How steep is too steep?
just wondering whats the steepest gradient you would tow up...........
we have a journey to make where part of the route involves a 16% gradient
we have a well matched outfit, the car can tow more than our current caravan.
Comments
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The very reason you can't beat having the biggest engine and heaviest tug possible with 4wd as well. Then there's no need to worry.
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Another take on this, Bebo, could be to ask how steep a gradient can your outfit pull away from a standing start without cooking the clutch? Only you know the answer to that.
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. . . but usually only after it has happened.
16% is only 1 in 6 according to my online converter, and the Ordnance Survey mark hills of 1 in 4 as being steep.
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1:6/7 isn't that severe. Anyone with a vehicle on the limit might struggle, but just throw some of the unwanted ballast out! Or stick to flat areas. More care probably needed downhill.
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The very reason you can't beat having the biggest engine and heaviest tug possible with 4wd as well. Then there's no need to worry.
Unless it's Sutton Bank where you can tow any trailer you like up/down it unless it's called a caravan.
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Sutton Bank is 1:4. It is the hairpin that causes most issues, that and prats dawdling along sight seeing Instead of giving it some welly boot at the correct moment!
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That's Winnats Pass, another steep one! We have had our van up there, but as you say, you need a decent big engine. No where ro go if things go wrong except onto grass as well!
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There are those that in days past have taken their caravan up Sutton Bank, by mistake I hasten to add!
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That's Winnats Pass, another steep one! We have had our van up there, but as you say, you need a decent big engine. No where ro go if things go wrong except onto grass as well!
That's the one.
If you can get 7.5 tonners up/down there, I'm sure I can manage my caravan.Go wrong? Like what?
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just wondering whats the steepest gradient you would tow up...........
we have a journey to make where part of the route involves a 16% gradient
we have a well matched outfit, the car can tow more than our current caravan.
Where is this 16% hill Bebo?
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That's Winnats Pass, another steep one! We have had our van up there, but as you say, you need a decent big engine. No where ro go if things go wrong except onto grass as well!
That's the one.
If you can get 7.5 tonners up/down there, I'm sure I can manage my caravan.Go wrong? Like what?
Going down, snow, ice, wandering land maggots (sheep!) We walk out there quite a bit in Winter, and you sometimes see cars in trouble, road is quite narrow.
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That's Winnats Pass, another steep one! ..... Going down, snow, ice, wandering land maggots (sheep!) We walk out there quite a bit in Winter, and you sometimes see cars in trouble, road is quite narrow.
Even I, would likely find another way round if there was likely to be snow still on the ground ........ a 4 tonne, articulated sledge woud go where it wanted what ever electrickery is fitted.
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There are those that in days past have taken their caravan up Sutton Bank, by mistake I hasten to add!
. . . or before there was a ban on caravans.
Which is highly discriminatory as I can legally tow a 3.5 tonne trailer up there but not a 500kg caravan.
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There are those that in days past have taken their caravan up Sutton Bank, by mistake I hasten to add!
. . . or before there was a ban on caravans.
Which is highly discimitory as I can legally tow a 3.5 tonne trailer up there but not a 500kg caravan.
That's the bit that p***es me off, when you see the size of the gliders & other trailers being dragged up/down there. Meanwhile, the caravan diversion is along the most poxy of B roads
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With auto gearbox making life much easier I would tackle steeper than I used to. Had a drive through Devon today that was fine with auto gearbox but would have been horrible with gear change. Especially meeting farm waggons on a narrow bridge just before
a hill!0 -
With auto gearbox making life much easier I would tackle steeper than I used to. Had a drive through Devon today that was fine with auto gearbox but would have been horrible with gear change. Especially meeting farm waggons on a narrow bridge just before
a hill!Automatic .... you know it makes sense
The site warden at Castleton suggested the detour around Winnats Pass incase I had to stop and might not be able to start off again. I pointed out that my car just had a GO pedal & STOP pedal
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One more sleep and then we move on further into Dumfries & Galloway.
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To me it depends on the combination. The towing limit is usually based on the tow cars ability to restart 5 times on a 12% incline. On that basis you need to be below the towing limit by a reasonable amount to enable you to restart if you have to.
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I suppose it depends on the roads you expect to use. My 2005 X-Trail is rated at 2000kg limit. Personally I tow 1500kg and would not wish to tow above this. I am confident of a restart on 20% as I have tested on steeper restart twice.
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If you see Ranulph Fiennes ahead of you wearing crampons, don't try towing up it.
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The towing limit is usually based on the tow cars ability to restart 5 times on a 12% incline.
With how long a time between restarts though?
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There's a fairly long drag up Blue Bank on the A169 coming out of Whitby onto the North York Moors that's 1 in 5 and is ok. Done it many times with a Mondeo and 1450kg of caravan. Best thing is to watch out for the other drivers and predict - try not to
have to stop and start as others' are pointing out.0
