Towing limits

[Brum1]

I am missing out on have a car to use when out in Motorhome. I have towed a small car with an A frame until recently and plan to maybe use a trailer in the future, especially in countries where an A frame. Is not accepted (Germany and Spain).
My query concerns the towing limits for Motorhomes.
My Motorhome,for example, has a gross mass of 5 Tonnes with a gross train mass of 6 Tonnes. Therefore, it can only pull a trailer of 1Tonne. To add to the equasion, it has a towing limit of 1.5 Tonnes. This figure can only be applied at a cost of losing 500kg of payload...

Are these figures fairly consistent with other Motorhomes? If so, It would seem that most are going over legal weights when towing a car with a trailer.

 

[TonyJones]

The whole "weights and payloads" thing is a nightmare Alan.
You're quite right, the "Gross Train Mass" (or weight) is that the total permitted weight of the van and trailer. So if using the full "towing" weight puts you over that you have to reduce your VAN'S weight to compensate - IOW, you lose some payload.
In the same way, your van's "plate" probably shows axle weights which add up to more than the GVW, meaning you can't actually load every axle to its limit, otherwise you'd exceed the total permitted load.
NONE of the figures on your van's plate must be exceeded - axles, vehicle, towed or train - which means lots of people who want to go full-time, or half-time, or take a car, may well need C1 (3500+) licences, which I'm afraid will get harder to get/keep in the years ahead.
I don't like it either, but that's the law.

 

[rayjsj]

I tow our car on an A-Frame, Autotrail Savannah 7.6 metres long, tow limit 1060 kg.
So, with our car weighing in at 1040kgs we have no spare for a Trailer of any description.
Luckily we don't tow abroad. We would find it very difficult to tour now without the car on tow, as more and more Councils are putting up height barriers, or adding exclusions to their terms of parking to exclude motorhomes, can anyone explain why ? As most of them seem to be seaside resorts that could surely use the trade ?

 

[TonyJones]

We're all puzzled by the negative attitude of many UK councils Ray - especially when compared with the openness we find in the rest of Europe.
Part of the problem is the excessive influence of campsite and B&B owners on councils - but in stopping us parking even in the daytime, these towns are cutting off their noses to spite their faces!
Graham "gjh" Hadfield (you may remember him from his days on the "Dark Side") is a regular on here, and he still maintains his motorhomeparking website, although in a different form these days - that's probably worth a look when planning your trips.

 

[gjh]

It isn't true to say that "more and more Councils are putting up height barriers, or adding exclusions to their terms of parking to exclude motorhomes" Ray. Indeed, whilst there are some changes from time to time which move provision, in general the opposite is true. Where provision is moved there is a valid reason (even if some of us don't like it).

I contacted all UK councils again, about their provision, some 18 months ago. Not only do the majority of councils now have some form of motorhome parking all the time, some offer specific help if contacted and some have increased provision in the last couple of years. In addition, the majority of councils publish information on their web sites which helps us know where/where not to park.

Graham

 

[rayjsj]

Graham,
Can only speak for our own experiences, we have solved the problem by leaving the van on a site, or a CL. And using the car. Must admit we have never contacted a council when looking for a place to park, we used to drive to where we wanted to be, then looked for a space. My wife being disabled complicated matters as sometimes the only available parking for a Motorhome involved a long walk to where we wanted to be.
Perhaps we should have 'invoked' my wife's Blue Badge and parked on a Double Yellow line (which she is entitled to do), but she would never allow me to do it, as it would 'draw attention' to her disability and cause a fuss.
I would have 'caused a fuss' to focus their minds a bit. Ray

 

[gjh]

It's obviously variable, Ray, and I was thinking of off-street parking when I posted. There are few, if any, places where on-street parking for motorhomes is impossible (where there are restrictions they normally apply to all vehicles).
If I were in your position I would certainly contact councils to ask for assistance. Most are happy to help where someone has a real need rather than just a want. I've known a number of people for whom special arrangements have been made event attendance (e.g. a graduation ceremony) not just to assist someone who has a need as a result of disability.
Graham.