towing capacity

6 replies [Last post]
dr unimog
dr unimog's picture
Offline
Joined: 03.12.2006
Location: Harrogate n Yorkshire

The very poor legal towing limit that a short g wagen can tow is going to be an issue for me soon as I will have to tow a 3.5 tonne trailer around the country .In the past I have towed a 3.5 tonne trailer around my private irland  and have found it very stable far better than a LR has anyone got a solution for my predicament  initially I will us a unimog but this is a little over the top

mgrays
mgrays's picture
Offline
Joined: 08.11.2005
Location: Aberdeen Scotland
GWOA Groups: Members
Re: towing capacity

460 limits are a bit grey are they not? ... they never quoted any I think so all we have ever done is feed off the 463 data. The law about putting limits on vehicle towing capacity did not come into play until about 1990

As such this grey area might be pushed... but very much seems like .. as long as nothing happens you are fine .. but if an insurance company wants to find a reason not pay out.. then every trick counts. Similar with plod .. fine until it is not fine. Main thing the 460 lacks is vented discs front plus discs rear. These are marginal brakes without a trailer so should be a limit.. but on a point of discussion it states a maximum slope for the towing capacity.. so it seems if you are on the flat you can tow anything legally!!

So 2t swb 300GD .. should be good for 2t braked really and 1t unbraked.. but beyond that is no great because of brakes limit.

Personally I think the 3.5t limit that LR etc claim is beyond sane standards .. but now everyone is playing the "me-too" game of declaring a big number while hoping they do not need it.. mind you I have know a 300GDL turbo to take about 6t about 30 miles many years ago.. it can be done but stopping distances left by overtaking cars and pavement walkers mean it is not a safe idea.

Agreed the hard spring of the G make it a far superior tow vehicle to a LR product from stability point of view.

lloydrad
lloydrad's picture
Offline
Joined: 24.03.2012
Re: towing capacity

I am sure you have all had your own experiences towing with these and thats great, but I have found that these units are not suited for anything above about 3500lbs! Keep in mind that the usual Blazer/Jimmy weighs about 4500 lbs loaded,if one exceeds that then you throw the suspension capabilities out the window especially if the wagon weighs much over 4000 lbs-not to mention the braking capability!

mark
mark's picture
Offline
Joined: 06.11.2003
Location: England
GWOA Groups: Committee, Members
Re: towing capacity

 4500lbs?
A G shouldn't be having any problem with that, provided the trailer brakes are working and it's loaded properly.

LEEU
LEEU's picture
Offline
Joined: 05.04.2006
Location: North Wales
Re: towing capacity

 Without incriminating myself, let me just say a few trailers we towed around here last year in excess of 5t! I know it is mad, but I am sure who-ever would have been crazy enough to do it would have been very careful, and if the car couldn’t do it, he wouldn’t have kept doing it week after week, 3 times a week, for almost a year. Want a 3,5t digger moved 60 miles, no problem.

Keep your speed down, and use all 10 gears! Better still, don’t try this at home!
On a more serious not, the G is fine up to about 3t braked, after that it becomes a bit hairy, and you have to slow right down.

jamesdoef
jamesdoef's picture
Offline
Joined: 14.07.2012
Location: usa
Re: towing capacity

ough call. We have both roof on the subaru and hitch and the volkswagon van. If you get the hitch, bag the bike, you'd be amazed how much crap gets thrown up by the car tires into the bike... If it's really buggy the same thing happens with bugs on the bike... It looks like you have an aluminum bike, so compression is not an issue. (with CF, you shouldn't use a compression based system like a hitch mount)

fixwin38
fixwin38's picture
Offline
Joined: 09.07.2006
Location: northern ireland
GWOA Groups: Members
Re: towing capacity

Hi pulling is one thing........ stopping is another
the specified towing weights in the 463 manual are what your insurance company will accept  if you have any sort of accident / incident while towing ..if your weight / tow bar weight is outside of the written specification for the vehicle they will refuse to even consider any claim ..towing on "classic insurance" is is not covered in any way...