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Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 12:19 pm
by Tamsin
Did anyone work out what you can legally tow with a Minor?

I'm looking at caravans etc....

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 12:30 pm
by ASL642
Firstly check out your licence to see if/what you can tow (don't know when you passed your test) They changed the categories about 8/9 years ago making them more restricted.

Eriba Puck and the new Pods seem to be ok with a standard 1098, but Pucks are hard to come by and expensive.

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 12:41 pm
by mike.perry
I quote "The Caravan Club recommends that the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight of a braked caravan should be 85% of the GVW of the towing vehicle"
Kerbside weight of 4 door = 786kg
Therefore max weight of caravan = 668kg
Whilst a 1275 or 1098 Minor may be capable of towing the max weight it would probably be unwise to consider a caravan holiday in the Lake District with a Series MM or Series 2

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 12:48 pm
by Tamsin
Dont I just know it!

I passed my test in 2002.
Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight passenger seats
Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

For example:

•a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
So, Moggy Saloon at 800kg (not sure of exact unladen, but 800 as an assumption) could theoretically legally tow a trailer with MAM of upto 750kg?

Not sure a 750kg trailer on the back of a Mog would be clever though :roll:

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 2:29 pm
by ASL642
Would a trailer-tent be lighter to tow?. I know they're not the same as a caravan, but one solution. Several on Fleabay at the moment £350ish though some come with everything included.

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 8:30 pm
by customjob
All well and good asking about Maximum Towing Weight, have you thought about braking, the brakes on a moggie are just about good enough for the car alone, but you're wanting to add another 500 - 700 KGs and expect standard moggie brakes to stop you, if you have standard moggie brakes that is rather you than me.

Re: Towing

Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:57 pm
by mike.perry
The figures given were for a braked trailer which would probably improve Minor braking!
Vehicles towing unbraked trailers must be twice the GVW of the trailer, therefore max trailer weight = 786/2 =393kg