kerbweight or max tow weight?

Mar 14, 2005
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Iain

Always go with the lowest figure. So you can't exceed 1400kgs in this case.

However, if you stick to the recommended 85% rule, then 85% of 1545kgs is 1313kgs, which is less than your max towing limit anyway.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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The maximum permissible towload quoted by the manufacturer is always the legal limit regardless of the kerbweight. As far as the law is concerned, the only significance kerbweight has is in the type of licence your require to tow. If the maximum permissible weight of the trailer (or caravan) exceeds the kerbweight of the towing vehicle and if the driving licence was issued after 1st January 1997, one needs a B+E licence.
 
May 12, 2005
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some cars have a low manufacturers max tow weight compared to the kerb weight of the car,in this case the law says you cannot exceed the manufacturers max tow weight,

some cars have a manufacturers max tow weights far in excess of the cars kerb weight, in this case stick to the 85% rule you don`t want the tail to wag the dog
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Some cars have a maximum permissible towload even below the 85% guideline. Manufacturers also sometimes specify maximum gross train weights that are less than the combined sum of the gross vehicle weight and the towload. This complicates matters even further.

It all depends on what the tests that the manufacturers carry out to establish the towload come up with. Standards specify that the car when fully laden must be able to start five times within five minutes on a 12% gradient. The limiting factor here is often engine cooling, especially as more and more components are crammed under the bonnet of modern vehicles. Clutches used to be a problem in the past but, with improvements to design and materials, one rarely hears of this nowadays. Endurance tests are also covered in the standards (2 million durability cycles are required) and these could put further limitations on towload based on what the car's structure is able to take. In addition to what the standards require, the manufacturers also have their own specifications and these could cover handling and braking performance, for example.
 

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