Quote:
Originally Posted by rrobson
It always generates some disagreement and confusion this conversation 
Not helped by all the grey areas.
The 85% is advice from caravan fraternities who recommend this for safety and stability. Those who are inexperienced in towing may have issues if the trailer weighs as much as the tow car.
As for car kerb weight dictating towing capacity, the rated towing capacity is simply that. If a car weighs 1600kg and had a towing capacity of 2000kg then it can tow up to its limit even if the car weighs less than its trailer. Greater care must be taken when towing though.
Take my Nissan terrano for example.
Kerb weight is something like 1900kg
Towing capacity is 3000kg
Gross train weight is about 5600kg
So even though it can tow 3000kg, the most it can weigh is 2600kg. Think about range rovers and the likes. They probably weigh in the reigon of 3000kg fully laden but can tow 3500kg.
Those who don't have the b+e part of their license must stay below the 3500kg limit and must go off the maximum plated weights. For a 75 the most it can tow on a b licence is around 1500kg engine dependant |
Now that is the clearest and most concise way I have seen this explained. The law seems quite clear and simple yet there’s all this other stuff people talk about 85%, presume that’s the trailer shouldn’t weigh more than 85% of the gvw of the tow vehicle and/or the trailer not weighing more than the tow car confusion. I now see! I don’t even have a tow bar😁
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