What car/4 x 4/ MPV do you tow your TWIN AXEL with

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

What do you use to tow your twin axel?.
what twin axel do you have?.

whats the MTPLM of the van?
whats the kerb weight of the car?.
do you go on the maximum tow weight of the car or do you use the guide of the 85%. I know its not a rule but just a guide.
what % do you tow at?.
whats your payload.

thanks all before hand much appriciated

 

[Dustydog]

Seven questions in one post Jo-Anne. Must be a record!
Are you sure you are not a secret investigative journalist for PC Mag? LOL!

 

[mikecandsarahb]

ok ill try ancwer, i have a 1989 compass rallye, 1066kg ex works weight and 1500kg max, weve towed it with a saab 9000t 1500kg max tow, pug 406 td 1500kg tow, and a 2.5td jeep cherokee 2500kg max tow, it was at max weight for the two cars but still had a ton to spare with jeep, just got a shogun 3L but have not pulled the van with it yet, that weight is 2560 kerb, with 3500kg max tow.
mike

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

so what % do you tow at?.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

i wish at least then i would get paid for it lol.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

i want to know this info because we see so many cars etc towing twin axels and we look and think that looks fine but what % are they towing at. some are mpv's, estates, older cars, small 4 x 4's etc etc.

do people use the guide of the cc 85% or do they go on the max tow weight. if they do do they feel its safe and stable.

 

[mikecandsarahb]

all the cars ive towed my twin with have been at 100%, theve been stable but im not a racey driver,
i found my jeep more unstable than the cars. yet to try shogun,
mike

 

[DarrylFlynn]

I tow my Eldiss Scirroco twin Axle with a Renault Clio 1.5dci. So far it has been exemplary although on occasions the brakes do smell a bit hot! Pouring cold water over the wheels seems to relieve this.

Darryl

 

[Lutz]

Joking apart, Darryl, but I don't understand this mysterious proccupation with twin axles that makes them any different. I tow an 1800kg single axle at about 90%, but it could just as well have been a twin if the manufacturer had decided to donate a second axle.

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

What do you use to tow your twin axel?.
what twin axel do you have?.

whats the MTPLM of the van?
whats the kerb weight of the car?.
do you go on the maximum tow weight of the car or do you use the guide of the 85%. I know its not a rule but just a guide.
what % do you tow at?.
whats your payload.

thanks all before hand much appriciated

Hi Jo-Anne Wyoming,I use a 1997 Volvo T5 CD Auto.The van is a 2001 Elddis Crusader SuperSirocco.The MTPLM is 1750kgs(but only used to a smidgen under 1600kgs).The Kerbweight of the car as EU Directive 95/48/EC (in a nutshell,Ex Factory with all essential fluids,a 90% full fuel tank,a 68kgs driver & 7kgs of luggage)and confirmed on a VOSA Dynamic Axle Weighbridge is 1652kgs(the figures on the Holy Grail Site are Cobblers).I tow up-to the Volvo Max Tow of 1600kgs,that equates to 97%.The payload varies between 120kgs and 140kgs:-all carefully accounted for.The car is then used to take up the excess and not forgetting that the 75kgs noseweight of the caravan is part of the car payload, also the max' towball weight of the car as dictated by Volvo(which is also the max' of the Towbar by its' manufacturer(Dixon Bate).
The 85% is a perfectly understandable recommendation for beginner caravanner's.I have been towing large trailers & caravans for 46yrs ongoing, year on year.
One of the easiest ways of enjoying your caravanning is to be set-up fit for purpose,and don't be pushed on or intimidated by others.They can often be the ones that are out to prove a point,they have the most to loose;possibly even their outfit and more!.

 

[Garfield]

Lunar Lexon 640 FB 1266/1600kg towed with S-max 2.0tdci ~1750kg 91% if I ever went near max weight, best mpg 53 solo day tripping around Norfolk, 42 average living in a hilly area, 27mpg at 65-70mph towing, 30mpg sitting in with the trucks.
Other than rusing home before dark (our entrance is unlit and VERY awkward) I tend to sit with the trucks or 60ish, you know when your'e going too fast as the slight pitching that can be felt at 55-60mph disappears at 65 and the outfit becomes very smooth, almost like breaking the sound barrier!. Replacing the completely shot friction pads in the stabiliser this year (we had towed for 2 years with effectively no stabiliser) made no difference to stability.
Exceptionally stable outfit, virtually impervious to X winds and hgv's (though the 100 bottles of wine coming back from France would have helped keep it down!).
Though traction has been an issue with just 2wd, the suspension of an MPV is far better suited to towing stability than an offroader.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

thanks for your replies. i cant belive theres only a handfull of people that have twin axels on here lol

 

[Cockovan]

Hi, I tow a Compass Rallye weighing 1600Kg empty, payload 275Kg, Max weight 1875Kg with a Toyota Landcruiser weighing 2225Kg giving an 85% ratio. When fully loaded for a main holiday we weigh up to 4500Kg returning 22mpg (31 solo). The outfit is stable up to 80mph (abroad - now illegal). I choose my vehicle on a variety of factors but for the last 31 years have owned Toyotas and the most logical vehicle from their range is the Landcruiser.

 

[John_374564913]

I have a bailey twin axle below are the specs for car and caravan

Mercedes-Benz C Mk IV - 220 CDI aut. (125 kW/168 bhp)
Date of manufacture: march 2007 - up to now
97%
1531 kg 1585 kg
The match between car and caravan is plausible in accordance
with a mix of European standards. However, according to the
British Towing Code the percentage (loaded caravan / kerbweight
tow car) is 97%.
The towing performances of this Mercedes-Benz with your Bailey
are perfect (performance index = 109 km/h or 68 mph).
You may expect excellent performances from this outfit. On flat
roads it's easy to come along, in which case top gear is applicable
in most cases.
On motorway inclines you will be able not only to come along, but
be the first at the top. On steep roads you have sufficient power to
keep going. On hill starts there will be more than enough power to
get going, provided the wheels have traction.

Car make and model Mercedes-Benz C Mk IV - 220 CDI aut.
Year of issue march 2007 - up to now
Power 168 bhp (125 kW) at 3800 rpm
Torque 295 lb/ft (400 Nm) at (or from) 2000 rpm
Kerbweight 1585 kg and 'ballasted' with 250 kg
Tyres 205 / 55 R 16
Transmission Automatic with torque converter (5 speed)
Caravan Bailey Ranger GT60 620/6
Actual laden caravan weight 1531 kg (car towing limit is 1800 kg)
The airflow is: average (height = 2.59 m and width = 2.19 m)
Gross Train weight (car+caravan) 3366 kg

 

[Mikey_74]

Hi sorry for the delay in answering this as we've been away, I'll answer as follows
I tow our caravan with an 05plate Hyundai Santa fe 2.0 diesel which I purchased for the caravan.
We have a 2004 Avondale Argente 650-6,twin axle, we love this van the layout is fantastic and ticks our boxes
Our vans MTPLW is 1600kgs
My cars kerb weight is I think 1830 but I've had it weighed and it's closer to 1900kgs with less than quater of a tank of Diesel, no driver.
I think my cars maximum tow weight is 2300kgs or is it 2200kgs??? You've got me thinking now.....I do try to stay close to the 85% rule but I personally think this guide is somewhat out dated.
I tow at approx 89% and have to say this outfit has never given me any reason for concern, I love the stablity twin axles offer.
Payload is 250kgs...This is something I really should measure, although I do travel with the awning in the boot and try to keep heavy items in the boot, I know you haven't asked this but 1 thing I love about our van is having the gas bottles in there own locker mounted directly over the axle, yes it means we only have a smalller front locker but on the whole it makes keeping the nose weight to cars limit easier....
I'll re re read your original post but I don't recalll seeing it but may I ask why you ask these questions?
Mike

 

[TheTravellingRooster]

Hi Jo-Anne,I think you will find that there are more Twin Axle users than you suspect or think that you have detected up to now.Might I suggest another route that could well produce a larger response and therefore a better % by having a wider audience for potential responses.Try setting up a CaravanTalk ID and often this 'two bites at the cherry' appetite can be quite enlightening.

 

[littlebasher]

I pull my Lunar Quasar 615 twin with a Kia Sportage

MTPLM is 1450kg, with the car being rated at 1600kgs

With the car loaded, the match is around 85%

 

[Delt1c]

Lunar delta 640 Ew 1700kg towed with a Jeep grand cherokee 3.0 V6 2300kg, ratio around 74%.

 

[jmg12]

I tow my 2008 swift conqueror with a brand new range rover TDV8 autobiography, I'v already placed an order for the new swift conqueror 645 Its just such a perfect layout

 

[PlumbersWife]

Hi Jo-Anne
We have a Hyundia Terrican 2.9 2007 which we tow an Olympus 624 only had caravan 3 months
previous to that we had a Lunar Freelander EW which we also had a Hyundia Terrican 2005
Before that a Swift Challenger 630 cars varied Ford Cortina / Ford Granada / Range Rover x 2/
Vauxhall Senator / Vauxhall Omega / Four Track/(that was rubbish) too narrow to see caravan
that was kept only a few weeks /Then the Hyundia 's great tow cars and I love driving it solo.
Sorry don't know all the tec. stuff - plumber does all that -
carol

 

[Martin24]

Too many questions for my brain to cope with but I tow a 2010 amara 640/6 with a 55reg Ssangyong Rexton, It's within the 85% and no problems with the outfit at all. For a variety of reasons when I change next I'm having a 110 defender, slightly lighter than the rexton but still within the 85%. I was brought up to caravanning from 6 months old and the two things that I have always kept to since having my own outfit is proper loading and 85%. I totally disregard anyone who says over 85% is fine and would never consider compromise on this issue or how I load the van.

 

[Lutz]

Fair enough, Martin, but so long you haven't experienced for yourself how an outfit that is over 85%, but otherwise properly set up, handles, it is rather unfair to condemn it outright. Reading your post does make it sound that anything over 85% is a recipe for certain disaster. In over 20 years of caravanning I have never towed under 90% and often close to 100% and have never felt uncomfortable with the outfits that I have had. Not that the 85% recommendation is a load of nonsense, but with experience and driving with due care and attention for the conditions, there is room for judgment.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

thanks everyone for your replies

jo x

 

[joeby]

I have a Lunar Lexon 640 T/A 1600kg fully loaded i normally tow with my wifes Nissan Terrano about 1850 kg K/W , but sometimes we use the Ford Mondeo 130 TDCI estate towing at about 95% with some stuff from the van loaded in the boot to attain this figure , and both outfits are just as stable in fact you cant tell the difference ,