Towing a caravan

[AndyPandy 67]

Hi everyone. I'm after advice on towing. I have a professionally converted SWB t6, auto 150 bhp. It's not registered as a camper with dvla yet so it comes up as a panel van I'm looking at towing a caravan but am struggling to get my head round the weights. As its still registered as a panel van, it shows that ot sill tow a substantial caravan. But as its been converted it's going to weigh heavier which could affect what I can tow. Do I need to get the van weighed on a weighbridge to work out what I can tow? Any advice and guidance much appreciated. Thanks v m.

 

[DaveD]

There's a tonne of information on here about towing weights, have a scan through some of these, I suspect the answer to your question, and some you haven't yet thought of, lies in these threads;

Search results for query: towing

www.t6forum.com

 

[AndyPandy 67]

Thanks DaveD. Sorry should have checked first. Much appreciated

 

[Salty Spuds]

In a nutshell, you can’t exceed your Gross Train Weight GTW, which is the total on the road weight of your van and caravan. The GTW will normally be less than the the MAM (Maximum Allowed Mass) of the standalone vehicle + the maximum towing capacity. Which basically means that you can’t load the van to the limit and then hang a maximum weight of trailer on the back. You need the weight of the loaded van, subtract this from the GTW and that is the maximum weight you can put on the towball WITHOUT exceeding the maximum towing capacity.
Weighbridge awaits….

 

[FWhite]

In a nutshell, you can’t exceed your Gross Train Weight GTW, which is the total on the road weight of your van and caravan. The GTW will normally be less than the the MAM (Maximum Allowed Mass) of the standalone vehicle + the maximum towing capacity. Which basically means that you can’t load the van to the limit and then hang a maximum weight of trailer on the back. You need the weight of the loaded van, subtract this from the GTW and that is the maximum weight you can put on the towball WITHOUT exceeding the maximum towing capacity.
Weighbridge awaits….

Also, there might be (not sure in the UK, certainly in EU) a limitation on how much you driving license allows you. If your total van+trailer mass exceeds your driving license limit (i.e 3.5 t.), you may need a specific license for heavy trailers ( i.e. B-E here). That is not likely to happen with a small car, but with a van that is 3 tonnes on its own...

 

[Salty Spuds]

Also, there might be (not sure in the UK, certainly in EU) a limitation on how much you driving license allows you. If your total van+trailer mass exceeds your driving license limit (i.e 3.5 t.), you may need a specific license for heavy trailers ( i.e. B-E here). That is not likely to happen with a small car, but with a van that is 3 tonnes on its own...

Aye, you’re right. Being on a grandad’s licence that one had passed me by. I’m on a B-E & C1E so good for 8250kg.

 

[DaveD]

Also, there might be (not sure in the UK, certainly in EU) a limitation on how much you driving license allows you. If your total van+trailer mass exceeds your driving license limit (i.e 3.5 t.), you may need a specific license for heavy trailers ( i.e. B-E here). That is not likely to happen with a small car, but with a van that is 3 tonnes on its own...

A very good point.

People of my age often assume that everybody with a driving licence can tow any trailer, subject to towing vehicle weight restrictions. Not so.....

We can all tow an unbraked trailer of up to 750Kg unless the gross train weight of van and trailer exceeds 3.5 Tonnes.
Then it gets more complicated and any trailer / caravan over 750Kg must have brakes, and;

Anybody who passed their driving test AFTER 1st Jan 1997 can only tow a trailer behind a vehicle with a total Maximum Authorised Mass of 3,500KG for both vehicle and trailer.
Given that most of our vans will weigh in the region of 2 tonnes empty, and with some passengers and cargo can soon get to 3 tonnes, that doesn't leave much wriggle room.

If you passed your test BEFORE 1st Jan 1997 you can tow any trailer within the limits of the trailer and vehicle specs, up to a MAM of 8,250Kg, although most of our vans can only tow a maximum of 2.5 tonnes gross, sometimes less, depending on the van, so we're never going to get near that limit using a T6.

 

[CAB]

A very good point.

People of my age often assume that everybody with a driving licence can tow any trailer, subject to towing vehicle weight restrictions. Not so.....

We can all tow an unbraked trailer of up to 750Kg unless the gross train weight of van and trailer exceeds 3.5 Tonnes.
Then it gets more complicated and any trailer / caravan over 750Kg must have brakes, and;

Anybody who passed their driving test AFTER 1st Jan 1997 can only tow a trailer behind a vehicle with a total Maximum Authorised Mass of 3,500KG for both vehicle and trailer.
Given that most of our vans will weigh in the region of 2 tonnes empty, and with some passengers and cargo can soon get to 3 tonnes, that doesn't leave much wriggle room.

If you passed your test BEFORE 1st Jan 1997 you can tow any trailer within the limits of the trailer and vehicle specs, up to a MAM of 8,250Kg, although most of our vans can only tow a maximum of 2.5 tonnes gross, sometimes less, depending on the van, so we're never going to get near that limit using a T6.

I thought they scrapped that during / after Covid?

 

[DaveD]

I thought they scrapped that during / after Covid?

Towing with a car

Towing trailers, caravans and horseboxes with a car, including the weight and size limits, and what licence you need to have

www.gov.uk

 

[Mike Y]

I've never towed, but I read it as, since they changed the rules in 2021 to automatically give everyone the 'BE' entitlement without having to do a separate trailer test, those who passed after 1st Jan 1997 can now tow a trailer of up to 3500kg behind a vehicle of 3500kg (so a total maximum train weight of 7000kg)

From Camping and Caravanning Club Website:
"The standard driving licence issued to a driver passing the test in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) covers categories B, B1 and BE. This means you can drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg (B) and tow a trailer up to 3,500kg behind it."

For me, I passed April 1997 so can drive a vehicle of up to 3500kg AND tow a trailer up to 3500kg behind it... However my Caravelle has a gross train weight of 5300kg and a gross vehicle weight of 3000kg so the max trailer weight my Caravelle can tow is 2300kg

 

[dubber36]

For me, I passed April 1997 so can drive a vehicle of up to 3500kg AND tow a trailer up to 3500kg behind it... However my Caravelle has a gross train weight of 5300kg and a gross vehicle weight of 3000kg so the max trailer weight my Caravelle can tow is 2300kg

That's not quite right. The 2300kg trailer limit is only if the Caravelle is loaded to it's 3000kg MAM. If the tow vehicle is lighter, it allows for a heavier trailer, providing that it is within the specific vehicles maximum towing weight limit as stated on the V5.

Also something that is not often considered is that the trailer noseweight must be included in the MAM of the tow vehicle. So a T30 towing a trailer with a 100kg noseweight can only be loaded to a MAM of 2900kg before hooking up.

 

[Mike Y]

That's not quite right. The 2300kg trailer limit is only if the Caravelle is loaded to it's 3000kg MAM. If the tow vehicle is lighter, it allows for a heavier trailer, providing that it is within the specific vehicles maximum towing weight limit as stated on the V5.

Also something that is not often considered is that the trailer noseweight must be included in the MAM of the tow vehicle. So a T30 towing a trailer with a 100kg noseweight can only be loaded to a MAM of 2900kg before hooking up.

Thanks for clarifying - so the OP will need to ensure that his van, after conversion and fully loaded with fuel, passengers, luggage AND trailer noseweight does not exeed the gross vehicle weight (which will differ depending on whether they have a T28, T30 or T32) and then that will then tell them how much of the gross train weight figure is left over for the allowable weight of the trailer/caravan BUT this also can't exceed the 'technical permissible maximum towable mass of trailer' from the V5C (which is 2500kg for me)

 

[Salty Spuds]

I've never towed, but I read it as, since they changed the rules in 2021 to automatically give everyone the 'BE' entitlement without having to do a separate trailer test, those who passed after 1st Jan 1997 can now tow a trailer of up to 3500kg behind a vehicle of 3500kg (so a total maximum train weight of 7000kg)

From Camping and Caravanning Club Website:
"The standard driving licence issued to a driver passing the test in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) covers categories B, B1 and BE. This means you can drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg (B) and tow a trailer up to 3,500kg behind it."

For me, I passed April 1997 so can drive a vehicle of up to 3500kg AND tow a trailer up to 3500kg behind it... However my Caravelle has a gross train weight of 5300kg and a gross vehicle weight of 3000kg so the max trailer weight my Caravelle can tow is 2300kg

This is more or less what I said earlier. Chances are that for most vehicles, the MAM + Maximum trailer weight, will exceed the GTW. So although technically correct, the advice that you can tow a 3500kg trailer behind a 3500kg vehicle, is highly unlikely in reality.

As an example, here's the weight spec for a t32 panel van
2.0BiTDI 204PS 4MOTION 7-speed DSG GVW= 3,200. Axle weights= 1,710 / 1,720 Trailer weights=2500 / 750 Gross train weight=5,300

If you add the GVW to the maximum trailer weight, you get 5700kg, which would put you 400kg over the Gross train weight of 5300kg

 

[darkman884]

@ post #1,,,,
I suspect you might be more confused now than you where before you asked , I am , and I know exactly what my van can tow lol.

Don't be confused. Take a photo of your door plate and post it on here.
Then you will get some clear concise and more importantly accurate advice of what weight caravan YOUR van can tow