 | Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > Towing weights |
 
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324  
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The 85% recommendation for caravans is just that, a recommendation, and really aimed at people towing with ordinary cars. A Land Rover is officially rated at 3500kg with overrun brakes and will happily tow any caravan that you can put behind it. As long as it's loaded correctly. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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2nd Aug 2018 11:38am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Oh, and the 3500kg is the limit on the weight of what you're towing. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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2nd Aug 2018 11:40am |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111  
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While the permissible towing weight is 3500 Kg with overrun brake’s it is advisable when purchasing a caravan to go well below that limit. Most caravans these days because of the design and use of lightweight materials tend to fall in the 1350 KG to 1500 Kg bracket so with a caravan of that weight you would be fine.
Edit due to wrong factual data  For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..
http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 Last edited by gilarion on 2nd Aug 2018 1:01pm. Edited 2 times in total |
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2nd Aug 2018 12:01pm |
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| deejayen Member Since: 18 Sep 2017 Location: Inverness Posts: 56 
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Thanks for that!
I found the 1780Kg figure on the Internet, so it could well be wrong! |
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2nd Aug 2018 12:10pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Gilarion, it looks like that's been lifted from UKTOW? I'm afraid it's miles out - the kerb weight of a 90 is around 1770-1870kgs, depending on spec.
https://workshop-manuals.com/landrover/def...b_weights/ Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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2nd Aug 2018 12:20pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17458 
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A fifteen tonne caravan?! Wow! 
A Defender will have no trouble towing 3500kg if driven sensibly and if the trailer of van is loaded sensibly. |
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2nd Aug 2018 12:22pm |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111
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Although that might explain why when towing my caravan I can never get out of first gear  For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..
http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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2nd Aug 2018 12:58pm |
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| Wangers Member Since: 19 Jan 2013 Location: West London Posts: 265 
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But will also depend when you passed your driving test, and what licence categories you have as to what you as a driver are legally allowed to tow, as opposed to what your vehicle can legally tow....... and then it's also a driver's ability. TY&GN
10 years in a WOLF, WIMIK and Snatch and this is all I have to show! |
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2nd Aug 2018 5:57pm |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2295 
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Hello deejayen
I went through the same logic, all be it in the knowledge that it is potentailly possible to drag 3500kgs with a Defender... I certainly wouldn't want to cover serious mileage with that kind of weight, let alone break at any kind of reasonable speed with standard Defender's breaks. I worked on 1800Kgs kerb weight (semi-loaded), and 85% of that would be around 1530Kgs Our Caravan is 1200kgs... loaded 1500kgs (I managed to get it on a 'weight table' at a local aggregates quarry  )
and with a combination of same height, and same width as a Defender together with a 'bullet shaped' front end she tows exceptionally well.  Click image to enlarge So I concluded that Defender (90) + a 1500Kg 'towed vehicle' combined would get to a figure approaching 3500kgs. But I have to say that we are near enough always the smallest 'rig' when we go anywhere, and I've seen some truly massive set ups behind Defenders, with no apparent issues. Good luck... SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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2nd Aug 2018 6:36pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2656
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Defender brakes are very good, they’re designed to be used to carry loads and tow after all.
As has been point out the 85% ‘rule’ is for numpties towing caravans with piddly little cars. A Defender is a very capable towing vehicle and will tow just about anything, to just about anywhere. |
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2nd Aug 2018 6:45pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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We tow 3.5 tonne trailers and caravans on a regular basis. The Defenders tow well but they have been remapped. A close eye needs keeping on the speedo so that speed limits are not exceeded. Also I tend to leave a bigger 'safety zone' when towing and tend to take regular breaks.
Brendan |
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2nd Aug 2018 8:02pm |
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| Paulv8 Member Since: 09 Jun 2013 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 618 
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I tow a1680kgs Coachman Pastiche 525/4 van with my standard 13 plate 110. It tows it well but up hills it does struggle. I wouldn't want heavier without a map. V8 90...WIP
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2nd Aug 2018 8:58pm |
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| Paulv8 Member Since: 09 Jun 2013 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 618
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I would suggest a 90, with a shorter wheelbase night need extra care in selecting a van. V8 90...WIP
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2nd Aug 2018 9:00pm |
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| deejayen Member Since: 18 Sep 2017 Location: Inverness Posts: 56
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Thanks for that. I love the Eriba! I've wanted one for years, but now that I've begun look around, even old ones are really expensive. The van I'm thinking about getting weighs around 1250Kg with a maximum weight of 1650kg. My Defender is older (2004) and higher mileage, but it has been remapped, and I've always had it serviced.
PaulV8, why do you say that a 90 might need extra care in selecting a van, and what van designs/features should I be choosing/avoiding? |
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3rd Aug 2018 6:35am |
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