Are you sure

[rockey]

I posted a thread a few days ago asking for advice regards towing a twin axle caravan kerbweight 1700kgs and was told maybe the Surf wasn't up to it.
Yesterday I visited CCB near Guildford to have a look at a Pajero (also Surfs) but to be honest the Surf is what I want, the guy there told me that it would pull it no problem, so what I really want is to know if anyone here also pulls a large caravan and how the Surf handles it.
I am looking at a 96/7 3.0TD.
Cheers for any help.
John

[gemini]

I posted a thread a few days ago asking for advice regards towing a twin axle caravan kerbweight 1700kgs and was told maybe the Surf wasn't up to it.
Yesterday I visited CCB near Guildford to have a look at a Pajero (also Surfs) but to be honest the Surf is what I want, the guy there told me that it would pull it no problem, so what I really want is to know if anyone here also pulls a large caravan and how the Surf handles it.
I am looking at a 96/7 3.0TD.
Cheers for any help.
John

well theres one thing for sure, it will pull it better than the shogun, so if the choice is between the two of them get the surf, if you really want a pulling machine get a 4.2 landcruiser

[Fieldsy]

I've just pulled a 20ft including tow hitch (not twin axle, and not sure of the kerb weight) caravan, and didn't even feel like I had it on the back, it was breeze. This is with a '96 3.0 Turbo.Don't know if thats any help/advice for you

[gemini]

I've just pulled a 20ft including tow hitch (not twin axle, and not sure of the kerb weight) caravan, and didn't even feel like I had it on the back, it was breeze. This is with a '96 3.0 Turbo.Don't know if thats any help/advice for you

i would imagine that it would be heavier than a twin axle

[Phil H]

I posted a thread a few days ago asking for advice regards towing a twin axle caravan kerbweight 1700kgs and was told maybe the Surf wasn't up to it.
Yesterday I visited CCB near Guildford to have a look at a Pajero (also Surfs) but to be honest the Surf is what I want, the guy there told me that it would pull it no problem, so what I really want is to know if anyone here also pulls a large caravan and how the Surf handles it.
I am looking at a 96/7 3.0TD.
Cheers for any help.
John

John,

Are you sure that is the correct Kerb weight for the van. it seems heavy!(I have a big old singlr axel and it only comes in at 1150kgs) Don't forgrt that is the weight before you pack anything(I think as a kerb weight it will already include battery etc.) If you Buy an awning, take a TV and a couple of bikes etc you can easily add 150-200Kg to the weight you are towing. I am not sure about the limits for twin axels because they seem more stable on the road but the general recomended maximum is 85% of your car weight.(give or take a bit). The main problem is not pulling away but stopping and also stopping your surf being pushed into a snake by the caravan in cross winds or when a truck thunders past you and starts the van swinging.

I looked on the specs(sports luxury cars) and the Surf you are looking at is quoted at 1810KG(85%=1538.5Kgs) by the time you have loaded up the van you could be hitching up a handful equal to or heavier than the Surf.

I would carefully check the caravan weight and as I say I am not totally sure the rules are the same for Twin axels. You should be careful if you ask a caravan dealer because they are famous for telling people their car is ok when it is not(sales motivated).

Good luck with the Search for the Surf

Phil.

[rockey]

Phil, Yes that is the weight, its 26' long, the Merc I tow it with at the moment is only 25KGs heavier at 1725KG Kerbweight.
The 85% rule is only a suggestion recommended by the caravan club, for example if 85% was all you could tow then why do car manufacturers quote much higher towing capacities as in my Merc quoted as capable of towing 2100KGs.
I believe the E.C. are bringing out new laws governing towing which we will adopt, I'm not entirely sure what the details are but I think basically the trailer must weigh less than the towing vehicle.
The dealer I spoke with claimed 2200-2300KG towing capacity for the Surf.
The Surf at 1850KGs obviously is heavy enough but what I was hoping for was that someone here tows a similar size van and could tell me how it behaves.
As you say pulling it is not the problem its stopping in an emergency.
Cheers
John

[hormygollop]

Phil, Yes that is the weight, its 26' long, the Merc I tow it with at the moment is only 25KGs heavier at 1725KG Kerbweight.
The 85% rule is only a suggestion recommended by the caravan club, for example if 85% was all you could tow then why do car manufacturers quote much higher towing capacities as in my Merc quoted as capable of towing 2100KGs.
I believe the E.C. are bringing out new laws governing towing which we will adopt, I'm not entirely sure what the details are but I think basically the trailer must weigh less than the towing vehicle.
The dealer I spoke with claimed 2200-2300KG towing capacity for the Surf.
The Surf at 1850KGs obviously is heavy enough but what I was hoping for was that someone here tows a similar size van and could tell me how it behaves.
As you say pulling it is not the problem its stopping in an emergency.
Cheers
John

Hi I tow a caravan, and at 17ft it is lighter than yours.

However I also tow my boat which is 19ft and over 2 tonne on a single axle and the surf handles it with no problems. On stopping you will find your caravan or trailer brakes coming in and taking quite a lot of the stopping effort.
Go for it you will not regret it
Keith

[JimL]

Wow 26ft long, I cant believe a you could pull such a long trailer without brakes on it. I drive trucks and we have a 26' trailer, and cant imagine towing something that long without trailer brakes (not an option?).
Heres a theory...if the two axles you have were twds the rear of the caravan (stop laughing) your stability under heavy braking would be greatly increased. The 85% rule doesnt count for articulated lorrys, my tractor weighs maybe 10 tonne, the trailers I pull could weigh 30 tonne ('ish). So theres a 300% towing weight and thats obviously because there are brakes on the trailer but also the fact that the axles are to the rear and not in the middle. So why arent caravans made more safe for road - because drivers couldnt handle the long wheelbase I presume and there'd be carnage at 9pm every Friday nite in the caravan parks.

26' long ... wow

[gemini]

Wow 26ft long, I cant believe a you could pull such a long trailer without brakes on it. I drive trucks and we have a 26' trailer, and cant imagine towing something that long without trailer brakes (not an option?).
Heres a theory...if the two axles you have were twds the rear of the caravan (stop laughing) your stability under heavy braking would be greatly increased. The 85% rule doesnt count for articulated lorrys, my tractor weighs maybe 10 tonne, the trailers I pull could weigh 30 tonne ('ish). So theres a 300% towing weight and thats obviously because there are brakes on the trailer but also the fact that the axles are to the rear and not in the middle. So why arent caravans made more safe for road - because drivers couldnt handle the long wheelbase I presume and there'd be carnage at 9pm every Friday nite in the caravan parks.

26' long ... wow

i thought there was a law come out about the towing lengths, maximum 22 or 24ft, that could be towed with an ordinary single wheelbase motor

[Phil H]

Phil, Yes that is the weight, its 26' long, the Merc I tow it with at the moment is only 25KGs heavier at 1725KG Kerbweight.
The 85% rule is only a suggestion recommended by the caravan club, for example if 85% was all you could tow then why do car manufacturers quote much higher towing capacities as in my Merc quoted as capable of towing 2100KGs.
I believe the E.C. are bringing out new laws governing towing which we will adopt, I'm not entirely sure what the details are but I think basically the trailer must weigh less than the towing vehicle.
The dealer I spoke with claimed 2200-2300KG towing capacity for the Surf.
The Surf at 1850KGs obviously is heavy enough but what I was hoping for was that someone here tows a similar size van and could tell me how it behaves.
As you say pulling it is not the problem its stopping in an emergency.
Cheers
John

John,

I am sure the Surf will be OK because the caravan is also braked. I bought an A-bar from Kieth (fellow Surfer on the forum) last week and I now remember he said he towes a twin axel with his 93 2.4 and has had no problem. I have pulled my van up some serious hills and had no probs. One mod Kieth said he had done was a transmission cooler and that has made a big differance to the temp in the cab whils towing.

Just a note, the max towing capacity of a car is the max it will manage to pull away with. Not a suggestion as to what your caravan may weigh.

Get Surfing

Phil...

[gemini]

i thought there was a law come out about the towing lengths, maximum 22 or 24ft, that could be towed with an ordinary single wheelbase motor

look here http://www.caravanlife.co.uk/lifesup...iew.asp?ID=782

[gemini]

look here http://www.caravanlife.co.uk/lifesup...iew.asp?ID=782

found this Size & weight. You are allowed to tow any single or twin-axle caravan up to 7m in length (excluding the drawbar), and up to 2.3m wide with a domestic motor vehicle. These measurements include and fixtures, attachments and fittings outside the main body of the caravan, e.g. mudguards. Twin-axle caravans exceeding the length of 7m, excluding drawbar, can be towed using a commercial vehicle with a combined maximum authorised mass (the weight of the vehicle and its load), of more than 3500kg. so at 26ft its illegal anyway 7m is 22 3/4ft

[JimL]

found this Size & weight. You are allowed to tow any single or twin-axle caravan up to 7m in length (excluding the drawbar), and up to 2.3m wide with a domestic motor vehicle. These measurements include and fixtures, attachments and fittings outside the main body of the caravan, e.g. mudguards. Twin-axle caravans exceeding the length of 7m, excluding drawbar, can be towed using a commercial vehicle with a combined maximum authorised mass (the weight of the vehicle and its load), of more than 3500kg. so at 26ft its illegal anyway 7m is 22 3/4ft

but the surf is easily classed as a commercial vehicle and the question is what is the combined maximum authorised mass of a surf

and who in the caravan club wrote the article ... the partime girl who babysits for the major . Me ... I would only take a fact as fact if it was quoted from a govt doc Iano (unless or course it was an official www.hiluxsurf.co.ok brief ). The fact that it says commercial vehicle ppiisssseess me off coz it implies you must be involved in business to have such a vehicle .... bull****, can't somebody own a transit for the hell of it. What do you call your man the boxer yeh Chris Eubank who has the Kenworth in his garage, he's not pulling for Tesco is he.

Ian, as always , respect...

[da SLUG man]

Wow 26ft long, I cant believe a you could pull such a long trailer without brakes on it. I drive trucks and we have a 26' trailer, and cant imagine towing something that long without trailer brakes (not an option?).
Heres a theory...if the two axles you have were twds the rear of the caravan (stop laughing) your stability under heavy braking would be greatly increased. The 85% rule doesnt count for articulated lorrys, my tractor weighs maybe 10 tonne, the trailers I pull could weigh 30 tonne ('ish). So theres a 300% towing weight and thats obviously because there are brakes on the trailer but also the fact that the axles are to the rear and not in the middle. So why arent caravans made more safe for road - because drivers couldnt handle the long wheelbase I presume and there'd be carnage at 9pm every Friday nite in the caravan parks.

26' long ... wow

the caravan wheels are in the middle cos it balances there and it's easy to manouvre... a truck is only designed for towing. imagine having a tonne weight resting on the back of a granada!

[JimL]

thats what I was missing dabigman,

still not giving up thoug coz when the circus pulls into town you see big pickups with '5th wheels' in the load space, and on the front of these huge 40ft caravans a kingpin (just like on an artic, a 5th wheel is the wheel sized receiver with a wedge shape missing from it where the kingpin clicks in) . They've got the weight capability. Can u sense I'm beaten and am clutching at straws... go on hit me one more time. (by the way redneck, why not be the first in the caravan park to show them all how it can be done, its easier to reverse a longer trailer than a short one and you know it)