Morris Minor Owners Club

I've just sold my vanmaster 12 caravan as it's way too heavy for Jeffrey my 69 traveller to pull. I've been looking at an Eriba as a possible replacement I can't find an answer to a question I'm sure you've all been asked before ... What is the actual weight a traveller 1098 non modified could reasonably tow. The Eriba is 540 kg un laden ... Working on the basis that I won't be putting a fridge in or oven and , using a cool box as it's mainly weekends away so keeping it as light as possible. Do you think it's a yes or a no it's Just too heavy .... And a morris just isn't a good car to tow with, you see old pics with mogs and vans but are they just a dream. I'd rather go away in the traveller than the van if it's a show . Sadly I can't drive two at once lol.

Does it have it's own brakes - working on the 'over-run' hitch?

The original specification maximum towing weight (according to drivers handbook) is 609.5 kilos. So in theory should be ok.

Kerbside weight for a traveller is given as 826 kilos so no probs on that score, I guess it depends on whether the back end of your traveller is sound and it's mechanically up to scratch.

I think that any trailer over 500 kilos has to have overrun brakes so again should be ok.

All that said I wouldn't tow with my own Minor but I admit to being rather protective - probably too much so. But of course each to his own so do what suits you.

Have you thought about a folding caravan? Portafolds come up for sale occasionally and only weigh about 300kg.





Have a look here:-
http://www.portafold.co.uk/for_sale.html

That fold up caravan looks like a great idea and at 300KG thats merely the weight of three large passengers

Thanks for the responses. Sold a folding van not so long back ( kick myself now) will look at these porta fold
Cheers gents :0)

bmcecosse wrote:Does it have it's own brakes - working on the 'over-run' hitch?

Yes ... It does have overrun brakes on trailer

Well - it does sound a bit heavy for a standard Traveller - but as long as the brakes are working - it should stop ok!

have you thought of a pod? see a few of them at the show that the guys have made themselves.. would be tempted myself, but nowhere to store it .. i seem to recall woodies were showing a version with external wood to match your traveller very nice but not cheap

blues2rock wrote:The original specification maximum towing weight (according to drivers handbook) is 609.5 kilos. So in theory should be ok.

Kerbside weight for a traveller is given as 826 kilos so no probs on that score, I guess it depends on whether the back end of your traveller is sound and it's mechanically up to scratch.

I think that any trailer over 500 kilos has to have overrun brakes so again should be ok.

Uselful info, but its trailers over 750kg which are legally required to have brakes (on every axle). These can be actuated in any fashion - so long as they work.

Also, legally you cannot tow an unbraked trailer which weighs (plated weight not actual weight) more than half of the unladen weight of the prime mover - so a trav cannot legally tow an unbraked trailer of more than 413kg.

Having spoken to VOSA about the legalities of towing a trailer on a vehicle without a weight data plate - their view is so long as its not a dangerous combination its legal. There is no definition of Dangerous, but the advice was that a towed trailer is likely to be considered as dangerous if it weighs more than the prime mover. The original specification maximum towing weight has no legal significance - but it would be stupid if you exceeded it on a standard vehicle.

So... in summary, if your eriba is braked (and they work) it should be fine

Consideration should also be given to the effects of overtaking/being overtaken by a truck on a windy motorway and to whether the engine has sufficient power to pull the trailer up steep gradients

My vote is for Portafolds. (http://www.portafold.co.uk).

I only bought mine last summer and I love it. My 1969 Morris has drum brakes and a 1098 engine and she pulled it as if it wasn't there (and had three adult passengers!)

You don't notice much additional fuel consumption as when folded it has little wind resistance. Plus, you don't need mirror extensions as it's as narrow as the car and you can see out the rear window when folded!

You can personalise them quite easily, and some people have been very clever with their designs.

You can see some pictures of my Triumph and MOG towing the caravan here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65576528@ ... 963279823/

Just go to the end of the set, they're in chronological order.

Plus, it's a period caravan, so it looks the part on any showground alongside the cars. And it's small enough to go into most car parks, and you can fit it in your garage and...(well, you get the point, they're great!)

I hope this helps your decision making.

my friend pulls a eriba puck behind his van , got a 1300 engine in there .