Tel - 0845 260 2507

Vehicle weights explained

 

Towing Recommendations

The Caravan Club and Camping and Caravanning Club recommend not towing a caravan or trailer with a laden weight greater than 85% of the kerbside weight of the tow vehicle to achieve maximum control and stability. Towing a caravan or trailer with a laden weight greater than 100% of the kerbside weight of the towing vehicle is not recommended. It is AGAINST THE LAW for a CATEGORY B license holder to exceed this 100% limit.

Towing any caravan or trailer so that the train weight exceeds the GTW for the vehicle is illegal and can result in prosecution.

 

Towing vehicle - Kerbside weight or ‘Kerb weight’

This is the weight of the towing vehicle unladen in running order - that is with all fluids including a tank of fuel, essential tools (spare wheel and jack).

Towing vehicle - EC Kerbside weight or EC Kerb weight

This is the weight of the towing vehicle unladen in running order - that is with all fluids including a tank of fuel, driver (assumed weight - 75kg), essential tools (spare wheel and jack).

Trailer - Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM) also Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) and Maximum Authorised Weight (MAW)

This is the maximum allowable mass (also used to be known as ‘Gross laden weight’ or GLW) of the trailer. This is the maximum design weight of trailer and its load. Exceeding this and towing the trailer on a Public Road is an offence. This weight will be shown on a manufacturer’s plate on the trailer. It is recommended that you load your trailer and have it weighed on a Public Weighbridge to see its actual weight. This can then be used to adjust the loading to comply with the MAM.

 

Car plus Trailer - Gross Train Weight (GTW)

This is the maximum weight of the laden car and the laden trailer in total, the “train” weight. Exceeding this is an offence. It is shown as an entry on the VIN Plate on the tow vehicle.

Plated weight

The maximum authorised mass should be shown on the departments manufacturing plate fitted to the vehicle. This means the marking on a goods vehicle, by means of a ministry Plate, showing the maximum weights for that particular vehicle eg maximum authorised mass, and in certain cases, train weight.

Noseweight

This is the weight applied down on the vehicle tow coupling by the caravan or trailer. It is recommended by Caravanning organisations for maximum towing stability the noseweight be about 7% of the MAM of the caravan, subject to this not exceeding the towbar maximum noseweight. This information will be on a plate attached to the towbar and will vary from vehicle type to vehicle type.

 

Car and trailer training, B+E, B E, B + E, trailer towing training, reversing lessons, caravan and horse box towing tuition for Southampton, Eastleigh, Chandlers Ford, Winchester, Salisbury, Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Waterlooville, Petersfield, New Forest, Ringwood, Andover, Guilford, Basingstoke, Warminster, Car and trailer training Bournemouth Havant and Chichester. Across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Towing Tuition Surrey, Trailer Training Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Sussex, Essex, Kent, Berkshire,  London, Oxfordshire, isle of wight, and Dorset, and Trailer Training Midlands. driving lessons Southampton driving lessons Portsmouth

Copyright © 2006 Trailer Training uk. All rights reserved.

Site designed and maintained by Steve Davis No part of this website (including photos and images) may be reproduced, copied or used without prior written permission.