Help on weights and towbar - yes a newbee - lol
Hi all.....completly new to Caravanning should be buying on Friday but confused over a couple of issues and wondered if anyone can confirm whether my info is correct....
i have ford mondeo titanium....unladen weight 2170 yes a heavy beast, total laden weight 3970 that gives me 1800 to play with at 100%, the caravan weight as follows unladen 1216 and total laden weight of 1450, so 85% of 1800 is 1630 kg, so with them figures
I'm ok but total combined weight of car and caravan 3620 kg, just to make it clear I'm a class 1 Hgv driver so no issues with me handling the weight but while at work I run legal and family life will not differ as my children safety comes first, am I correct
on being legal with these figures.
secound is caravan has a alko hitch I was told I would be ok with swan neck on this hitch and won't interfere with reverse sensors compared to flange type, is it safe to use swan neck with alko hitch as don't want to lose my first caravan, very confusing
when you first start out cavaning I find dealing with issue and weights on simpler than caravan and car....
also will be using this for our holiday to Italy and germany next year so don't want to run into the wrong problems....I thank you in advance for any advise on my figures..
Comments
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I'd have thought swan neck is capable of of being seen by reverse sensors, but just not as much as a 2 bolt flange. And yes, you're OK with an Alko hitch on it without if fouling.
I'd contest the weight of your car though https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ford+mondeo+titanium&rlz=1C1DVCA_enGB361GB379&oq=ford+mondeo+titanium&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 this gives the weight as somewhere between 1485 and 1703. My 4x4 is 'only' 2300kg so I'd doubt that your car is nearly as much.
You've lost me with your figures, but as your caravan gross weight is 1450 and the lowest possible weight of a Mondeo is 1485, then at the very worst you'll be towing at a little under 100% so given you tow somewhat more when at work, I'd say you were experienced enough to tow your new caravan.
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can a Mondeo really weigh more than our 7.3m MH.
we are plated at 4250kg bit actually run (full continental 'race trim') at around 3700kg....the 'fully laden weight' quoted for the Mondeo above was 3970kg.....
can a Modeo really weigh 4 tons .....legally.....really....?
a quick google revealed this range of gross weights.....2,130 to 2,330 kg
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Quite a while since we towed with our last Mondeo
campbell91 - it was a '56 plated 130 bhp tdci and it towed our 1450kg Bailey brilliantly so you've got a great tow mobile. We only moved onto the Kuga as it was 4x4. Enjoy your touring.0 -
Sounds as though you've confused unladen weight with max. GVW and laden weight with gross train weight,
campbell91.0 -
Swan neck is OK with ALKO Hitch. No experience of swan necks effects on reversing sensors.
The rule of thumb for first time towing is your caravans loaded weight (MTPLM) should be within 85% of the cars kerbweight, i.e. a car with a 1600 kg kerbweight is OK for a 1360 Kg caravan, however many tow up to 100%. of a cars kerbweight.
You need to recheck your cars kerbweight from the manual or weight plate, as your quoted weights are probably incorrect. Any weight you add in loading the car should not be included in the initial calculation.
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Thanks all, as I said knowledge of Hgv but comes to caravan completly clueless, but have checked plating on car with handbook as follows....
gross vehicle weight. 2170kg
gross train weight. 3970kg
maximum front axle weight. 1140
maximum rear axle weight. 1075
maybe this would clear up my figures I gave at start and make more sense, but do I use 85% of GVW to give ideal caravan weight as these are the only figures on car plate, as can be seen I got confused with figures, I far better with a 44 ton vehicle...lol,
was told nose weight of 110 but think I stick about 90-100,glad to hear swan neck ok for alko as being fitting soon
thanks again all
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My 168 bhp Mondeo Estate happily towed my 1440kg Lunar Quasar. I think that the ratio was around 90%.
The 85% recommendation relates to the ratio between the mptlm of the caravan and the kerb weight. To consider other figures just confuses the situation unless you don't have the necessary categories on your licence, which I assume you have.
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Just found info in handbook,
"overall height at EC kerb weight including roof bars". 1502-1548, so going by this figure yes I'm close to 100% but yet this is height and not weight as there is no mention of weights within handbook, but as with any vehicle weights you check plate
so looking at GVW I'm now close to 85%, now going to sleep even more confused by my own figures, just hope I get weights correct at work tomorrow...lol0 -
Try here
No not still up. Fell asleep in other room in armchair and just off to bed
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I had a 2ltr mondeo to pull my Bailey Orion and all was well till we got caught in a traffic jam going from 3-2 -1 lanes on the longest hill I have ever encountered in Brittany this year, by the time we had finished the clutch was stinking as no one would
allow me a decent gap every time the traffic moved. Have now traded in for. Kia Sorento (auto) and it's a different world. So just be careful on hills is my advice0 -
Just found info in handbook,
"overall height at EC kerb weight including roof bars". 1502-1548, so going by this figure yes I'm close to 100% but yet this is height and not weight as there is no mention of weights within handbook, but as with any vehicle weights you check plate
so looking at GVW I'm now close to 85%, now going to sleep even more confused by my own figures, just hope I get weights correct at work tomorrow...lolYou've looked at heights there instead of kerbweight. Kerbweight is specific to each and every car so you won't find a documented weight for your car anywhere unless the Certificate of Conformity supplied with the car quotes a figure under item 13.2. (The
certificate for my BMW does, but my understanding is that most don't). The closest you will find to the actual kerbweight will be the mass in running order in your V5c certificate. That figure will, however, almost certainly be conservative as far as calculating
weight ratio as it applies to the base vehicle only, without most factory fitted options.0 -
There is an entry but no weight given only foe maximum laden weigh (however it is described) I had my document box to hand and just checked. I weighed the car with towbar fitted and full fuel tank, added 75kg for driver, deducted 10% of fuel tank weight
and arrived at 1725kg. It is pretty close to the check site I have put a link for if you add on towbar.Caravan Clubsite was something ridiculous - 1515kg! 200kg less
Reading the info they cannot say what is included in that weight!!
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Totally lost now, trying to find kerb weight when not listed anywhere lol, did go on tow car but in a space of 2 days different figures first saying not a match then 2 days later saying is a match, might end up getting motor home less confusion lol, as far
as I can work out I'm ok on weight issue just gotta be a bit more careful than a lighter caravan, and mondeo's are good at pulling but no good on hills.......bang goes my trip to Swiss alps.....lol, well buying the caravan 2morrow the children looking forward
to it but havnt told them yet they pushing up the hills.......thanks all0 -
Totally lost now, trying to find kerb weight when not listed anywhere lol, did go on tow car but in a space of 2 days different figures first saying not a match then 2 days later saying is a match, might end up getting motor home less confusion lol, as far
as I can work out I'm ok on weight issue just gotta be a bit more careful than a lighter caravan, and mondeo's are good at pulling but no good on hills.......bang goes my trip to Swiss alps.....lol, well buying the caravan 2morrow the children looking forward
to it but havnt told them yet they pushing up the hills.......thanks allIf kerbweight is important to you they have the car weighed on a weighbridge. At least you'll know what's included in the weight then.
To maybe put your mind at ease a little, Swiss roads have fewer steep gradients than you might expect. There are probably only a handful of major mountain passes that one would describe as steep.
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Collecting caravan tomorrow, have been on tow are info but have different info come back despite putting same infomation, I've spoke to vosa they have confirm I'm ok with all weights, but will put my kayak/canoes on roof rack to see how much weight I have
to play with before going over weight....thanks for all the advice....happy Caravanning......0 -
Hi campbell91. I have a 2015 Mondeo Titanium. The kerb weight, ie the mass in service as shown on the V5C, is 1650kg with a gross vehicle weight of 2330kg giving a loading capacity of 680kg. The towbar loading is 90kg which obviously has to come off the
total car loading capacity + the weight of the towbar itself. Mine is 20kg. (Early spec sheets for the 'All New Modeo' as Ford call it, showed the towbar loading, in error, as only 75 kg). The 85% guide would be 1402kg although the maximum trailer weight shown
on the V5C is 2000kg giving a total maximum permissible train weight of 4330kg.I've had three Mondeos in recent years, a manual and two autos, and have never had a problem pulling a 1350kg caravan anywhere in the UK or in France.
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Hi thanks John, it cleared things up with those figures, picked up this morning and towed very well, straight line on motorway with no wobble, just got to keep the missus under control with things she want to put in caravan.......think I might leave her
behind.....lol, tow bar and electrics work perfectly total cost £249 no problem with rear sensor they switch of when I place into reverse only when caravan attached, thanks you everyone for your advice, tips........0 -
Don't trust the figures in the books or quoted by companies. It's worth while taking both the car and the caravan to a weighbridge and getting them both weighed, ideally seperately.
The 85% guideline is the empty car against the full caravan. The "Full" caravan should not weigh more than 85% the empty car.
By weighing the empty caravan, means you can then spend time weighing the contents, and getting ahead of the game when it comes to weights. Remember that the plated weight of the caravan does not include the noseweight, as this counts against the rear axle
of the car. It's still not a good idea to fill everything up to maximum.Also don't forget that people count against the gross train weight, so make sure to leave room in the car for the people (easily missed)
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Remember that the plated weight of the caravan does not include the noseweight, as this counts against the rear axle of the car.
Correction. The plated weight of the caravan does include the noseweight. It is not, however, included in the weight that the car is towing but is part of the car's payload. Therefore, allowance must be made for the noseweight in the car's plated gross vehicle weiight.
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Thanks all, as I said knowledge of Hgv but comes to caravan completly clueless, but have checked plating on car with handbook as follows....
gross vehicle weight. 2170kg
gross train weight. 3970kg
maximum front axle weight. 1140
maximum rear axle weight. 1075
maybe this would clear up my figures I gave at start and make more sense, but do I use 85% of GVW to give ideal caravan weight as these are the only figures on car plate, as can be seen I got confused with figures, I far better with a 44 ton vehicle...lol,
was told nose weight of 110 but think I stick about 90-100,glad to hear swan neck ok for alko as being fitting soon
thanks again all
Same rules apply to both car&van and HGV from your figures your car can tow 1800kg but in your car hand book or on the body plate it should give you the tow limit the manufacturer recommends
Paul
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Don't trust the figures in the books or quoted by companies. It's worth while taking both the car and the caravan to a weighbridge and getting them both weighed, ideally seperately.
The 85% guideline is the empty car against the full caravan. The "Full" caravan should not weigh more than 85% the empty car.
By weighing the empty caravan, means you can then spend time weighing the contents, and getting ahead of the game when it comes to weights. Remember that the plated weight of the caravan does not include the noseweight, as this counts against the rear axle
of the car. It's still not a good idea to fill everything up to maximum.Also don't forget that people count against the gross train weight, so make sure to leave room in the car for the people (easily missed)
The 85% is a recommendation aimed at novice drivers, as long as you dont breach train and permissable weights you can tow upto 100%
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The 85% is a recommendation aimed at novice drivers, as long as you dont breach train and permissable weights you can tow upto 100%
Actually, you can tow over 100% if the plated limits allow. Whether it's advisable to is, however, another story.
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