Towing with a Volvo - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-20-2009, 03:07 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 1
I have a Volvo 740 Turbo and understand it has a limit of 200 lbs tongue weight.
Does anyone have experience with using a Volvo to pull a 13 foot fiberglass trailer?
Bruce Cameron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 10:05 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Booker B.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1976 Trillium 13 ft
Posts: 995
Hi Bruce,

I pull a 13' Trillium with a Subaru but a number of members have or are pulling 13's Scamp/Boler/Trilliums with Volvo's. The tongue weight isn't as big a deal as the tow capacity of your car - my Trilliums tongue weight is generally under 150lbs with a propane tank/battery on the tongue.
Booker B. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 03:31 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Al V's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2005 17 ft Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 315
Send a message via Yahoo to Al V
only thing i remember is on the x counrtys the oil cooler for the rear differential used to activate a lot, this was from a few years back not sure if yours uses the same. pretty neat idea a cooler for the differential
Al V is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 05:42 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
CliveAlive's Avatar
 
Trailer: Boler American (#3104)
Posts: 554
Registry

I tow with a 240 and have the equivalent of these ...

http://www.ipdusa.com/product.asp?strParen...chStartRecord=1

"Overload springs offer a 20% stiffer spring rate over stock, returning your Volvo to its proper ride height and will increase carrying capacity overall."

Also IPD are having a sale July 8, 9 and 10th. Springs will be 15% off
CliveAlive is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2009, 08:46 PM   #5
Member
 
Michelle A's Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 35
I live in the Yukon Territory, and twice now I've seen Volvo Wagon's hauling 13 foot fiberglass trailers. The plates are from the states somewhere, so I'm sure they're travelling long distances with them.

I also have a 4 cylinder Subaru that I tow a 13 foot boler with. Towing capacity on the Subaru is about 2,400. We returned from a long trip to BC... the car and boler did great!
Michelle A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 01:00 AM   #6
Member
 
Name: elizabeth
Trailer: T@B
Oregon
Posts: 55
Overload springs make a lot of sense....how are they working out?
ORshepherd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 07:15 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
Posts: 2,445
In tests mad in the dark ages (1979) the addition of air lifts gave roughly 1/2 the effect of a weight distributing hitch.
Air bags or helper springs would correct the rear ride height. The bags let you lower the car to the correct level without the load. Not quite, however, since you need to keep a little pressure on them at all times to keep them from pinching and leaking.
redbarron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 07:27 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Volvo Towing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Cameron View Post
I have a Volvo 740 Turbo and understand it has a limit of 200 lbs tongue weight.
Does anyone have experience with using a Volvo to pull a 13 foot fiberglass trailer?
Hi Dave and Welcome to the group.

Sorry you haven't gotten any specific answers to your question yet. There are currently two discussions running about towing with the XC-70, closer, but still no cigar I guess.

For starters, why don't you post the specific year and model of your Volvo so we can get more details.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 12:02 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Hi Again
I looked at the specifications for a 1990 740 Turbo and the 200 lb maximum tongue weight is correct. Here is a reference on the Volvo site.
Volvo 1990 740 Model


As a note, DO NOT be misled by hitch capacities for after market hitches. They are built to specifications for the class of hitch, and DO NOT raise or change the vehicles towing capacity.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 12:27 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Pic is of a spring bar from my WDH.
Some might think that I could tow 14,000 lbs., but the spec that counts is the one in my RAV4 manual, which says 3,500 lbs.
Spec is capacity of the hitch, not the vehicle, meaning it would be good to use to 14,000 lbs. if the vehicle was rated that high.
Attached Thumbnails
WDHitch specs1.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2015, 02:42 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Here is a possible answer:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post538980



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 10:37 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
Posts: 2,445
I was looking for some information on the Volvo and came across this brochure and thought it might be of interest to some.

https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/pdf/Tow...flet_Jan08.pdf

Evidently Volvo takes towing seriously. The last paragraph of their statement is as follows:

Tough durability tests

As well as its towing tests at home in Sweden, Volvo Car Corporation also tests
its cars in Death Valley, California. In extreme heat, with temperatures well over 40
degrees, test cars are driven with fully loaded trailers on a 23.3 kilometre long uphill
climb with an average gradient of 7%. Nowhere else in the world can a tow car be
subjected to such extreme trials. All Volvo cars have to go through this extreme test
before the test engineers give their approval.
redbarron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 01:08 PM   #13
MC1
Senior Member
 
MC1's Avatar
 
Name: Wayne
Trailer: Airstream Sold, Nest Fan
Ontario
Posts: 2,002
JD, your info is correct. There is no other car company that puts their "cars" through such demanding towing tests.

Bruce, your 740 is a tough, solidly built vehicle. FYI my online pal has a S60 sedan and is utilizing the vehicle's full potential. Custom receiver, WDH, pro set up, and towing a good sized trailer it is working well.
You should have no problem towing a 13' egg providing the Volvo is connected correctly. Also suggest heavy duty tranny cooler and brakes on the trailer. Best off luck with your venture.
MC1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 01:28 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Talk to the peeps at the hamburger stands in Mojave, CA. They see unmarked test cars passing through to the desert at least once a week, complete with cardboard masking to disguise shapes and mask logos. I parked besides two sand covered masked off BMW's one time when stopping for a snack in Mojave.


While I respect Volvo's long lived reputation for reliability, that's a claim that they have been using at least as far back as the 140 series. That's all great information if you have a Volvo in the UK, but can be very misleading to attempt to apply to U.S. versions in the U.S., Just ask Ellpea.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 01:38 PM   #15
MC1
Senior Member
 
MC1's Avatar
 
Name: Wayne
Trailer: Airstream Sold, Nest Fan
Ontario
Posts: 2,002
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
That's all great information if you have a Volvo in the UK, but can be very misleading to attempt to apply to U.S. versions in the U.S.
Apparently the Volvo's from Sweden work great in the North American climate.
MC1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 02:01 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Quote:
Originally Posted by MC1 View Post
Apparently the Volvo's from Sweden work great in the North American climate.
The discussion was about towing capabilities, not climate capabilities.

I have owned more Volvos than I care to count, from a 445 Duett to P-1800's that I raced with factory support.

And Death Valley in Feb is a fairly mild climate, seldom about 85.... no real big deal. but great advertising hype, especially in the UK.

Again, ask Ellpea about Volvo towing specifications in the U.S.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 03:43 PM   #17
Member
 
Name: elizabeth
Trailer: T@B
Oregon
Posts: 55
Quote:
Originally Posted by redbarron55 View Post
I was looking for some information on the Volvo and came across this brochure and thought it might be of interest to some.

https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/pdf/Tow...flet_Jan08.pdf

Evidently Volvo takes towing seriously. The last paragraph of their statement is as follows:

Tough durability tests

As well as its towing tests at home in Sweden, Volvo Car Corporation also tests
its cars in Death Valley, California. In extreme heat, with temperatures well over 40
degrees, test cars are driven with fully loaded trailers on a 23.3 kilometre long uphill
climb with an average gradient of 7%. Nowhere else in the world can a tow car be
subjected to such extreme trials. All Volvo cars have to go through this extreme test
before the test engineers give their approval.
Thank you for that info! I am towing with an xc70 that acquits herself quite admirably!!!
ORshepherd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 06:03 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
honda03842's Avatar
 
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
On average Death Valley has 191 days over 90 F, 141 days over 100 F. As well there are significant elevation changes.
__________________
Norm and Ginny

2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
honda03842 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 06:49 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
I was just making the point that just because Volvo claimed doing a road test in Death Valley doesn't mean that it was under adverse conditions. It seemed more of a show for those far, far away.
And there are 5 months of the year where the average temp is below 80, several well below 80.
Death Valley CA Average Temperatures by Month - Current Results


On the rare occasion of spring rains, we go there for the wild flower blooms



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 06:53 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by MC1 View Post
JD, your info is correct. There is no other car company that puts their "cars" through such demanding towing tests.

Actually Volvo was involved in the development on the SAE J2807 Tow Test Standard which is used for not just trucks but “Light truck and vehicles" Which the majority of auto makers have been using for a couple of years now.

Read more: SAE J2807 Tow Tests - The Standard
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
New to towing :D JonE Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 3 07-13-2009 09:05 PM
Volvo P1800 Roger H General Chat 15 02-04-2008 09:30 AM
Volvo V70 Ian R General Chat 1 04-06-2006 09:19 PM
Towing with a Kia Benita General Chat 3 02-19-2006 06:32 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:13 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.