noiseboymart
Active Member
usefull info here.
http://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car
http://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car
Just what the stats say. And too long as well.
GrumpyGel
Well-Known Member
Worth doing the calculations in case your stopped or get into trouble. In my (uneducated) experience the Freelander 'could' tow much more than it 'should' with relative ease. I hired, what turned out to be, a 1 ton rated trailer to shift a load of slabs once that turned out to weigh probably double that. My L Series Freelander towed it quite easily.... until the wheel popped off the trailer.
I still don't know all there is to know about towing, but I know a lot more now - and the guy at the hire shop knows to ask me what I'm going to be pulling
I still don't know all there is to know about towing, but I know a lot more now - and the guy at the hire shop knows to ask me what I'm going to be pulling
ZDomZ
New Member
Yup. Looking into it further the shogun is also too light to tow a 7.15m caravan.
You need a vehicle with a gvw of over 3500kg to tow a trailer of over 7m. (Body length) not including the drawbar and hitch.
You need a big van (transit 4t or iveco daily 4t or such like.)
Oh and then you will need to have a C1+E licence (which you will have if you passed your car test before Jan 1997)
You need a vehicle with a gvw of over 3500kg to tow a trailer of over 7m. (Body length) not including the drawbar and hitch.
You need a big van (transit 4t or iveco daily 4t or such like.)
Oh and then you will need to have a C1+E licence (which you will have if you passed your car test before Jan 1997)
Useful but confusing... says that loaded weight of the trailer and car combined must not exceed the MAM, but is not specific as to whether this is the actual loaded weight (1 passenger or 5?) or the maximum weight?
I would say an overloaded car by 100Kg towing an a trailer overloaded by 250Kg is much safer on the roads when driven by an experienced driver than a legally loaded set-up being driven by a first time caravanner.... just my opinion!
ZDomZ
New Member
MAM is the maximum authorised mass... Ie the maximum the vehicle can weigh fully loaded with passengers and luggage.
Also worth bearing in mind that a fully loaded freelander cannot tow a trailer at its maximum weight due to the gross train weight being less than the Maximum authorised mass plus the trailer weight!
Are you confudled yet?
Also worth bearing in mind that a fully loaded freelander cannot tow a trailer at its maximum weight due to the gross train weight being less than the Maximum authorised mass plus the trailer weight!
Are you confudled yet?
I would just like to correct myself here because what I said was wrong - having since done some reading and consulted local traffic plod - the actual gross trailer weight is used. i.e. if you have a 3.5T stamped trailer with 1t unladen weight you could put 900kg load on it and tow legally with a Freelander (1.9t against a 2t limit) providing maximum train weight and axle weights are not exceeded.
I have read on forums and in the press where VOSA have prosecuted some drivers based on gross weight stamped on the trailer but this was either mis-reported or VOSA were acting in error.
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
VOSA are very clear the MAM is used not the actual weight.
I'd be very interested in any evidence to the contrary
Can you clarify what you mean - MAM (maximum authorised mass) I take to mean the total weight of vehicle + load + trailer + load and should never be exceeded.
Did you mean maximum gross weight of the trailer?
From VOSA's gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...6/A_guide_for_horsebox_and_trailer_owners.pdf
On page 18:
"It is perfectly acceptable for a goods vehicle to
be used with a maximum plated train weight of
less than the combined plated gross weights
of the vehicle and trailer, as long as the trailer
isn’t actually loaded to the extent that its
actual weight would exceed the maximum
threshold of the towing vehicle’s maximum
plated train weight.
For example, a towing vehicle with a plated
gross weight of 3 tonnes and a plated train
weight of 5 tonnes, could feasibly tow a
trailer with a maximum gross weight of 3.5
tonnes. However, if both the vehicle and
trailer in the combination were loaded to their
respective maximum gross weights, then the
combination’s maximum train weight would be
exceeded by 1.5 tonnes. It’s the actual weight
of the vehicle and load which is important in
determining a vehicle’s compliance with
legal weight thresholds, not the potential
carrying capacity."
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
MAM/GVW is the same thing
According to Vosa the total MAM is vehicle weight + max load + trailer weight + trailer max load.
It makes no difference if neither the vehicle or trailer are loaded, the fact that they could be is all it takes.
If a Freelander has a stated max towing limit of 2000kg then it is illegal to hitch up a trailer that has a trailer weight +theoretical max load of more than 2000kg whether it is loaded or not
Unless, as I said, you have official evidence otherwise because Vosa is very clear (in a confusing kinda way) about it
See my second post with reference to VOSA website.
PS - I'm not trying to knock anyone I would just like clarity on this for my own interests. I agree the messages are very confusing...
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
I stand corrected
that's good news I know where I've got confused on refection. It's the post 97 licence towing restrictions that apply theoretical MAM and not actual mass
That means I can stick a huuuuge trailer behind my ambulance so long as it's total weight isn't more than 2 tons (old money)
My 2 1/4 petrols gonna love that
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
That is probably best described as a "well accepted rule of thumb" used by the caravanning community where they are not only towing large, heavy objects but they are much more vulnerable to aerodynamics and wind forces. It's not law.
teddywood1
Well-Known Member
there is another argument in this towing malarkey how old are you ? did you pass a trailer test ,if you are an old one like me then you do not have to pass a towing test but if you are a young'un then you do ,I can not recall what age and when it came in but it did so any doubt then look it up I can not be bovered upps sorry bothered
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
According to a few posts above, it was around 1997.
