
cptsideways said:
rm163603 said:
The caravan club recommend
Would people please stop quoting this crap in relation to towing trailers not caravans. Maybe its vaguely valid for a high sided box on wheels. It is totally irrelevant to a regular trailer.Go by what the car plate says, load the trailer correctly & all will be fine. The car manufacturers homolgate, test & approve the car for that use.
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