Gross Train Weight

[Ian_5084692]

I am finding this to be a nightmare! I own a 2000 Galaxy Ghia 1.9 TDI (115) and tow a Lunar Delta 620/4. I was told the GTW was 4000KG but I cannot find this figure anywhere. The engine bay has a plate but has a number of figures and I cannot determine which one is the GTW.

 

[Steve L]

Hi Ian.

In your hand book for the Galaxy you should find a paragraph on the VIN plate, vehicle identification plate.

On the plate you normally get figures for the axle loads and then the gross weight for the vehicle, which at a guess you'd be looking at around 1800Kgs. Then there's the largest weight which is the gross train weight (car plus trailer combined weight)

By subtracting the vehicle max weight from your gross train weight you'll get the trailer wheight permitted with a fully laden tow car.

From memory I think 1900kgs is the tow limit for our 2.3 Ltr Galaxy at work.

 

[Lutz]

Like Steve says, you should find the maximum permissible gross train weight on the VIN plate. The data that I have shows a gross vehicle weight of 2510kg, a maximum permissible towload of 2000kg and a maximum permissible gross train weight of 4000kg. As the last 2 figures add up to over 4000kg, this means that if the car is fully laden you may only tow 1490kg and if you make full use of the towload, the car may only weigh 2000kg. Depending on its level of equipment, this may already be only marginally higher than the car's kerbweight. In other words, if you want to tow 2000kg, the car will have to be virtually empty.

Just a small note correcting Steve's statement (quote):

"By subtracting the vehicle max weight from your gross train weight you'll get the trailer wheight permitted with a fully laden tow car."

This is not strictly true. By subtracting the vehicle max. weight from your gross train weight you'll get the maximum permissble AXLE LOAD of your trailer, not its total weight. The difference between these 2 figures, i.e. its noseweight, is treated as part of the total weight of the car.