Towing capacity

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dag019

dag019

Well-Known Member
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Warwick
I know this is a potential minefield and has been debated many times before and there does not seem to be an official figure, but I am trying to work out if this will be feasible and legal for a one off journey.

First off I have a class 1 licence so all of the inevitable arguments that have occurred on previous threads about whether I am licensed to tow can be put to one side.

I have a twin axle car trailer which weight in at about 650kg, which is usually towed by my 110. The 110 currently has no gearbox fitted due to losing 5th gear (see other thread). My other vehicle is a SWB soft top series 3 with a 2.25 diesel fitted. I have towed the trailer empty with the series before an other than being slightly slower it handled it no problem.

Looking at other threads the consensus for towing capacity on a series vehicle seems to be it is legal to tow 3.5 tons, despite the vin plat recommending 2t.

I am going to look at a Fordson super major on Monday. My normal plan for this sort of thing is to arrive with the cash and the trailer to aid with the negotiations as if we come to a deal I can pay and take it away at that point. However a quick google puts a super major at 2400kg, which would be a combined wight of 3.2t. Behind the 110 I would have no issue with this, but could I feasibly tow this behind the series on a one off journey of 65 miles from near Grantham back to Warwick.

All opinions and suggestions welcome.
 
Here's a page from a 1969 2a LandRover Information manual that seems to show you're a LONG way off being sensible.
I'd also not attempt it - I know my 2a (Petrol) would wheeze a bit loaded with 2 horses in a trailer. And the brakes - well that was another 'exciting' part of the journey.
Fordson Super Major's are massive (Even more with a front bucket on)
Take the cash - but leave the trailer. That's my advice.
 
HERE's the page......:oops:
IMG-1312.JPG
 
Feasibly? Yes.
Sensibly? No.
Sounds like a perfect tail wagging the dog scenario.
Still.... seen worse on a Sunday evening (when everyone assumes VOSA ain't working!)
:)
 
A few thoughts, given that the legality could be debatable:
The Cof G would be high and you would be very vulnerable to any tyre problems or low tyre pressure on the trailer.
The overrun brakes would have to be set up right, otherwise the trailer will shove you down the road until the brakes bite.
You would want a lot of load in the back to keep the rear axle on the ground at all times, it will want to slide before the overrun brakes come on and then after too.
I've done a tow like this in a car, the only way to do it "safely" was at under 30 mph the whole way and in a cold sweat most of the time. At one point i had to do a hill start, the only way was to reverse onto chocks to engage the trailer brakes, then pull those out, jump in and hope..
Probably not worth it.
 
The consensus seems to be that it would be possible and a series can tow that kind of weight as evidence by photos like these:
cdee60b7998f680e6a543a645fd68e5c.jpg


But, a big but, the legality is questionable, and for that sort of distance it would not be a a nice drive.

On a side note, why will it be such an issue is a series just too small and light? I have towed the fully loaded 3.5t trailers behind 90's before and they are just as small and also lighter than the trailer. Is it just because a series is lighter still and has less power and worse brakes?


beanwood said:
BTW when I bought a Super Major - I had it brought home on a low loader - very easy and not terribly expensive!
Click to expand...
We possibly have different opinions on what not terribly expensive is. If it is going to be more than about £50 it is far too much money to pay for transport when I already have a trailer. I have other friends with defenders so could borrow theirs or rope them in to tow it for me if I cannot get mine back on the road quickly.
 
I think most people including myself think it could be done, it may or may not be leagal, but its probably not wise. I think the difficulty would be if someting goes wrong and you will be faced with explaining why you thought it was a good idea while standing next to some quite compelling evidence to the contrary. Against you will be questions about the age of the towing vehicle, its brakes (is it MOT exempt, I have fear that could be pulled out and used), what options you had (unfortunatly several) and how much expreince (probably enough to know better, we've all been there...). Sometimes the cheapest way is to hire hire a van for the weekend with a decent towing capacity. That's what we used to do at our local rowing club when we were going to a regatta.
 
A 2.25D i doubt would be able to pull it, hasn't got the powah!!

Not to mention the brakes!!!!!!

Also it'll be like a manic fish behind a light Series.. :eek:

I wouldn't..
 
The figures I posted above, whilst from a 2a (Maybe 7 years older than yours?) show a tow limit for a diesel of 1497Kg. (I presume as it's in official LandRover information it's true.) You're talking about DOUBLE that.

What does the VIN plate actually show for the MGTW ? If it's anything less than 3200kg, then why are you even asking - you know the answer ;)

Regardless, IF the VIN allowed it, if it was 5 miles on quiet, flat roads then maybe I'd be tempted - but that distance I really wouldn't. As per @rob1miles - many of us have started those towing jobs that we can't wait to be over. This would definitely be one of those!

dag019 said:
We possibly have different opinions on what not terribly expensive is. If it is going to be more than about £50 it is far too much money to pay for transport when I already have a trailer. I have other friends with defenders so could borrow theirs or rope them in to tow it for me if I cannot get mine back on the road quickly.
Click to expand...

Perhaps we do have different views on expensive, but I'd go for any of those options, rather than using the S3, Or just tell the seller he's got to deliver it ?:D
 
Many folk think you need up rated brakes for towing,this is not so. The towing vehicle brakes just need to be up to the mark in good order. The important thing is that the trailer brakes are in good order and the trailer is rated for the weight it is expected to carry. The overrun brakes on a well set up trailer will come on only a small moment after the vehicle brakes start to bite.
 
I’m not sure the picture with the bus has any relevance at all. VW used a Touareg to move a Jumbo jet, but you’d hardly use that as an example of its legal towing ability.

Anyhow. Check out page 26 in the attached. It has all the towing weights from LR.
 

Attachments

  • Page 26 for tow weights - Land_Rover_Series_III_Part_1.pdf
    2.6 MB · Views: 224
Of course the picture is relevent; its got a Series in it!:) That aside the "health warning" is interesting - "not authorise outside the legislation.." and its also interesting that the towing weight table is the same for SWB and LWB (if I'm reading it right) but the rear axle weights are signficantly heavier for the LWB which I would have thought would impact on towing weight (through tow hitch load and traction).
 
300bhp/ton said:
I’m not sure the picture with the bus has any relevance at all. VW used a Touareg to move a Jumbo jet, but you’d hardly use that as an example of its legal towing ability.

Anyhow. Check out page 26 in the attached. It has all the towing weights from LR.
Click to expand...

My question had several parts to it. The first part was regarding capability, for which the the picture is relevant as it shows the vehicle is capable of pulling the required weight. Then there was the legality aspect, followed by the sensible aspect. Even if it is capable and legal it still does not necessarily mean it is good idea!
 
kermit_rr said:
Towing up hill is one thing, going down the other side is a different beast altogether! Even with overrun braking
Click to expand...

It isn't a problem if you are going slow enough at the top of the hill and in the right gear.

The problems happen when people pitch over the top, and end up trying to scrub off a lot of speed half way down, that can lead to trailer swing, brake overheating, all kinds of nasties.
 
I once towed home a two ton [empty ] farm trailor [ no brakes on trailor ] some 40 miles with my 2a diesel. Man was that a slow trip. Any hill of note it was lowbox 1st up and 2nd down with traffic streaching into the distance. I was young and foolish. What a series can do and what you should do are-----------
 
That's a very relevant article and a lesson for all of us. No insurence on the Rolls, 2 1/2 tons high up and on its own suspension behind a Rav 4 all the way to Spain. Only got a few miles. Crazy thing is the Rolls must have ben drivable to go to the rally so it could have towed the Rav4 safely. Perhaps the answer to this whole question is "load the SWB on the trailer and tow it with the tractor.." . This sad story is probably a £5000 to £10000 loss once you account the travel and accomodation plus the direct losses and to insure and drive the Rolls would have cost a few £100. A perfect example of a "false economy". I've towed old Jaguars on car trailers, they are heavy and have soft suspension so they behave like a dymanic load (like animals too) and the CoG shifts from side to side over bumps and sets the trailer off. Once it starts you pretty much have to stop then set off again. That Rolls would be even worse to tow. I don't think I would do it now.
 
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