Smallest 3.5t towing capacity 4x4?

[Greg_D]

Hi All,

The wife is a keen equestrian and we currently transport the horses round in a 7.5t horsebox with the full quota of living accommodation etc etc - like this in case anyone cares



Anyway, with the depreciation and running costs being utterly eye watering on this sort of thing, allied to the fact that we hardly ever use it as intended (ie we rarely stay away overnight) it is just dumb to keep it IMO.

Anyway, i have persuaded her that we would get along just fine with one of the new 'big' trailers - i have spoken to a few owners and they do nothing but rave about them and depreciation and running costs are as close to zero as makes no difference, happy days. Pic for illustration



anyway, to the question, you need a 3.5t towing capacity to drag it. Our XC60 will no doubt cope with the task, but legally won't be allowed (she would rarely have more than one horse in it (2.5t combined weight for horse and trailer) yet i don't want anything as big as your typical FFRR, RRS, Disco, land cruiser etc

What else is there out there that will get the job done but not be quite so big to use every day? - the facelift Porsche Cayenne is 3.5t and i like that, is there anything else that you guys can think of.
X5 and X6 don't have the capacity btw, before anyone suggests them.

[pti]

You need a big 4x4 for 3.5t I fear.

Defender?

Disco, RR, RRS, Landcruiser. That's your lot really. Unless you go Yank - and they're far from small (or plentiful)

Edited by pti on Tuesday 11th February 12:01

[Impasse]

Defender 90 is probably the most compact vehicle with a useable 3.5 tonne towing capacity. It won't have quite the comfort level of its stablemates though.

[dowahdiddyman]

Toureg,Landcruiser Amazon, lad I used to know regularly pulled 3.5t with a Landcruiser. Probably be safer for your licence as well. 99.9% of 7.5t fully equipped horseboxes are overweight with only one horse in, vosa love them, easy money.

[McWigglebum4th]

Impasse said:

Defender 90 is probably the most compact vehicle with a useable 3.5 tonne towing capacity. It won't have quite the comfort level of its stablemates though.

Nothing smaller then a 90 pick-up with a 3.5t towing capcaity

And remember a 90 pick up is shorter then a 206

[ian2144]

A Short wheel base Landcruiser or Shogun should fit the bill smaller footprint with the same towing capacity.

[jhonn]

Greg_D said:

.. yet i don't want anything as big as your typical FFRR, RRS, Disco, land cruiser etc

My missus regularly tows our box with two large horses - we use a Landcruiser which does the job very well.

Personally, I would stay away from using a short wheelbase vehicle like a 90, the longer the wheelbase and the heavier the vehicle the more stable it will be, particularly in situations like travelling downhill or under braking, when the load comes on to the vehicle. You don't want 'the tail wagging the dog'.

We also use a Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011) which has the same 3.5t towing capacity - it tows as well, however it's a bit noisier than the landcruiser which I put down to the fact that it's monocoque construction rather than separate chassis.

[Snowboy]

Would a trailer that big and heavecnot have its own brakes?

Car weight wouldn't be quite as important then.

[bqf]

I have a new VW Touareg - and it tows superbly. I have had a Touareg as a towcar for 7 years - tows my enormous caravan (a leisure pursuit, not a ft residence) and my racecar brilliantly. Very stable, the new one is v economical (I get 32mpg out of it vs 23 in the old one).

Recommended.

[R0G]

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicl...

put 3500 into the bit that says .... All vehicles capable of towing ... then click search

[R0G]

why do you need 3500 if the actual weight is only 2500 ?

[Snowboy]

R0G said:

why do you need 3500 if the actual weight is only 2500 ?

Horses.

[R0G]

Snowboy said:

Horses.

OP stated that with the one horse only 2500 max needed or did I miss something?

[Greg_D]

R0G said:

why do you need 3500 if the actual weight is only 2500 ?

because if the trailer has a plate on it that says, for example, 3 tonnes capacity then you need a vehicle that is rated to AT LEAST that to tow it, regardless of the actual weight towed

[McWigglebum4th]

Greg_D said:

because if the trailer has a plate on it that says, for example, 3 tonnes capacity then you need a vehicle that is rated to AT LEAST that to tow it, regardless of the actual weight towed

You can down rate it by changing the plate

I can take my 3500Kg trailer and down rate it to 900Kg by changing the plate legally

Just seeing the trailer weighs 800kg i could use it to carry feck all

[R0G]

Greg_D said:

because if the trailer has a plate on it that says, for example, 3 tonnes capacity then you need a vehicle that is rated to AT LEAST that to tow it, regardless of the actual weight towed

OH NO !! - not this damn internet MYTH again !!!!

There is no law or rule which states that the trailer plated MAM cannot exceed the manufacturers towing capacity = 100% FACT

There is no law or rule which states the total of the vehicle GVW and the trailer plated MAM nust nit exceed the vehicle GTW

I do not know where you came across this myth but please inform who told you that they are talking out of their arse - if they disagree then ask them to show you the law ... never going to happen

[300bhp/ton]

pti said:

You need a big 4x4 for 3.5t I fear.

Defender?

Edited by pti on Tuesday 11th February 12:01

Lol, you do realise a D90 is about the same length as a Pug 106...


D90 rear crossmember to front bumper = 142"

Pug 106 = 140.3"

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 11th February 16:52

[R0G]

Greg - if you want to check me out then google - horse and hounds forum HHO towing clinic

[Greg_D]

R0G said:

Greg_D said:

because if the trailer has a plate on it that says, for example, 3 tonnes capacity then you need a vehicle that is rated to AT LEAST that to tow it, regardless of the actual weight towed

OH NO !! - not this damn internet MYTH again !!!!

There is no law or rule which states that the trailer plated MAM cannot exceed the manufacturers towing capacity = 100% FACT noone was suggesting this, as far as i can see

There is no law or rule which states the total of the vehicle GVW and the trailer plated MAM nust nit exceed the vehicle GTW https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-weights-explained surely the GTW is a maximum, not to be exceeded (combined weight of car, trailer and cargo not to exceed 'X')

If what you are saying is true, then it kind of says "you can tow anything with anything". Which i am certain is not right. Please clarify

eta: having read it again, are you saying that the only thing that matters is the ACTUAL weights, ie my XC60 has a max towing weight of 2t, i could tow an empty equi trek @ 1950kg, get pulled over and not get in trouble. That said, a large trailer with a horse is 2,500 and as there is a jump in car rated weights from 2t to 3.5t, the argument is academic really, i need a 3.5t rated car!!!

Edited by Greg_D on Tuesday 11th February 17:09

[R0G]

Greg, I'll give you legal examples and show that these laws apply to LGVs as well as cars etc

Car example..
Vehicle
GVW 2200 = law
GTW 4000 = law meaning max actual weight of both vehicle and trailer when weighed together
Towing capacity 1800 = not law but recommended by manufacturer for max actual weighed being towed
Trailer
plated MAM 3500 = law

Actual weights when loaded ... vehicle 2000 and trailer 2000


LGV example ...
Rigid lorry
GVW 32000 = law
GTW 44000 = law
Drawbar trailer
plated MAM 18000 = law

Lorry loaded at 30000 with drawbar loaded at 14000
The total MAM of the two is 50000 but the actual weight is restricted by GTW to 44000

All above is legal

Could you imagine what would happen if those hiring out trailers needed to up and down plate them virtually every time a different vehicle took the trailer or drawbar out ? !!