TRAILER WEIGHT

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi guys,
after a few weeks of looking I finally got another tug went with the meriva 1.7cdti, because the van is so light there is no need for large tug and the meriva is plenty big enough to do the job however:- now the question ?? exactly what size trailer will the meriva tow?
cannot find the answer through usual channels neither the handbook or manual mention it and neither does the V5 that came this morning, supprising because I understood that from 2002 the trailer maximus braked /unbraked were supposed to be printed on the log book under section O ??,
I have done the calculation = gross train weight minus max vehicle weight ie; 3160kg -1935kg = 1225kg so the baileys 1055kg is only about 65% BUT it would be handy to know the max trailer weight should we ever change vans,

anyone knoww????

colin

 

[Lutz]

Licence restrictions aside, if it's not specifically shown on the V5c certificate, you have done your calculations more or less correctly what the maximum weight is that you may tow.
The maximum towload is the gross train weight minus gross vehicle weight of the towcar. However, the towload is not the weight of the trailer but its axle load. The maximum trailer weight is the maximum towload plus the noseweight. In your particular case, the Meriva could tow a caravan with an MTPLM of 1225 + 75 = 1300kg.
In a few cases, the car manufacturer specifies a maximum towload that is more than gross train weight minus gross vehicle weight. This would enable one to tow a heavier trailer if the car is not fully laden so long as the gross train weight is not exceeded. However, this does not apply to the Meriva.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi,Lutz,
thanks for that it is more or less the same lines as my own thinking, having towed the last 3years @almost 100% it will be nice to have a bit of spare capacity, with the kerbweight being 1412kg it is quite a little chunky car and the high roof line should be a bit more van friendly in th areodynamic dept,
the nose weight is only 50kg so I suppose the max trailer load would be 1275kg still not bad considering it's basically a corsa on steriods

 

[Lutz]

What model year is your Meriva? I have a copy of the official homologation releases for the Meriva and it quotes a maximum towload of 1300kg and not the 1225kg that you mention. I am therefore a bit puzzled.
You are correct, however, regarding the noseweight being 50kg, unless the plate on the towbar shows the type approval number e1-00 1320 and a D-value of 8.25kN, in which case the noseweight is 55kg.

 

[Surfer]

The new Meriva 1.7CDi can only tow a maximum of 1200kg braked towing weight. See http://www.parkers.co.uk/advice/towingWeightCalcResult.aspx?model=1010&tw=801&Braked=True&Unbraked=

 

[Lutz]

The data shown on the website that you have provided a link to is for the old Meriva, not the current one, and only for those built prior to chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119. Those built thereafter had a 1300kg max. towload.
The current Meriva 1.7CDTi has a 1200kg max towload except for the 109hp version which is only approved to tow 1100kg max.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi guys,
thanks for the link and all the info, the car is a 54plate 2004 meriva enjoy 1.7cdti,
just what I needed to know
thanks again
colin

 

[Lutz]

I had a Meriva 1.7CDTi with a factory fitted towbar for a year as a lease car from June 2007 until June 2008 and I know for sure that it had a 1300kg limit. It had to be because I was towing a 1300kg caravan.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Lutz
it's nice to know the car has a fair bit of spare capacity wether the tow limit is 1200 or 1300kg suppose I could go down to the vaxhall dealers where I bought it to get a official figure, it is booked into the towbar fitters for wednesday for a witter detachable swan neck fitting, depending on the type approval it could either be 50 or 55kg noseweight, either will be fine as the van was allways set @ 50kg for the megane anyway.
as a matter of interest how did your meriva tow the 1300kg van and how big was it?? what was it like on hill starts and how did the wind effect it?. and how did the fuel economy go with the van on the back.
thanks colin

 

[Surfer]

The data shown on the website that you have provided a link to is for the old Meriva, not the current one, and only for those built prior to chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119. Those built thereafter had a 1300kg max. towload.
The current Meriva 1.7CDTi has a 1200kg max towload except for the 109hp version which is only approved to tow 1100kg max.

The link I provided covered the Meriva up to 2001. You seem to be contradicting yourself as you state those built after chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119 had a max tow laod of 1300kg and then go onto to state the current 1.7CDTi has a 1200kg max towload? According to the UK Vauxhall website and the data I provided the Meriva 1.7 CDTi has always had a max towload of 1200kgs.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi guys.
after reading Surfers post I have just popped down to the dealers armed with the V5c to ask,
the guy I spoke to seemed quite knowlegeable, he said quote" the OPEL recommended tow load for my car is 1200kg however this can be increased legaly as the figure quoted is just a recommendation, the absolute total weight of the outfit must not exeed the gross train weight of 3160kg furthermore if a trailer is attached the max rear axel load can be increased by 25kg providing the gross vehicle weight is not over 1935kg".
now armed with this and doing a calculation 3160kg - 1935kg = 1225kg of tow load +50 kg for nose weight =1275kg I dont know where the 25kg extra rear axel load comes in but it seemes to me proving the vehicle is not loaded to it max weight Lutz's 1300kg trailer weight seems practicle, certaily not woth arguing over.
I am more than happy with this either way as the most of the vans that I could get into the garage would weigh less than 1200kg and be no bigger than 6mtrs shipped length.
colin

 

[Lutz]

The link I provided covered the Meriva up to 2001. You seem to be contradicting yourself as you state those built after chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119 had a max tow laod of 1300kg and then go onto to state the current 1.7CDTi has a 1200kg max towload? According to the UK Vauxhall website and the data I provided the Meriva 1.7 CDTi has always had a max towload of 1200kgs.

That must be a typo error on your part and you meant 2010, not 2001 (the Meriva wasn't even built in 2001). But if the data is valid up to 2010 it does refer to the old Meriva as the current one came out in 2010.
There were also differences in towload between the old Meriva 1.7CDTi built with the 100hp or 120hp engine, between factory-fitted towbars and dealer installed ones, between cars fitted with air conditioning and those without, and between 5 speed and 6 speed gearboxes. The lowest limit (1000kg) was for cars with the 100hp 1.7CDTi, 6 speed box, air conditioning, dealer-fitted towbar and built prior to chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119.

as a matter of interest how did your meriva tow the 1300kg van and how big was it?? what was it like on hill starts and how did the wind effect it?. and how did the fuel economy go with the van on the back.

The 'van was relatively big and the Meriva was only the 100hp version not the 120hp, so one couldn't expect staggering performance, but it was adequate provided one was willing to make liberal use of the gears. It would keep up with the flow of traffic. I can't say anything about fuel consumption because I never took note. My estimate was that the fuel consumption when towing went up about 50% because the engine was working relatively hard. For me the Meriva was actually only a stopgap until I got a Signum.

 

[Lutz]

The only 1200kg towload limit valid for the old Meriva 1.7CDTi that I can find out of the homologation details is for 100hp 5 speed cars built prior to the chassis number breakpoint mentioned above, without air conditioning or with air conditioning if the towbar was factory-fitted. All other versions had either a higher or a lower limit.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

The data shown on the website that you have provided a link to is for the old Meriva, not the current one, and only for those built prior to chassis number W0L0XCE7594000119. Those built thereafter had a 1300kg max. towload.
The current Meriva 1.7CDTi has a 1200kg max towload except for the 109hp version which is only approved to tow 1100kg max.

hi Lutz,
thanks for all your input mate, just out of interest the car is the 100bhp 5speed version with air con, chasis no WOLOXCE 75444-------so is before the model you speak of. I will stick to a 1200kg limit should it be nessasary but for now the 1058kg of the bailey is well under weight so sorted as soon as the bar is fitted on wed I will be giving it a try.
colin

 

[Lutz]

hi Lutz,
thanks for all your input mate, just out of interest the car is the 100bhp 5speed version with air con, chasis no WOLOXCE 75444-------so is before the model you speak of. I will stick to a 1200kg limit should it be nessasary but for now the 1058kg of the bailey is well under weight so sorted as soon as the bar is fitted on wed I will be giving it a try.
colin

Yes, it is before the chassis number breakpoint quoted.
W0L = Opel/Vauxhall
0 = Regular production vehicle
X = Small car
C = Corsa/Meriva
E = Type
75 = MPV
4 = Model year (2004)
4 = Plant (in this case, Zaragoza)
The remaining 6 digits are sequential chassis numbers