VW Beetle Tow Vehicle Popularity

[J Mac]

Maybe the VW Beetle has the 150hp to pull a small FG trailer up a mountain pass, but does it have the breaks and weight to stop a small FG trailer on the down hill side. I'm just wondering if, lets say the VW has a 2884lbs curb weight plus 2 adults could be 3100lbs, plus a full tank of fuel at 10 lbs +- per gallon. Now lets add the trailer. Lots of trailers in the 1000lb range don't have electric breaks. Now suppose you need to stop in a hurry. Can you?

[Glenn Baglo]

From experience ( with an '87 Subaru wagon ), you may be able to stop once, but it gets very expensive to replace glazed brakes after getting to the bottom of every long hill.

[Darwin Maring]

I once had a utility trailer overloaded and attached to the back of a Suzuki Sidekick and I came up to the stop sign on a gravel road, applied the brakes and the trailer shoved me out into the middle of the cross road. No one was coming and I learned a most important lesson.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Some things are "accidents just waiting to happen".

Yep, and here's my short list of them from the past 12 months hereabouts:

1. Towing on trailer tires that were over 7 years old
2. Towing with TV tires that were over 9 years old
3. Towing at 75+ MPH, no matter what the posted speed limit might be.
4. Driving 16 hours straight to get where one is going.
5. Making a 6500 mile first ever trip with a 10 year old FGRV, all inside a 2 week vacation.
6. Hanging a generator and two bicycles off the back of a 13' FGRV.
7. Not knowing what ones actual trailer and tongue weights are when fully packed.
8. Being to busy to check tires and hitch security every time you get fuel.
9. Towing 50% over TV's towing weight limit and not knowing it.
10 Towing 50% over TV's towing weight limit and knowing it.

These accidents may not have happened yet, but they will.....

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

I once had a utility trailer overloaded and attached to the back of a Suzuki Sidekick and I came up to the stop sign on a gravel road, applied the brakes and the trailer shoved me out into the middle of the cross road. No one was coming and I learned a most important lesson.

Yes....there is no substitute for a TV/trailer combination that is set up with safety in mind.

In your case the two glaring no-no's were the trailer was overloaded and it did not have properly set up brakes.

[Roger C H]

Ever hear of SAE J2807?

SAE Tow Ratings - Tow Ratings Finally Pass the Sniff Test

All I can say is, "It is about bloody time!"

Also:

RV Safety & Education Foundation

[Ian G.]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Ever hear of SAE J2807?

SAE Tow Ratings - Tow Ratings Finally Pass the Sniff Test

All I can say is, "It is about bloody time!"

Great article Roger
...and I agree "it is about bloody time"

[honda03842]

During WWII to prevent wartime price gouging a Federal Board was created to prevent railroads from raising their rates during the war.

At the time there were railroads with high rates and low rates. What happened was the board became controlled by railroad people and all rates were raised to the higher level. The higher rates eventually damaged growers of fruits and vegetables in the south.

Unfortunately rules are not generally handed down from on high but most often by people with a vested interest.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Ever hear of SAE J2807?

SAE Tow Ratings - Tow Ratings Finally Pass the Sniff Test

All I can say is, "It is about bloody time!"

Also:

RV Safety & Education Foundation

Unfortunately most of what is in that almost 5 year old article has yet to, and may never, come to pass. This is, unfortunately, what happens when the manufacturers are left to be "Self Governing". Don't forget, these are the same peeps that were against such drastic ideas as safety belts and, heaven forbid, air bags.

Here is an update of sorts, many, many more exist.

Standardized Tow Ratings: Why Automakers Aren't Using Them -- Edmunds.com

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Ian G.

Great article Roger
...and I agree "it is about bloody time"

Sorry to say guys that the time isn't here yet! The standard was not implemented as agreed by the auto manufactures.

Ford pulled out of the deal in the last hours and the other major truck players all decided if Ford wasn't willing to down grade their tow ratings to meet the standard as agreed then they were not going to do so either (although GM had said it was willing to do so) and pulled out as well. All but one auto maker pulling out even though most of the automakers had been doing the test in the two years or so leading up to the agreed 2013 model year implementation. We did see some tow ratings down grades in 2011 and 2012 and the automakers did the pre testing though.

I believe that in the 2014 model years ONLY Toyota ackowledging using the standard and bragging about it in their ads. You can be sure though the rest of them are doing the testing in the back ground and just not acknowledging it. Its a good bet the market place/consumer will eventually demand they all use the standard or at least lets hope we are smart enough to demand it.

More to the story can be found at Pickup truck Towing Standard isn't Standard.