Towcar for Heavy Caravan

[xtrailman]

Ok i understand what both of you are saying.
So in effect i can tow 2300kg max with my xtrail, with a 100kg nose-weight.
Not the Nissan limit of 2200kg.
But will the law agree?

 

[Lutz]

The Nissan limit of 2200kg refers to the axle load of what you are towing, not its total weight.
That is the law.

 

[xtrailman]

CT experts appear to disagree.
http://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/58150-makers-maximun-towing-limit/

 

[Lutz]

The text in the forum mentioned above is, quote
"Nissan give the max braked trailer weight as 2200kg, for my model xtrail.
So if i apply a 100kg nose weight, does this mean i can now tow 2300kg?"
The reply to the negative in no way contradicts my statement. Of course, one cannot tow 2300kg. The limit is quite clear. It is a maximum of 2200kg or, in other words, a trailer with an MTPLM of 2300kg.
Nissan refer to a max braked trailer weight. The brakes only act on the axle(s), not on the noseweight. The noseweight is braked by the car's brakes, not the caravan's. Therefore, braked trailer weight is the same as its axle load. Braked trailer weight is NOT the total weight of the trailer.
Do not confuse 'maximum braked trailer weight' with 'maximum weight of a braked trailer'.

 

[RogerL]

BrianI certainly oversimplified - the hill restart test is just one of many engineering evaluations used to determine the Towing Limit. In any case some vehicles have two sets of Towing Limits for different gradients, I think the Dutch because they don't have any hills! Lutz and I have debated this on a different topic some years back.

 

[Lutz]

Most German car manufacturers quote maximum towloads at 8%, 10% and 12% gradients. This is to give the owner the opportunity to tow heavier loads when the going is easy.

 

[xtrailman]

I appears the CT experts, don't agree?
My self i will adhere to the 2200kg max.

 

[Parksy]

Haven't visited this forum for a very long time so please be gentle!!!
We have recently bought a Coachman 545 vip with a mtplm of 1630kg. Therefore we need to buy a beefy towcar. I like the look of the Kia Sorento and, when owners write about them, they seem to give them the thumbs up. But having looked into it further, they can be troublesome and the dealers don't have the best of reputations. Another car up to the job is the Hyundai Terracan which would tow the caravan easily but looks, in my opinion, a little dated. As my husband is quite handy with car maintenance, should we look at a car that he could maintain, such as an older Landrover Discovery? Has anyone got any advice please?? The last thing we want is to buy a car that ends up at best, expensive to maintain and, at worst scrap!!!
Many thanks
Juliec

Yet another hi-jacked topic.
After the first forum page containing replies relevant to the o.p. this thread has turned into another boring nit pick which is of no help whatsoever to the lady who asked the question in the first place.
This sort of thing adds nothing to Practical Caravan forum.

 

[xtrailman]

Not true parksy.
The discussion was diverted to the caravan weight that you could tow.
I once towed with a Audi that had a 1500kg tow limit.
Lutz and roger are saying i could effectively tow a 1565kg caravan with that car, if 65kg was on the towbar.
So i don't think thats nit picking?

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Julie
Have a look at this site about the Sorento.
http://kiasorento.proboards.com/index.cgi?
I've had mine from new and at 101k miles it still runs well.

 

[seth1]

Not totally hi-jacked just gone of course a tad,but still of interest.But that nose wieght does that come off the load the car can carry.For example if my car can carry 200kg can i only put 140kg in it as the nose wieght is 60kg?But please dont hold me to those figures.

 

[Sproket]

Just as an example:

On my Truck the plate states

GVW 2900kg
( max weight allowed when full of fuel & fully loaded inc driver & passenger's & kitchen sink )

GCW 5400kg
( this is the maximum total weight combination allowed inc trailer or caravan )

AXLE 1 1300kg
( if vosa stop me this is the max weight allowed on my front axle )

AXLE 2 1730kg
( & this is the max weight allowed on the rear axle ) but they both cannot be at the max weight or i will be overloaded

Hymer 530 ( 1600kg MTPLM ) inc 100kg nose weight

So when I go up to the local rollover weigh bridge with the sensor plates that the police & vosa use, my max total combined weight is always around 4250kg, I still have a safety margin of 250kg if needed, but only with this combination.......

The onus is on you to check the plate on your tug, do the sums, & go take it all to a weigh bridge or roll over one to check the weights as per axle, & write it down

But IMO this is the only safe way to check as it is the same way as VOSA will if you are stopped ......

 

[Lutz]

Not totally hi-jacked just gone of course a tad,but still of interest.But that nose wieght does that come off the load the car can carry.For example if my car can carry 200kg can i only put 140kg in it as the nose wieght is 60kg?But please dont hold me to those figures.

Based on the figures that you quote, Seth, that is correct, yes.

 

[coachmanamara1]

have you considered a nissan xtrail or a old fashioned vauxhall frontera ive seen a lot xtrails
towing big caravans we had a 2.2 dti frontera and towed our coachman amara with mtpl of 1450 like it wasnt there havent towed with xtrail yet but it tow 2000kg and for a 4by 4 is reasonable to run solo autotrader is a good place to look as it give technical and running cost on each car

 

[Juliec1]

After a lot of thought and discussion, we think we have settled on a Kia Sorento or a Hyundai Terracan. The only thing we're worried about with the Sorrento is that there has been some discussion on various sites of some trouble with the fuel tank linings. Our friend has a Hyundai Terracan with a twin axle and it tows the caravan as if it wasn't there! But it does look a little old fashioned.
I suppose you pays your money.................!!