Why Towing Capacity is "Higher" in Europe

[chuyler1]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

What I find interesting is that the maximum hitch weight on both continents is often the same - at 4% on the hitch, Europeans can tow a trailer of much heavier total weight than a North American at 10%.

I've been thinking the same thing Andrew. I really think vehicles have a limit on tongue weight and in North America that is expected to be 10-15% of the total weight of the trailer while in Europe they are fine with 4-5%. If a vehicle can only handle 200lbs on the tongue that translates to 2,000lbs in North America and 4,000lbs (1,800kg) in Europe. Whether that distribution results in sway really depends on trailer design and packing. If you get the majority of that weight on the axle(s) and you aren't counter weighting the rear of the trailer to reduce tongue weight then sway shouldn't be an issue at the government mandated speed limits for towing trailers.

...but that doesn't mean we can do the same thing here. Our trailers may not be designed with that sort of distribution in mind. Throwing heavy items like full propane tanks and generators right on the tongue doesn't mean you can put equally heavy items in the back to offset them and keep the tongue light.

And then there's the speed issue. Driving under 60 mph feels incredibly slow when 18 wheelers are buzzing past you at 70+ mph. People may say they keep their speed in check while towing, but I've seen plenty of drivers with UHauls and other trailers flying down the passing lane without any regard to what might happen if they had to make an emergency stop.

[honda03842]

Chris,

Much of making a trailer safe'r' to tow is conscious choice.

Our solution to 'weighty' tongues is not to do it.

We don't carry propane 'tanks', a single propane tank is adequate. We find propane available every where we travel, even the most far out places. In 13 years we've run out once.

On the rare occasions that we have carried a small generator it was carried in the back of the Honda, over or forward of the rear axle. (Actually if it's heavy we try to keep it over the axle instead of near the rear door of the Honda.)

Another factor for us is that between us we've lost 100 pounds of weight in our years of travel, not much of a factor because we're closer to the Honda's front axle.

As to weight distribution in the trailer, besides placing weighty items over or near the axle, we have little weight up high. All our canned goods are in a little pantry over the axle, similarly with pots and pans. Though we have more overhead cabinets than most, only fluff stuff is high.

We carry virtually no glass dishes, just plastic. Though we travel for long periods, we don't carry a lot of stuff, no screen rooms, no coolers, no....

We have under trailer storage, helping to keep weight low, for some of our tools, things we feel we need to carry but don't use often, like socket sets, extension cords, hardware.

Though none of these things are big things they all add a little margin to safer travel.

We do carry four outside chairs, they are all aluminum. They are light and have the benefit of not rusting.

We don't need to be paranoid about things, just conscious. We can make good choices that move our set ups in the best direction.

[MC1]

The difference has to do with culture.

Off shore you have smaller vehicles and they are not into the use of WDH's. That is why the tongue weights are on the light side. Because they are on the light side they design their trailers in a way that they can be towed that way.

In NA there is a split culture. The mainstream side use the traditional large heavy vehicle and use a WDH, or just on the ball if the trailer is light enough.

Then there are the lighter vehicle as in cars that the marketing folks here see has non participants in the towing field. So they simply rate them low so folks ignore them and buy the big profit, big heavy vehicles.

Then again you have the specialty group who evaluates lighter vehicles, works with their potential, adds the valued WDH to the mix, and comes up with the ultimate TV's. With that comes economy, stability, and safety.

[honda03842]

I am aware of the speed issue, the differential between trailers and semis in particular.

Unfortunately I am more aware of the speed differential between cars and trailers. Cars besides driving faster than semis, dart from lane to lane.

Semi drivers tend to be good drivers and often find themselves in speed differential situations where they are the slow vehicle. Actually on most up hills I am faster than the semis and will pass them if the opportunity is there.

I find that the speed differential on highways is not much of a problem. On highways I tend to drive a little faster, 60 mph and there's usually multiple lanes and semis can go around me.

On roads without multi-lanes like the Harbour Breton road where trucks make a daily 300 mile run on a rough, two lane road, I simply give way to people in big trucks; they are working, I am not. In return I usually get a 'rear light wink' from the passing truck.

Do other trailers fly by me on occasions. Frequently on the major north south Interstates. We generally avoid them except in MA, CT, NY and NJ where there are really no alternatives. Over 13 years of travel we have found non-interstates are more interesting have many benefits.

In general we do not use the Interstate system to rush from destination to destination. Our goal is to explore North America and North America is not found on the interstates or inter-province roads.

As we're proud to say, we've driven 'every road' in Newfoundland. It's not getting from here to there. It's meeting the people between places. We are fortunate to have a different life, to be retired, to have developed a way quite different from our former life. I do understand that some people need to fly about, that their lives are different from ours.

Feeling mighty lucky. The sun is shining here in Newfoundland, icebergs are out our front window and I know a place that makes the best partridge berry/orange scones. Also it's Friday and that's Pizza night at the island's only bakery..can't wait to try a Newfoundland Pizza. We haven't had a pizza since we left NH.

Wishing all safe travels...