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Old 11-25-2021, 05:32 PM   #1
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Name: Bob
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Unhappy Tow vehicle?

We have Bubba - a 1974 Boler which we enjoy very much. We are looking for a new tow vehicle. The vehicle which interests us has a tow capacity of 1500 lbs.
Boler weight is listed under 1000lbs, but I have read that realistically they are more like 1500lbs. We do not have access to a drive-through weigh scale. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
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Old 11-25-2021, 05:44 PM   #2
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I am having a difficult time seeing that any trailer with your travel junk in it weighs less than 1500-2000 lbs.

I would be rethinking my tow vehicle options rather than getting something that barely will do the job.

Charles
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Old 11-25-2021, 09:33 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by CharlesinGA View Post
I am having a difficult time seeing that any trailer with your travel junk in it weighs less than 1500-2000 lbs.

I would be rethinking my tow vehicle options rather than getting something that barely will do the job.

Charles
I just weighed my 13' Scamp with two propane bottles as well as battery and solar panels (but no water) at a certified scale: 1340 lbs. But I sure wouldn't attempt towing it with only a 1500 lbs limit.
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Old 11-26-2021, 12:00 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by chrisblessing View Post
I just weighed my 13' Scamp with two propane bottles as well as battery and solar panels (but no water) at a certified scale: 1340 lbs. But I sure wouldn't attempt towing it with only a 1500 lbs limit.
I sure would, but it would depend on what the vehicle was and whether it was designed for the task at hand.

I towed my Scamp 13 for 10years with a Ford Escape 2.3L 5spd manual, tow rated at 1500#.
The exact vehicle with a V6 Auto was tow rated at 3500# (properly equipped) The reduced rating was due entirely to drive train and that Ford would not offer the tow package.
The vehicle was retrofitted with the tow package and provided plenty of power, safety, and reliability with the smaller engine and the 9" clutch.

The thing is ... its the chassis, suspension , tires and brakes which matter for safe towing. But the lower tow rating was based entirely on the drivetrain. In this case, the engine and transmission were considered marginal but that all else was essentially overkill.

I agree that there should be an allowance for margin, but not all vehicles with a 1500 pound tow rating are equal, some make much better tow vehicles than others, but they are all capable of towing up to their ratings, even though some may be less advisable to do so than others...

Yes, tow rating is important but there are other considerations which contribute to the overall suitability for a tow vehicle.
In the case of the Escape, stress on the drive train was the reason for the rating, not the capability of the chassis, so there was plenty of safety margin for the 13Scamp.


PS. the vehicle is still in service in my family and the drive train has suffered no damage.
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Old 11-26-2021, 07:23 AM   #5
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There are three 13' Bolers listed on the Weights-in-the-Real World spreadsheet. 1300#, 1800#, 1880#.
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Old 11-26-2021, 08:44 AM   #6
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A number of popular 1500# rated compact SUVs, including the CR-V and Forester, now use CVTs (continuously variable transmissions). If your intended tow vehicle is one of them, I would consider it among those less desirable to tow close to their rated limits.

Better choices include the Outback (2700#), Mazda CX-5 (2000#), RAV4 Adventure (3500#), and RAV4 Hybrid (1750#). The list reflects my personal bias toward Asian makes. There are suitable compact choices from Ford and Jeep as well.

One up-and-coming model that looks to be a great match for a 13’ trailer is the Ford Maverick pickup. The base hybrid power train is rated 2000# and the turbo 4 with AWD and tow package can tow 4000#.

When tow ratings are marginal you have to consider payload as well. Tow ratings are based on 2@150# people in the vehicle and nothing else. When you add additional passengers, pets, and cargo, you reduce your available towing capacity.
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Old 11-26-2021, 09:19 AM   #7
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Oddly enough the E-CVT is a totally different animal than a conventional CVT.
It has no belts or pulleys , but rather a planetary gear system.
Although there is not much in common, this "all new" (and much better) design is reminiscent of the most famous planetary transmission of all time...

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Old 11-26-2021, 09:34 AM   #8
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Oddly enough the E-CVT is a totally different animal than a conventional CVT.
It has no belts or pulleys , but rather a planetary gear system.
I'm glad you mentioned that distinction, and it’s why I included two eCVT vehicles (RAV4 and Maverick hybrids) as potential good choices. Hybrids also have regenerative braking for downhill speed control, a plus for towing.

There is one belt-and-pulley CVT on my list, too, the Subaru Outback. Though I am generally leery of conventional CVTs for towing duty, this one has been tested to 2700# and has a pretty good track record for towing 13’ers in the real world.

The others are all conventional automatics.
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Old 11-26-2021, 10:01 AM   #9
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I am under the impression that nearly all the manufacturers lie about their trailer weights. My tow vehicle is rated for 5000 lbs. My trailer weight maxes out at just under 3000 lbs. loaded or 60% of my tug's maximum rating. I would not want to tow anything heavier. We were told at the time of purchase that our trailer weighed 2000 lbs. dry. In actuality it weighed approximately 350 lbs. more.
If I were a week-end camper seldom traveling more than a few hundred miles from home this may not be a large concern. We travel a lot averaging about 6000 tow miles a year in terrain from mild to wild. I like having the necessary power and towing stability to drive with a greater sense of safety.
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Old 11-26-2021, 11:38 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh View Post
I am under the impression that nearly all the manufacturers lie about their trailer weights. My tow vehicle is rated for 5000 lbs. My trailer weight maxes out at just under 3000 lbs. loaded or 60% of my tug's maximum rating. I would not want to tow anything heavier. We were told at the time of purchase that our trailer weighed 2000 lbs. dry. In actuality it weighed approximately 350 lbs. more.
If I were a week-end camper seldom traveling more than a few hundred miles from home this may not be a large concern. We travel a lot averaging about 6000 tow miles a year in terrain from mild to wild. I like having the necessary power and towing stability to drive with a greater sense of safety.
You have likely made good choices, but if it is true that all trailers are much heavier than the manufacturer's claim, and that all TVs are much less capable than their manufacturer's claim, then why use them as authoritative sources? That presents a real conundrum and would preclude blanket judgements based on ratings which can not be trusted.

It then becomes incumbent upon the buyer (caveat emptor) to do some real objective research before the purchase of either, looking at each prospective vehicle individually without relying entirely on a door sticker or "bad" information from the manufacturers and sales people.

While I don't fully subscribe to the aforementioned premise, I would still say "trust but verify" then take responsibility for the choice made.
A "barely adequate" tow combination can be a miserable choice, but overkill can be a miserable choice as well.

I have two properly equipped TVs for my Scamp, one is pretty much at the tow rating, while the other rating is close to four times the weight of the Scamp.
While not equal, each has the necessary power and towing stability to drive with a great sense of safety and comfort.
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Old 11-26-2021, 03:06 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by floyd View Post
[B]
It then becomes incumbent upon the buyer (caveat emptor) to do some real objective research before the purchase of either, looking at each prospective vehicle individually without relying entirely on "bad" information from the manufacturers and sales people.
You are quire correct. No substitute for experience and as the old saying goes, "It cost money to go to school."
This forum is a great place to gather experience and maximize your RV investment. First time buyers may learn here that even a manufacturer may provide misleading information.
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Old 11-26-2021, 04:49 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh View Post
First time buyers may learn here that even a manufacturer may provide misleading information.
It's not the manufacturer's fault if the buyer doesn't understand what the term "dry weight" means.
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Old 11-26-2021, 06:26 PM   #13
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It's not the manufacturer's fault if the buyer doesn't understand what the term "dry weight" means.
Like I said Glenn. It cost money to go to school.
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Old 11-26-2021, 07:28 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
When tow ratings are marginal you have to consider payload as well.
Yep, and adding even a couple of hundred pounds hitch weight could put you over in some of these marginal vehicles. You have to look at each door sticker and not make assumptions, one way or the other. Though I wouldn't consider towing anything with our Prius, I was surprised that it shows 825# for "combined cargo and passengers." So purely based on payload, a reasonably sized couple and tongue weight of a small trailer could be under the limit. On the other hand, with obesity epidemic even among kids, a family of four could squish the poor thing. Anyway, be sure to check payload on the door sticker, even if you are under the advertised tow limit.
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Old 12-01-2021, 01:01 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by skyaki View Post
We have Bubba - a 1974 Boler which we enjoy very much. We are looking for a new tow vehicle. The vehicle which interests us has a tow capacity of 1500 lbs.
Boler weight is listed under 1000lbs, but I have read that realistically they are more like 1500lbs. We do not have access to a drive-through weigh scale. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Skyaki -

You don't say what tow vehicle you're looking at - so it's a bit of a mystery to us all on here trying to advise.

If I read your location info correctly, you're in Ontario Canada (assuming not Ontario CA or another location).

If so you're lucky & you can go over in person to CanAm RV in ONT with your Boler & see which tow vehicles he'd recco for you, & then properly set it up once you get something. He may even have scales to weigh it, so call or email first to get input.

However, even if not convenient or too far - you can still call, email or PM him on this forum or at the sister Airstream Forums for his input.

While my quick look at 1974 Boler & some SoCal vintage trailer buddies with Bolers, Scamps, etc. indicates that you may have your Boler over 1500 lbs wet & fully loaded with your gear - I do have to disagree with Charles in GA that there are no trailers "...less than 1500-2000 lbs."

In fact there are many small trailers who are 1000-1500 lbs or less - especially in the 1950-70's vintage trailer era - & they are specifically GTWR at those lower max. weights - & in the 1950-70's now vintage trailers era, even the smaller Airstream, Avion, Silverstreak, & other "silver twinkies", Shasta & other "canned hams", & FGs & other sub-25' trailers were specifically built light in order to be towed by cars & stationwagons - vs. today's marketing trend of big trucks & SUVs.

Such as our 1970 Eriba Puck being plaqued as dry/empty at 660 lbs with a max 1000 lbs; which we tow with our now classic 1988 VW Westfalia (2200 lbs TR), & will soon with our also now classic 1985 BMW 325e E30 (3500 lbs TR) as soon as I can get the factory hitch etc. installed on it.

Not to worry though - most smaller 1500 lb tow rated compact & mid-sized cars/CUVs/SUVs/Minivans/pick-ups/etc of all makes usually also have a tow option available which boosts their rating to 2500 - 3500 lbs or more. So if looking at new order that tow option, or look for that option on used cars if looking in that market. And if you don't need to buy now, you'll be well served to wait a bit to buy something, until after the new & used car supply & prices get back to normal (it's starting to drop on some now).

Another thing to note, is that many cars/minivans/CUVs/SUVs used to have much higher tow ratings on earlier versions without any change to chassis nor drivetrain - than their later model years with lower or no stated tow ratings, which appears to be more about marketing trucks/SUVs with higher profit margins & no CAFE fuel mpg requirements &/or to avoid legit warranty claims. A good example was the great towing car 2000s-2010s Chrysler 300 (& Magnum) which started off with a 5000 lbs TR, but later they stopped listing any rating as they pushed more for RAM trucks & SUVs with higher profits & not part of CAFE ratings.

Also, many of the Asian & Euro/UK imports have tow ratings & tow options outside of the USA, & are fully capable TVs in the rest of the world (ROW), but aren't marketed &/or fitted-out as such here in the USA (such as my `85 BMW) - but you can tow with them very capably & safely with both/either their ROW hitch & electrical hook-ups (adapted for USA 4-pin &/or 7-blade connectors).

Andy T. can help you & others on these matters of towing with the best set-up & good TV & TT match-ups.

You & others may want to watch this video by Andy T. from the recent Spring 2021 virtual RV Conference about towing with "smaller than full-size" pick-up/SUV TVs, setting up rig combos, TTs, etc. -

https://www.rvlifemag.com/rv-seminar...mping-rv-show/



.

This is a really good resource for those towing with smaller vehicles & trailers, as well as the bigger rigs he discusses. Also, RV Lifestyle has an archive of Andy's "Hitch Hints" articles, as well as the CanAm website for articles & videos at the link below.

https://www.canamrv.ca/blog/category/hitch-hints/

.


Good Luck on your hunt!

Cheers!
Tom
///////
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Old 12-01-2021, 01:20 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post

Tow ratings are based on 2@150# people in the vehicle and nothing else.


No - by law here & ROW the curb weight is based on only one (1) person - the driver at 150 lbs - plus all fluids full including fuel. So you have to add for driver over 150 plus all passengers & luggage, gear, bikes, etc. for the useful load/payload, TV axles' (F & R GAWR), hitch wt (HW), tow rating (GTWR), combined vehicle TV + TT (CVWR), etc. ratings from that curb wt.

There is some debate on how accurate tow ratings are, when manufacturers seem to use a corporate wide 1000 or 1500 etc. lb rating for all non-truck/suv TRs regardless of engine & suspension set-ups between models & sub-models - & most are not doing either the SAE nor Euro equivalent tow rating testing at all to reach those TR numbers (e.g.: the braking, uphill pulling, etc. standards therein), since those standard tests aren't legally required.

Instead they seem to be picking arbitrary numbers that make their marketing & the accountants happy. Like the Chrysler 300 example above that went from a healthy 5000 lbs TR with the V8, down to the generic 1000 lbs a few years later, and then with no TR listed anymore.

Another thing to be aware of for all vehicles - is that the printed "generic model" ratings & weights for all vehicles - whether for tow or not - are for a "base model" without options. So most/all cars etc. will have a second sticker on your driver door jamb listing your vehicle's curb, payload, etc. weights as it is actually optioned. Those are the numbers you need to be using for your particular vehicle - not the "book numbers".

Some mfgrs are doing both the SAE & the Euro/TUV tests for their vehicles, such as VW, Audi Porsche - but only Euro/TUV for the cars unfortunately, as noted above about they & others not sending tow option cars to the USA.

Cheers!
Tom
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Old 12-01-2021, 01:50 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh View Post
I am under the impression that nearly all the manufacturers lie about their trailer weights. My tow vehicle is rated for 5000 lbs. My trailer weight maxes out at just under 3000 lbs. loaded or 60% of my tug's maximum rating. I would not want to tow anything heavier. We were told at the time of purchase that our trailer weighed 2000 lbs. dry. In actuality it weighed approximately 350 lbs. more.
.
Bill & all -

The trailer dry/empty weights are not only with all tanks empty, no gear, luggage, galley supplies & dishes/pans - but also no options either. Therefore your "extra" 350 lbs was probably some option(s) they left off of the basic wt. Others will openly list what options are included in the base wt.

For example, for our other bigger vintage "silver twinkie" 1960 Avion T20 it listed 2680 lbs TW & 275 HW as dry/empty/no-options, and that would've been without any LP, fresh, grey or black water tanks, no water heater, no AC, no house batteries (2x heavy 6V tractor batteries), & without a bunch of other options - as basically a "Park Model" where you only used the Trailer/RV Park hook-ups for everything.

It's now in reality as optioned & later restored (2007), with 2x 30 lb LP tanks, 27 gal fresh & 18 gal black water tanks (no grey tank), 10 gal water heater, AC, Microwave, TV/DVD, House Battery, etc. - all tanks full plus all of our plentiful gear, clothes & vintage trailer rally goodies & stuff, & our 160 lb Hensley Cub hitch - it's about 3000-3500+/- lbs. wet & loaded to camp, with a 382 lb HW not counting the 160 lb Hensley Cub hitch as mounted (542 lbs with Cub per my Sherline HW scale).

So an even more substantial difference than with your 350 lbs over base wt. Scamp - & much the same as with other trailers today - where the manufacturers are still trying to put their trailers in the best light & lightest weight to sell them.

So it pays to know both the various weights & ratings, as well as how they're actually calculated. In most cases your trailer will be optioned to a higher weight than listed/book values show - but trailer makers aren't required to list them as optioned as far as I know.

In general, trailer makers are less regulated on weights, than are auto/truck makers - and both were less so in the past.

Also Bill - condolences to a fellow Burgher on the dismal end to the Steelers' `21 season. So what will Ben do now!?

Cheers!
Tom
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Old 12-01-2021, 02:07 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Tom_T View Post
Skyaki -

You don't say what tow vehicle you're looking at - so it's a bit of a mystery to us all on here trying to advise.

If I read your location info correctly, you're in Ontario Canada (assuming not Ontario CA or another location).

If so you're lucky & you can go over in person to CanAm RV in ONT with your Boler & see which tow vehicles he'd recco for you, & then properly set it up once you get something. He may even have scales to weigh it, so call or email first to get input.

However, even if not convenient or too far - you can still call, email or PM him on this forum or at the sister Airstream Forums for his input.

While my quick look at 1974 Boler & some SoCal vintage trailer buddies with Bolers, Scamps, etc. indicates that you may have your Boler over 1500 lbs wet & fully loaded with your gear - I do have to disagree with Charles in GA that there are no trailers "...less than 1500-2000 lbs."

In fact there are many small trailers who are 1000-1500 lbs or less - especially in the 1950-70's vintage trailer era - & they are specifically GTWR at those lower max. weights - & in the 1950-70's now vintage trailers era, even the smaller Airstream, Avion, Silverstreak, & other "silver twinkies", Shasta & other "canned hams", & FGs & other sub-25' trailers were specifically built light in order to be towed by cars & stationwagons - vs. today's marketing trend of big trucks & SUVs.

Such as our 1970 Eriba Puck being plaqued as dry/empty at 660 lbs with a max 1000 lbs; which we tow with our now classic 1988 VW Westfalia (2200 lbs TR), & will soon with our also now classic 1985 BMW 325e E30 (3500 lbs TR) as soon as I can get the factory hitch etc. installed on it.

Not to worry though - most smaller 1500 lb tow rated compact & mid-sized cars/CUVs/SUVs/Minivans/pick-ups/etc of all makes usually also have a tow option available which boosts their rating to 2500 - 3500 lbs or more. So if looking at new order that tow option, or look for that option on used cars if looking in that market. And if you don't need to buy now, you'll be well served to wait a bit to buy something, until after the new & used car supply & prices get back to normal (it's starting to drop on some now).

Another thing to note, is that many cars/minivans/CUVs/SUVs used to have much higher tow ratings on earlier versions without any change to chassis nor drivetrain - than their later model years with lower or no stated tow ratings, which appears to be more about marketing trucks/SUVs with higher profit margins & no CAFE fuel mpg requirements &/or to avoid legit warranty claims. A good example was the great towing car 2000s-2010s Chrysler 300 (& Magnum) which started off with a 5000 lbs TR, but later they stopped listing any rating as they pushed more for RAM trucks & SUVs with higher profits & not part of CAFE ratings.

Also, many of the Asian & Euro/UK imports have tow ratings & tow options outside of the USA, & are fully capable TVs in the rest of the world (ROW), but aren't marketed &/or fitted-out as such here in the USA (such as my `85 BMW) - but you can tow with them very capably & safely with both/either their ROW hitch & electrical hook-ups (adapted for USA 4-pin &/or 7-blade connectors).

Andy T. can help you & others on these matters of towing with the best set-up & good TV & TT match-ups.

You & others may want to watch this video by Andy T. from the recent Spring 2021 virtual RV Conference about towing with "smaller than full-size" pick-up/SUV TVs, setting up rig combos, TTs, etc. -

https://www.rvlifemag.com/rv-seminar...mping-rv-show/



.

This is a really good resource for those towing with smaller vehicles & trailers, as well as the bigger rigs he discusses. Also, RV Lifestyle has an archive of Andy's "Hitch Hints" articles, as well as the CanAm website for articles & videos at the link below.

https://www.canamrv.ca/blog/category/hitch-hints/

.


Good Luck on your hunt!

Cheers!
Tom
///////
Good post and good video! Should be food for thought for many common assumptions. The good information on the video clearly outweighs the part which is assumption or opinion, so it would probably be better to believe everything on the video than none of it.



It reminds me of one of the biggest mistakes you can make in road racing...
If you pick an expert to emulate, then simply copy everything he says and does, then you have just quit winning.

Keep the wheat and discard the chaff.
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Old 12-01-2021, 02:11 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Tom_T View Post
Bill & all -

The trailer dry/empty weights are not only with all tanks empty, no gear, luggage, galley supplies & dishes/pans - but also no options either. Therefore your "extra" 350 lbs was probably some option(s) they left off of the basic wt. Others will openly list what options are included in the base wt.

Cheers!
Tom
///////
Thanks Tom for your non contrary response. Actually I did weigh my trailer totally dry. The only other thing I could have done was let the air out of the tires. I realize options add weight. My trailer was basically without options with few exceptions unlikely to account for more than 100 lbs. additional weight.
Even considering the outside possibility of having 150 option pounds the manufacturer still understated the weight by 10%.
While this proved to not be an issue for me it very well could have been an issue for another buyer thinking their tow vehicle had a slight margin of trailer weight to tow vehicle tow rating.
Happy Holidays to you
Bill
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Old 12-01-2021, 04:28 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom_T View Post
No - by law here & ROW the curb weight is based on only one (1) person - the driver at 150 lbs - plus all fluids full including fuel. So you have to add for driver over 150 plus all passengers & luggage, gear, bikes, etc. for the useful load/payload, TV axles' (F & R GAWR), hitch wt (HW), tow rating (GTWR), combined vehicle TV + TT (CVWR), etc. ratings from that curb wt.

There is some debate on how accurate tow ratings are, when manufacturers seem to use a corporate wide 1000 or 1500 etc. lb rating for all non-truck/suv TRs regardless of engine & suspension set-ups between models & sub-models - & most are not doing either the SAE nor Euro equivalent tow rating testing at all to reach those TR numbers (e.g.: the braking, uphill pulling, etc. standards therein), since those standard tests aren't legally required.

Instead they seem to be picking arbitrary numbers that make their marketing & the accountants happy. Like the Chrysler 300 example above that went from a healthy 5000 lbs TR with the V8, down to the generic 1000 lbs a few years later, and then with no TR listed anymore.

Another thing to be aware of for all vehicles - is that the printed "generic model" ratings & weights for all vehicles - whether for tow or not - are for a "base model" without options. So most/all cars etc. will have a second sticker on your driver door jamb listing your vehicle's curb, payload, etc. weights as it is actually optioned. Those are the numbers you need to be using for your particular vehicle - not the "book numbers".

Some mfgrs are doing both the SAE & the Euro/TUV tests for their vehicles, such as VW, Audi Porsche - but only Euro/TUV for the cars unfortunately, as noted above about they & others not sending tow option cars to the USA.

Cheers!
Tom
///////
I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with. I'm talking about tow ratings and you mention curb weight. In the US, curb weight does not include the driver or any passengers; they are considered part of the payload (Cornell Law). On the other hand, manufacturers following the SAE J2807 tow testing standard (which is now most of them) base tow ratings on two occupants.

EU standards, practices, and tow ratings are often different, but that is irrelevant to this thread, since the question is about a NA-spec vehicle pulling a NA-spec trailer on NA highways.

I agree the bottom-line numbers from a legal standpoint are those on the door sticker: GVWR, GAWRs, and GCWR. If you can make all those numbers work with a trailer over the tow rating, then I think you could make a case it's a safe rig. More often, it's the other way: the trailer is within the tow rating but the tow vehicle is overweight on the GVWR and/or RAWR due to excessive payload.

Certainly tow ratings are somewhat arbitrary. I would guess they are typically decided in the design phase of model development based on market demand in that vehicle class. The engineers design to the target, while building in a certain margin to minimize warranty costs. Once the vehicle is built, it is tow-tested to the target. It may well be tested beyond the target to make sure there is ample margin, but the final, published tow rating is what the design team decided it needed to be. ​

But since you got me thinking, I happen to have a beloved 1500# tow-rated CUV in my driveway ('06 Honda CRV SE AWD), and I looked up some numbers.
From the DOT door sticker, GVWR = 4450#, GAWR = 2200#(front) and 2290#(rear)
From another door sticker, "combined weight of occupants and cargo should not exceed 850#," from which I deduce that the curb weight must be 4450-850 = 3600#. Online sources put it about 100# lower (for the exact model and trim), but I'll take it according to the sticker.
From the towing section of the owner's manual, GCWR = 5950#

The weight of our lightly optioned 13' Scamp varies, but typical is 1750/200#.

So let's say my wife and I are on board, 310#, plus another 100# of miscellaneous cargo, so 410#. Then add a hitch and drawbar (75#) and the tongue weight of our 13' Scamp (200#) and we're up to 685# total payload.

The curb weight of the vehicle is 3600# plus our payload of 685# brings us to 4285# GVW, which is within the 4450# GVWR. So far, so good.

Add the 4285# GVW plus the axle weight of the Scamp (1750-200 = 1550#) yields a GCW of 5835#, which is also less that the GCWR of 5950#. Not a lot of margin, but still within spec.

My biggest concern would be the load on the rear axle exceeding its rating due to the cantilever effect of tongue weight, but it's difficult to to calculate accurately in advance.

Bottom line is an 1750# trailer will be marginal for this vehicle and might well overload the rear axle. Even one extra person puts you over on everything. The 1500# tow rating seems on target and consistent with the DOT weight ratings for this vehicle. There's a little wiggle room, but not much.
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