Hi! I am considering buying a trailer tent, but am very confused if my car would be able to tow it, and what weight I should look for. I have a Renault Clio 1.4 16v. I have checked the manual but am baffled by figures to be honest. Would be grateful for an idiot's guide to recommendations!
Help with towing information
- Thread starter C_374419346
- Start date
Look in your handbook for two figures: kerb weight and maximum tow weight. The latter will have two figures, braked and un-braked. Assume your trailer is braked so you need to know 85% of kerb weight. To get this multiply kerb weight by 0.85. Compare this answer with the max tow weight and whichever is the lower is the maximum weight of your trailer. If you can't find the weight try an internet site that offers car reviews as these usually give car weights.
Hello C
I am sure you will appreciate that there are limits set for most weight/mass aspects of towing. You should find the maximum permitted trailer Mass quoted in the handbook for your car. Unfortunately you do not give the year of your and ass manufacturers develop their models over the years their specifications do change, so the year of production is important.
My sources indicate there are three different models year for the 1.4 Clio, starting in 2002.
The Mk1 and Mk2 1.4's (2002 through 2005) all had a maximum trailer weight of 1200Kg but the 2005-2006 Mk3 is reduced to only 900Kg. Please be aware that my source along with all other third party databases may contain errors. You must confirm the figures with the relevant handbook for the car or with the dealer or manufacturer.
Assuming my source is correct these are the maximum allowable trailer masses for your car.
I do not know why Waffler is quoting the 85% caravan guideline as you are referring to a tent trailer that does not have the weight or size of a caravan thus the reasoning behind the 85% figure does not apply. However it is always sensible to try and keep the weight of a trailer as low as possible. This improves the chances of keeping an outfit under proper control under a wider range of conditions.
Renault are renown for using a slightly different method of specifying the allowable trailer mass. The cars VIN plate will carry four maximum load figures. The largest limit is the cars maximum allowable Train weight. This is the actual weight of the car and its coupled trailer.
The second largest limit is the solo cars maximum allowable mass.
You are likely to find that if you load your car to the maximum limit, and use the maximum trailer allowance, that you will exceed the Gross Train Weight Renault allow. To become legal you must shed some load from either the car or the trailer or both.
Don't forget that the trailer has also got to have a nose load. You will find that both the car and the trailer will have their own maximum nose load limits. Obviously, you must conform to the lower figure of the two. In general it is advised to keep the nose load close to the available allowance. As the nose load is pressing down on the car's hitch, it forms part of the cars mass, so don't forget to allow for that within the cars weights.
I am sure you will appreciate that there are limits set for most weight/mass aspects of towing. You should find the maximum permitted trailer Mass quoted in the handbook for your car. Unfortunately you do not give the year of your and ass manufacturers develop their models over the years their specifications do change, so the year of production is important.
My sources indicate there are three different models year for the 1.4 Clio, starting in 2002.
The Mk1 and Mk2 1.4's (2002 through 2005) all had a maximum trailer weight of 1200Kg but the 2005-2006 Mk3 is reduced to only 900Kg. Please be aware that my source along with all other third party databases may contain errors. You must confirm the figures with the relevant handbook for the car or with the dealer or manufacturer.
Assuming my source is correct these are the maximum allowable trailer masses for your car.
I do not know why Waffler is quoting the 85% caravan guideline as you are referring to a tent trailer that does not have the weight or size of a caravan thus the reasoning behind the 85% figure does not apply. However it is always sensible to try and keep the weight of a trailer as low as possible. This improves the chances of keeping an outfit under proper control under a wider range of conditions.
Renault are renown for using a slightly different method of specifying the allowable trailer mass. The cars VIN plate will carry four maximum load figures. The largest limit is the cars maximum allowable Train weight. This is the actual weight of the car and its coupled trailer.
The second largest limit is the solo cars maximum allowable mass.
You are likely to find that if you load your car to the maximum limit, and use the maximum trailer allowance, that you will exceed the Gross Train Weight Renault allow. To become legal you must shed some load from either the car or the trailer or both.
Don't forget that the trailer has also got to have a nose load. You will find that both the car and the trailer will have their own maximum nose load limits. Obviously, you must conform to the lower figure of the two. In general it is advised to keep the nose load close to the available allowance. As the nose load is pressing down on the car's hitch, it forms part of the cars mass, so don't forget to allow for that within the cars weights.
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