Help needed re nose weight

Ty

Apr 18, 2018
67
8
1,585
Visit site
Good afternoon all
I have just change my car and i am struggling to find out the noise weight and towinig capacity ,
I think its towing capacity is 1800kg but i am not sure ,i have searched the internet and i keep coming up with different numbers
The car is a Mercedes estate 220 d sport 9 tiptronic auto 2017
The plate says
2190 kg
4050 kg
1 -1045
2- 1175

The tow bar is a witter showing 135kg which i am presuming is the max weight of the tow bar not the noise weight

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Ty
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,130
50,935
Visit site
Ty said:
Good afternoon all
I have just change my car and i am struggling to find out the noise weight and towinig capacity ,
I think its towing capacity is 1800kg but i am not sure ,i have searched the internet and i keep coming up with different numbers
The car is a Mercedes estate 220 d sport 9 tiptronic auto 2017
The plate says
2190 kg
4050 kg
1 -1045
2- 1175

The tow bar is a witter showing 135kg which i am presuming is the max weight of the tow bar not the noise weight

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Ty

Your V5 gives the cars maximum towing weight for brakes and unbraked trailers. The owners manual should give maximum noseweight either in the section on towing trailers, and/or in the technical data at the back.
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,556
3,051
50,935
Visit site
Ty said:
Good afternoon all
I have just change my car and i am struggling to find out the noise weight and towinig capacity ,
I think its towing capacity is 1800kg but i am not sure ,i have searched the internet and i keep coming up with different numbers
The car is a Mercedes estate 220 d sport 9 tiptronic auto 2017
The plate says
2190 kg
4050 kg
1 -1045
2- 1175

The tow bar is a witter showing 135kg which i am presuming is the max weight of the tow bar not the noise weight

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Ty

Hello Ty

The first two figures from the cars weight plate "2190 kg & 4050 kg are the cars Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Gross Train Weight (GTW) respectively These are absolute limits and neither must be exceeded at any time.

GTW - GVW = the cars maximum trailed weight weight when the car is fully laden = 1860kg

Most manufacturers use that as the maximum figure full stop but some allow you to tow more but as the GTW is the absolute limit , you must therefore reduce the loading in the car to keep the whole outfit within the GTW.

A further point which is catching some younger drivers out is their driving licence entitlements. Light vehicles such as domestic cars fall under Cat B entitlements. The detail of the entitlements has changed over the years and the crucial date is for drivers who passed their basic test on or after 1st January 1997. IF you passed before this date you will automatically have been awarded entailment "Be" and you have no problem with towing a caravan.

But if you passed after this date then you will not have "Be" but only "B" This restricts you to driving a car and caravan where the combined MAM does not exceed 3500kg for braked trailers. Bearing in mind your cars GVW of 2190kg, which is the cars MAM, that leaves a difference of 3500 -2190 of 1310kg for the MAM = MTPLM for the caravan.

The MAM stands for the Maximum Authorised Mass, and is based on the weight limits of vehicles not what they actually weigh. You can take the "E" extension test to raise your limits to effectively unlock teh your towing potential.

That is legal situation, but there are other considerations when it involves a caravan or other large trailer. The greater the length and surface area of a trailer make it more vulnerable to the effects of inertia and windage, so bigger trailers tend to push and pull the tow vehicle more than small ones. In recognition of this the UK caravan industry has issued guidelines about matching caravan to cars,and advice is that subject to not exceeding the manufactures stated limits, novice caravan's MTPLM's should not exceed the 85% of the cars kerbweight and only as experience is gained should the caravanner consider increasing the MTPLM but should not exceed 100% of kerbweight. This paragraph has no legal enforcement but it does represent a sensible starting approach to caravanning.

Nose loading is important as it does directly affect the towing stability of an outfit. Too little nose load will tend to make the outfit less controllable, and too much nose load will increase wear and tear on couplings and may damage parts of the car or caravan. The UK caravan industry also make recommendations about nose load. The static vertical nose load the caravan should apply to the tow vehicle should be between 5 and 7% of the caravans MTPLM. Again this should also respect the limits set by the manufacturers.
 
Oct 8, 2006
1,765
538
19,935
Visit site
Ty said:
Good afternoon all
I have just change my car and i am struggling to find out the noise weight and towinig capacity ,
I think its towing capacity is 1800kg but i am not sure ,i have searched the internet and i keep coming up with different numbers
The car is a Mercedes estate 220 d sport 9 tiptronic auto 2017
The plate says
2190 kg
4050 kg
1 -1045
2- 1175

The tow bar is a witter showing 135kg which i am presuming is the max weight of the tow bar not the noise weight

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Ty

4050 minus 2190 gives 1860Kg which is the maximum towing capacity.
The maximum noseweight is defined by the chassis, the caravan hitch, and the towbar itself. Whichever is the least is the maximum you can use. If this is a C-class, i.e. c220d or a GLC220d then a quick Google shows the maximum noseweight as 100Kg - which is the limit for most single axle Al-Ko chassis anyway. The 135Kg on the towbar is its limit weight so you are well inside that.
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,130
50,935
Visit site
Bear in mind that the makers maximum towed limit is its ability to carry out a number of restarts on a defined incline. I believe it is a 12% incline so it’s not necessarily what it would tow as a caravan outfit and feel comfortable with. The Prof guidance is a good starting point. Plus feedback from owners with the same car model as yours. Try CAMHC website for owner feedback.
 

Ty

Apr 18, 2018
67
8
1,585
Visit site
Thanks all for the feed back this realy helps

I had the 66 plate saloon prior, this had a tow ball limit of 100kg ,as advised i have looked in the manual and it state max tow is 1800kg and tow ball is 75kg our caravan has a mtplm of 1526 kg.

Thanks
Ty
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,556
3,051
50,935
Visit site
Ty said:
Thanks all for the feed back this realy helps

I had the 66 plate saloon prior, this had a tow ball limit of 100kg ,as advised i have looked in the manual and it state max tow is 1800kg and tow ball is 75kg our caravan has a mtplm of 1526 kg.

Thanks
Ty

Hello again Ty,

With a 1526kg MTPLM and a 2190kg GVW you have a combined MAM of over 3500kg, You would be illegal to drive it on a post Jan 1997 licence unless you have got the B+E entitlement.

I assume as you have not commented that you either passed your basic test before Jan 1997 and have licence entitlement "Be" or you have taken the "E" extension test?
 

Parksy

Moderator
Nov 12, 2009
11,904
2,399
40,935
Visit site
ProfJohnL said:
Ty said:
Thanks all for the feed back this realy helps

I had the 66 plate saloon prior, this had a tow ball limit of 100kg ,as advised i have looked in the manual and it state max tow is 1800kg and tow ball is 75kg our caravan has a mtplm of 1526 kg.

Thanks
Ty

Hello again Ty,

With a 1526kg MTPLM and a 2190kg GVW you have a combined MAM of over 3500kg, You would be illegal to drive it on a post Jan 1997 licence unless you have got the B+E entitlement.

I assume as you have not commented that you either passed your basic test before Jan 1997 and have licence entitlement "Be" or you have taken the "E" extension test?

Nobody is under any obligation whatsoever to divulge any information about themselves on these message boards
 

Ty

Apr 18, 2018
67
8
1,585
Visit site
Thanks Prof /Parksy

I have B+E entitlement and have had a caravan for the last couple of years ,when i was site based i towed trailers most weeks..i just couldn't find the info on line for the new car and always forget how to work out all the weights/ noise weights ect

Thanks again
Ty
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts