Towing with VW Jetta TDI

[honda03842]

Andrew,

I just read thru the features in the Swift trailer, very impressive.

[Andrew Gibbens]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Just to ask, is there a special test or license endorsement required for towing at or near those loads.

That's an embarrassing question. Understanding what entitlement drivers have to tow trailers is so complex in Britain that the government had to create an online tool to help work it out! It does not use the driver's leg length or grandmother's age, but those are about the only factors that are irrelevant.

Really old farts like me can tow trailers up to 7700 pounds, while younger farts can be limited to total train weights (GCVW?) of 7700 pounds and maximum trailer weights no more than tow vehicle unladen weight. 'Responsible' trailer towing is recommended to be maximum trailer weight no more than 85% of tow vehicle unladen weight. Those ratios may sound horrendously high to North American ears but are exactly the sort of ratios that apply to a NA pickup truck towing its maximum trailer.

Since we only have smaller tow vehicles, it isn't a huge restriction that only a commercial heavy truck licence holder can tow trailers above 7700 pounds.

[Bob Miller]

Thanks Again Andy
But where does the age vs. weight fit in. Is it where they ask when you first got your license?

I just saw an ad here last night for the new Dodge diesel pick-up and they are claiming 9200 lbs tow capacity.....

I know from my many trips across the pond that pick-ups are few and far between over there. What vehicles are commonly used to pull the heavier (?) 8 meter caravans with 1500 kg weight limits?

[Andrew Gibbens]

The age restriction was basically that older drivers could tow almost any weight but younger drivers had a lower weight limit. I don't think for a moment that this was reflecting their abilities, just that the government didn't think they could remove anyone's existing entitlement, so they said "from today, new licence holders can tow up to xxxx". We do now have a trailer-towing driving test for those who want/need to tow above their weight limit and I suspect one day that will become compulsory for all tow-ers.

It reminds me of the French who realised they couldn't prohibit people from distilling their own alcohol so passed a law in the early 1900s removing that right for those born after the law came into effect. No problem with that law since clearly no person thought their children were competent to distill, though obviously they themselves were....

So I can remember when our neighbour in France almost had his dad at home on life support, since he was the last family member alive with the right to distill and, of course, subsequent generations were distilling 'in his name' and would have to stop when he died. "Greater love hath no man than that he let his son distill in his name" - though I think the King James words are marginally different.

Heavier trailers are towed by large (well, large for us) SUVs. Land Rovers have always had tow ratings of 3500kg/7700lbs and things like V10 diesel Volkswagen Touaregs are probably most tow-ers dream tug.

[Bob Miller]

Actually that all sounds very progressive, if not a bit confusing.

Some used to dread the parallel parking requirement to get a drivers license in CA until they dropped it many years ago.

Lets see, for a trailer towing license one of the driving test requirements would be to either turn TV and trailer around in three moves, or back it out of a 500' long dead end street.... with Bentleys on one side and MB's lining the other LOL....

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

'Responsible' trailer towing is recommended to be maximum trailer weight no more than 85% of tow vehicle unladen weight. Those ratios may sound horrendously high to North American ears but are exactly the sort of ratios that apply to a NA pickup truck towing its maximum trailer.

Most 1/2 tons and up are rated to pull a fair amount more than their own weight, not even close to the same ratio.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

As to Canadians national temperament all I can say is they make pretty good neighbors and excellent hosts when I have visited. Money is pretty cool looking too :-)

So true RD.... Like any place we too have the odd bad apple but gererally speaking Canucks make good neighbors. As for our money..... Compared to the US bills ours our pretty, but not worth as much

[Big J]

We have a 2005 Jetta TDI with an automatic transmission. We have towed our tent trailer (1500 lb) behind it since it was new with no problems and over rough terrain. It nows has over 100,000 miles on it and the only thing we have replaced is the battery. I can't understand the posters who say this vehicle cannot tow. I asked our VW dealer about towing with it and he said up to 2000 lb. As far as I'm concerned it tows trailers with no problems.

[Bob Miller]

What "the posters" say is of little import. And what the dealer sez is of only slightly more concern.
What your owners manual say about towing with your exact vehicle is "The Word"?

[honda03842]

VW Jetta TDI towing Alto

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[Night Sailor]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Thanks Again Andy
But where does the age vs. weight fit in. Is it where they ask when you first got your license?

I just saw an ad here last night for the new Dodge diesel pick-up and they are claiming 9200 lbs tow capacity.....

I know from my many trips across the pond that pick-ups are few and far between over there. What vehicles are commonly used to pull the heavier (?) 8 meter caravans with 1500 kg weight limits?

My dually can pull 15,000 lbs on a gooseneck or fifth wheel. 12,000 on a tag along. I would love to have a new one which can the up to 23,000 lbs , so I could tow my excavator which weighs. 16,300 lbs.

I suspect to tow with that tow rating it is 2x4 reg cab.


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[Night Sailor]

So what is the consensus on the max size for a tow with one of these?


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[Thinh]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

He has a 1700 pound tow rating and a 1600 pound trailer. What is the problem?

...The problem lies within....himself. You didn't count his weight in. Someone said he weighs around...450 pounds. Now, that is...a problem....Lol.

[Mike Magee]

I doubt there is any real consensus. The answer depends on who you ask, and perhaps partially on whether a custom receiver is installed.

[Night Sailor]

I throw out and say I would tow 2000 lbs and use electric brakes-- this is what I suggested to a friend with one of these cars who wants to tow a small boat, mostly short distances.


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[Bob Miller]

At that weight they should have electric brakes already. 1800 lbs = 1800 lbs, what's so hard about that?

[SilverGhost]

So this question has been asked and usually devolves into an argument of liability. I recent ran across this article with a real science/math answer as to why tow ratings are so different in the USA.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/tow...1499/+ballaban

Hope this helps

Jason

[Glenn Baglo]

The writing style, and the fact that he spells Forester with a lower-case 'f' several times, does not instill confidence in his facts and conclusions. I couldn't read it, actually.

[MC1]

Here is how he sums up.....

"Bottom line - Can a tow vehicle pull a heavier trailer there than is rated for here in the US? Yes, with some provisions:

1. The closer the trailer weight gets to the vehicle weight the slower you will need to drive.

2. DO NOT exceed 65 mph with a tongue weight in the 4-7% range, this is a guaranteed way to sway and 65 is the max, go slower in regards to #1.

3. None of this takes into account crosswinds, cooling systems, hp, or braking effectiveness."

He has no knowledge of the science and technology that the pro's are using over here. In many cases custom mods to the vehicles and the use of the WDH etc.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

The writing style, and the fact that he spells Forester with a lower-case 'f' several times, does not instill confidence in his facts and conclusions. I couldn't read it, actually.

I agree with Glen's take (no big surprise on that). It's written by a 1st year engineering student dropout (by his own admission) trying to outguess vehicle specifications for his own benefit, without any attention being paid to factors other than a bunch of formulas.

On the other hand, Dr. Sheldon (Big Bang) Cooper would love it.