What is a surf capable of towing in weight.??

[joe112]

Marky started this thread a while ago which is quite good

Marky's Thread

[TonyN]

I can't remember the figures (D'oh) but I was told if towing an unbraked trailer it was a certain % of the vehicles kerbside weight, however if the trailer was fitted with brakes it was substantially higher.

A friend of mine may have the official figures I'll see if I can track him down.

Yeah, but unbrakes trailer are only 750kg max, so unless your towing with a Reliant Robin its not really an issue.

[TonyN]

However max train weight must not exceed 3.5 tonnes on a normal car license. I like many tow with surf, 2t surf + 1t horse trailer + a couple of horses over 3.5 tonnes i rekon.

Steve

Personal stuff is 7.5 tonnes unless your a whippersnapper who's only been driving a few years.

[marky]

Marky started this thread a while ago which is quite good

Marky's Thread

JOE im glad you pointed that out mate.

[TJG]

The limit for what you tow is most probably the rated capacity of your towbar. I found the towing weight was next to nothing before I uprated the rear springs and even now it still doesn't like a lot of weight in the back.

On a general track I used to have a rangey which was rated to tow 2 ton but if it had brakes linked into the cars then that went up to 4 tons. That said the bill use them to shift dead lorries on the motorways so you see the physical amount it will pull is in no way related to what it should be pulling.

[marky]

(The limit for what you tow is most probably the rated capacity of your towbar) TOW BALL has MAX WEIGHT as well.

[Uplander]

(The limit for what you tow is most probably the rated capacity of your towbar) TOW BALL has MAX WEIGHT as well.

Hi,
The above is like most other reply's a "bit tongue in cheek"....The questioner should IMHO be advised that none of us have hit on the correct answer....If you were driving a vehicle which was towing something and were stopped by police due to their concern you would be asked to asked to produce your documents which would show how long you held a licence (therefore what legally you were licensed to operate) they would also either (a) check the VIN and any other plates affixed to the vehicle to enable them to calculate it's train weight, OR (b) they would arrange for the FULL RIG to be transported to a Weighbridge for the answers to be made available...SO, the answer is something to do with YOU and a sum based on your motor's weight etc...Why do you want to know, its all very boring stuff aint it ?

Peter ( not allowed to tow - insurer wanted extra for this - still have a tow bar frame but all hidden away - it strengthens rear of truck when off roadin.)

[Esamed]

off the NTTA site:

Trailer Maximum Weights

Type 01: unbraked trailers - max. 750kg gross trailer weight or half the towing vehicle's kerb weight - whichever is less.
Type 02: trailers on overrun brakes - max. 3500kg gross trailer weight

1982 regulations demand that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg. This may be checked at any time by the police at a weighbridge. Since 1st January 1997, all unbraked trailer plates must show the year of manufacture.

You must hold a full driving licence to tow anything.
Most drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 have licence categories allowing them to drive vehicle and trailer combinations weighing up to 8.25 tonnes.
With effect from 1 January 1997 the second EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC) came into effect, affecting new drivers passing their test after that date and HGV drivers who obtained their licence after 31 December 1991.

The net result is that new drivers will only be allowed to drive and tow the following combinations:

Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (category B) with a 750kg trailer (4.25 tonnes total MAM).
Category B vehicles with larger trailers i.e. > 750kg, provided that the combined MAM does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the gross MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. To be able to tow combinations outside this ruling requires the passing of an additional test.
New HGV drivers and those who have passed their HGV tests since 1 January 1992 will be restricted to towing trailers up to 750kg until they pass an additional test.


In reality as I think it was decided if this lot can't answer it what chance have the Police.

[Tallyman]

I think you'll find the 2nd Gen Surf's kerbweight is close to 1900kgs. Therefore if stopped by Mr Plod, so long as you're towing a braked trailer weighing no more than 1900kgs (i.e. 100% of kerbweight) you should be OK. If you were towing a caravan, industry guidelines are 85% of kerbweight, which would be 1615kgs, although "experienced tuggers" could safely tow up to the 100% figure.

If you got stopped towing much in excess of 100% you might get done but it would most likely depend on whether or not they considered you were unsafe. As TonyN says, he regularly tows Surf's on a twin axle trailer which is going to be way over the guidelines, so the engine/transmission will handle much more than it's own kerbweight with ease.

[TonyN]

As TonyN says, he regularly tows Surf's on a twin axle trailer which is going to be way over the guidelines, so the engine/transmission will handle much more than it's own kerbweight with ease.

I really should buy a Landcruiser like Lucky's.

[dirtydog]

I really should buy a Landcruiser like Lucky's.

Tony it copes with stuff like this so well its disgusting - do NOT buy one

[joe112]

Tony it copes with stuff like this so well its disgusting - do NOT buy one

There is an over weight allowance of 5%.. I got stopped a few years ago with a transit van towing a flatbed trailor with a massive excavator bucket on it Leicestershire police took me to a weigh bridge and I was well over weight.. they left me alone with a shovel... by the time they came back I'd managed to dig enough $hit out of the bucket to get within 5% of my maximum allowed weight.. I got off with a warning " next time we catch you we won't let you have a shovel!"

Basically if your within 5% of Maximum allowed weight your ok.... What the maximum weight is for surf though i have no idea!!!!



(Just thought I'd through a little more confusion into the matter!!

[TonyN]

(Just thought I'd through a little more confusion into the matter!!

Good man, Its what we do best!

[skippernicky]

Weighed my setup last Nov coming back from a fishing trip.
Surf, (Inc 3 large guys) weighed in @ 2,073 kgs. Boat and trailer weighed in @ 1,942kgs Total rig =4,015kgs. So i reckon I'm just about road legal And the Surf plays with it no problem (250 miles straight runs).
A traffic cop i once did some work for told me that they look out for shoddy setups (smoking, crawling, low back ends etc). anything that looks decent and appears to be coping with the load is ingnored.