Towing weight

[aidy55]

I think my 2018 vrs octavia hatch can tow 1800kg.

 

Does this mean this 2 ton trailer is completely unsuitable?

 

 

[J.R.]

Not if you load it accordingly (keeping below your rated towing PTAC), not even if you don't aside from in the eyes of the law which are probably too busy looking at a computer screen from behind a desk anyway.

 

I towed 3 tonne this week without any issue and I think mine has a similar plated towing capacity, over the last 2 years I towed that and more on multiple journeys of 800-1000 kms with single axled unbraked removal trailers which was more eventful, a decent 2 or 3 tonne rated braked 4 wheel trailer from Ifor Williams etc will glide along fully laden.

[Stonekeeper]

https://www.rsa.ie/road-safety/road-users/professional-drivers/vehicle-safety-legislation/light-trailers/towing-and-vehicle-towing-capacity

[aidy55]

Ive been offered this trailer at a generous price so im keen to buy it, my existing 2 wheel trailer is completely rotted so it will be a nice upgrade. 

 

I think most large cars can tow 3500kg, i thought the octavia wouod have been higher than 1800kg.

 

I use it for the dump runs and picking things up from the builders yard. Id say the heaviest item ive lifted is stones, on my last traioer i had to transport stones a quarter ton at a time. 

 

Whats the total weight i can tow with causing damage to the clutch

[J.R.]

There is not a black and white answer to that question, once on the move there is no load on the clutch, how you pull away when laden, what route you choose to avoid hillstarts, how you plan ahead and creep across junctions (if you can) how good you are at reversing are all factors that will decide the life of your clutch, some people can burn one out in the above scenarios even without towing, others like me can tow more than double the rated weight for 10000 kms without clutch problems but had I found myself in the wrong situation that could have been undone very quickly.

 

Diesels with their taller gearing are harder on the clutch during a laden hillstart or even pulling away from standstill on the level.

 

Anticipation and mechanical sympathy are the key elements.

[J.R.]

My towing weight would have been 400kg higher if the vehicle had a more powerfull engine, as it is remapped it copes very well, the limiting factor is the brakes.

 

The 4wd and short rear overhang make it by far the most capable towing vehicle I have ever had, the 2 Octavias preceeding it pulled well but the long rear overhang and stupid soft rear springs were unsuitable, I uprated the springs on both of them but they were never a patch on the Yeti.

 

Octavias will drag their ar5e like a dog with worms with just 2 adult rear passengers, 2 wheel trailers or caravans make it far worse, laden 4 wheel trailers will have it pitching up and down on uneven surfaces.

 

The instability of a towing combination can be mitigated by driving with care and precaution but when something out of your hands happens, having to swerve to avoid an accident, a high sided top heavy trailer being overtaken by a faster HGV passing close then you it all comes home to roost, in that respect I feel far safer towing with the Yeti than the Octavias.

 

Thankfully the long 800km overladen journeys are behind me now.

[varaderoguy]

I'm fairly sure this is more to do with the braking ability more than the car's ability to haul the weight. Towing does put extra stress on the car; TDIs are good haulers (even though you need the larger rad upgrade on TDI150 engines). Definitely as stated above...more planning reqd and mechanical sympathy needed when towing.

[MarkyG82]

The rules have changed recently (in the UK).  A friend had to get a second car for towing his caravan but can now go back to the first as they are more concerned about the actual load at the time rather than the rated load.  Ireland may vary so worth looking up the local regs.

[Stonekeeper]

2 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

The rules have changed recently (in the UK).  A friend had to get a second car for towing his caravan but can now go back to the first as they are more concerned about the actual load at the time rather than the rated load.  Ireland may vary so worth looking up the local regs.

 

Have you a link for this rule change?

 

I tow a caravan and would like to  be able to work out what car i need when i change it now.

[MarkyG82]

@Stonekeeperonly verbal from the mate with the caravan unfortunately.

[Ootohere]

Any Rules on the Vehicles & Towing is easy to find online.

 

As is what changed on the Licence held and what you can tow. 

[Stonekeeper]

1 hour ago, Rooted said:

Any Rules on the Vehicles & Towing is easy to find online.

 

As is what changed on the Licence held and what you can tow. 

 

That's what i thought

 

The only "recent" change was in 2021 when Towing a trailer did not require a special licence up to a MAM  of 3,500kg.

 

The only thing i can think the "friend" has heard/realised is that his car can tow up to it's own unladen weight and not just 85% of it which is recommended but not compulsory.

 

Many are told this 85% figure by Caravan forum people and think it's a law.

[Schtum]

On 18/12/2023 at 21:47, aidy55 said:

I think most large cars can tow 3500kg, i thought the octavia wouod have been higher than 1800kg.

 

I think you're being overly optimistic but it depends what you mean by 'large cars'.   3,500 Kg is Range Rover Territory.   Both our Yeti 150 TDI 4x4 and Karoq 190 TDI are homolgated to tow up to 2100 Kg braked trailers.  The unbraked limit is 750 Kg.

[Ootohere]

There are all sorts of weights, and even those that can not tow.  Or could but would be trouble if you did fit a towbar and it goes t!t5 up.

 

Edited 20 December, 2023 by Rooted

[J.R.]

8 hours ago, Stonekeeper said:

The only thing i can think the "friend" has heard/realised is that his car can tow up to it's own unladen weight and not just 85% of it which is recommended but not compulsory.

 

Many are told this 85% figure by Caravan forum people and think it's a law.

 

Silly recommendation when some vehicles cannot legally tow anything (not that I would take any notice but others do), and some vehicles like the Yetis and Range Rovers quoted can tow significantly more then their unladen weight.

[Swirly182]

I think it's the gross train weight that must not be exceeded - see your weight sticker to confirm. So you can load the trailer up to 2T but make sure you keep the car weight to (GTW - 2T). For info I took my vRS estate to a weighbridge and it's kerb weight is 1460kg, so you may struggle at 2T actually!

[SuperbTWM]

10 hours ago, Rooted said:

Any Rules on the Vehicles & Towing is easy to find online.

 

As is what changed on the Licence held and what you can tow. 

 

That post is a little misleading & the website is also crap because you have to go on to read what changes were made.

 

After 2021 Licenses issued from 1 Jan 1997 can tow the following due to getting B+E Category:

 

What changed on 16 December 2021

If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997, you’re now allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM.

Check your car’s handbook to find out its gross train weight (GTW). This is the total allowable weight of the car plus the trailer plus the load.

DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically. You’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you next apply to get a new driving licence.

If you passed your car driving test before 1 January 1997, you are not affected by the change

[J.R.]

8 minutes ago, Swirly182 said:

I think it's the gross train weight that must not be exceeded - see your weight sticker to confirm. So you can load the trailer up to 2T but make sure you keep the car weight to (GTW - 2T). For info I took my vRS estate to a weighbridge and it's kerb weight is 1460kg, so you may struggle at 2T actually!

 

If that was a response to my posting then you are addressing a lost cause!

[Stonekeeper]

6 minutes ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

That post is a little misleading & the website is also crap because you have to go on to read what changes were made.

 

After 2021 Licenses issued from 1 Jan 1997 can tow the following due to getting B+E Category:

 

What changed on 16 December 2021

If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997, you’re now allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM.

Check your car’s handbook to find out its gross train weight (GTW). This is the total allowable weight of the car plus the trailer plus the load.

DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically. You’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you next apply to get a new driving licence.

If you passed your car driving test before 1 January 1997, you are not affected by the change

 

Since November 15, 2021, anybody with a Category B car driver's licence has been allowed to tow a trailer grossing at up to 3.5 tonnes with a light commercial grossing at up to 3.5 tonnes.

Before that date only drivers who had passed their car test prior to January 1, 1997, were permitted to do so.

Drivers who obtained their licence since then had been obliged to take a separate test to obtain a category BE entitlement if they wanted to haul a trailer grossing at above 750kg with a 3.5-tonner.

Bear in mind that while the driving licence entitlement you hold may allow you to tow a 3.5-tonne trailer, limits are imposed on how much weight the towing vehicle is allowed to pull by the manufacturer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleet-management/best-practices/towing-know-your-limits

 

[Swirly182]

49 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

If that was a response to my posting then you are addressing a lost cause!

It was to the OP - I'll take your advice on suspension mods but possibly not on max towing weights 😉

[Ootohere]

@SuperbTWMI only made an indication that you just need to go to relevant websites and read them, Government ones or others, i never linked them because people on here know how to spell and use a keyboard. 

Edited 21 December, 2023 by Rooted

[J.R.]

11 hours ago, Swirly182 said:

It was to the OP - I'll take your advice on suspension mods but possibly not on max towing weights 😉

 

A wiser man than me!

[Stonekeeper]

On 18/12/2023 at 21:04, aidy55 said:

I think my 2018 vrs octavia hatch can tow 1800kg.

 

Does this mean this 2 ton trailer is completely unsuitable?

 

 

 

 

Going back to your original question and now having read what you use it for my answer would be yes

 

 

Given that your limit is 1800kg.

 

You cannot fill the trailer to it's capacity by 200kg

 

The trailer itself looks substantial and it's own weight will possibly not leave you much payload left to put in it.

 

 

Edited 21 December, 2023 by Stonekeeper