Quite often Megatyre towbars North Shore Auckland gets inquiries from people asking for the towing capacity of a given vehicle. I always quote the tow rating as advised by the vehicle manufacturer and we always fabricate our towbars to perform to that standard.
I might quote a towbar rating of say 600 kgs unbraked and 1400 braked; then the customer says they need us to supply a stronger towbar rated to 2000 kgs unbraked so they can tow their double horse float! I then have to tell them that it is not possible to exceed the vehicle manufactuers rating. I often give them the example of a 1000 cc small car rated to 750 kgs saying that even if we put a 4wd vehicles towbar on the back, the vehicle would still only be rated for 750 kgs.
The vehicles manufacturer will have calculated the towbars load rating after considering factors such as vehicle weight, brakes, wheelbase, towbar anchorage points, engine size and other factors relevant to a safe rating. Just because you have a powerfull vehicle does not always mean it has a high towing capacity.
It is important to note that the rating stamped on top of towballs, eg. 2000 kgs and 3500 kgs, is the rating of the towball itself, it does not mean that rating applies to the towbar.
If a vehicles towing rating is important to you, check it before you buy it!
Its a really great post iv saw, thanks!
thank you
I had a bar fitted on my volvo v70 xc with a rating of 2000kg braked & 75kg unbraked? Does that sound correct?
hello ike
depending on your vehicles chassis/model number, our data says your vehicles towing capacities are either 700 kgs unbraked, 1600 braked with a tongue load of 60 kgs OR 700 kgs unbraked, 1800 kgs braked with a 80 kgs tongue load.
obviously these ratings apply to our towbars, i have no idea of what sort of towbar has been fitted to your vehicle or its specifications.
I am amazed how no vehicle has an unbraked towing capacity higher than 1000kgs. In fact most seem to only be rated to about 550 kgs.
thank you sir!
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Your comments are so correct, there must be a lot of pressure from people wanting you to rate their towbars/vehicles at a higher rting than what is legally possible.
Hi – I have a towbar fitted w/ rating 750kg unbraked, 1400kg braked – the coupling I have on my Caravan has no brake, (it is a 750kg Liteweight) just wondering if we change the coupling to a braked one, does that mean the loaded weight of the Caravan can be 1400kg? Thanks
Hello Lia
provided there are no other considerations you have not mentioned in your post, fitting brakes to your caravan should have the effect of raising its braked tow rating to the maximum quoted for your given towbar/vehicle combination. Megatyre does not fit brakes to caravans etc but there are quite a few specialists in this field who will be able to confirm all relevant details before commencement of work on your caravan.
regards
Peter