With reference to the above, it is more than likely that the OP has gapped it over the horizon to another forum to get an answer instead of endless waffle whether correct or not is confusing to any newbie! LOL!
"confusing" yes i agree but then the 85% rules/advice is confusing and out of date even for a novice.My advice would be if you intend to tow and your car has done over 40000 miles or is over 5 years old,get you suspension springs changed.for me when regarding safety any rule of thumb concerning towing [85% rule] is useless if the car is not brand new,cuzz the biggest factor to what can happen concerning safety is a car at its optimum.Only then can use consider other aspect i.e. 85% rule.I do find it be wilding how advice is offered by the caravan establishment,making a loud point concerning the 85% rules misses something far more important and no just cuzz your car looks right and is not bending on its springs doesnt mean it is alright..
Hello Parksy,
I do not believe we will be able to agree about the safety of the 85% as figure of recommendation. This situation will continue until the validity of the data and methods used to derive the figure remain undisclosed.
What I am about to offer is not retraction of any of my previous statements. But it is means to prevent what could develop into a very protracted correspondence on matters that neither of us has the unimpeachable evidence to support out own perspectives.
I undertake to continue to emphasis that trailer weight should be kept low, and that weight ratio's should be considered as part of an overall package of criteria concerning good caravan towing. This does not undermine any of the long standing club advice.
When any further aspects of the matter become public about the competency of the data, methods and assumptions becomes clear I reserve the right to reopen or respond to the debate.
I will restate that should the current advice be proven to be the best possible after free external validation then I will happily support it fully, but until then I cannot blindly follow advice that has so many elements of uncertainty
I do not believe we will be able to agree about the safety of the 85% as figure of recommendation. This situation will continue until the validity of the data and methods used to derive the figure remain undisclosed.
What I am about to offer is not retraction of any of my previous statements. But it is means to prevent what could develop into a very protracted correspondence on matters that neither of us has the unimpeachable evidence to support out own perspectives.
I undertake to continue to emphasis that trailer weight should be kept low, and that weight ratio's should be considered as part of an overall package of criteria concerning good caravan towing. This does not undermine any of the long standing club advice.
When any further aspects of the matter become public about the competency of the data, methods and assumptions becomes clear I reserve the right to reopen or respond to the debate.
I will restate that should the current advice be proven to be the best possible after free external validation then I will happily support it fully, but until then I cannot blindly follow advice that has so many elements of uncertainty
Parksy
Moderator
That sounds fair enough to me John.
Thanks for an interesting debate, it made a pleasant change from mundane conversation with Herself about the relative merits ( or otherwise) of be-sequinned ex sportsmen and desperate entertainers who are trying to dance on the BBC, for me to have the chance to debate a serious issue with an honourable and worthy opponent, and of course not forgetting your liege-man Mr Lutz who made valuable and measured contributions.
Thanks for an interesting debate, it made a pleasant change from mundane conversation with Herself about the relative merits ( or otherwise) of be-sequinned ex sportsmen and desperate entertainers who are trying to dance on the BBC, for me to have the chance to debate a serious issue with an honourable and worthy opponent, and of course not forgetting your liege-man Mr Lutz who made valuable and measured contributions.
Prof John L said:
.......I for one did that Prof and thanks for the debate!
I shall continue to tow at a 60% towing ratio
Parksy
Moderator
Apologies to Lutz and Roger L and anyone else who may have who submitted recent posts to this thread.
Unfortunately a spam post ( unauthorised advertising) had managed to evade our anti-spam software to appear on our message boards and after I banned the company representative who thinks it's ok to try to sell stuff on our forum I took action to add the details to our database for it's future enlightenment.
This automatically deletes the offending article but unfortunately it also deletes subsequent posts too.
Unfortunately a spam post ( unauthorised advertising) had managed to evade our anti-spam software to appear on our message boards and after I banned the company representative who thinks it's ok to try to sell stuff on our forum I took action to add the details to our database for it's future enlightenment.
This automatically deletes the offending article but unfortunately it also deletes subsequent posts too.
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