What Can I Tow - Caravanners use the 85% rule to work out if their car is able to tow the caravan they would like to buy. If you exceed this limit you may end up in a dangerous situation - experienced caravanners know that they should not exceed this limit unless they have a lot of experience and have years of towing experience.
To use the 85% rule to correctly match a caravan with your car you will need:
You should now have a correct 85% match. If you choose a caravan with an MTPLM (maximum technically permitted laden mass -the caravan's weight plus all your caravanning gear) of about the same you should be able to tow safely.
Remember - your caravan dealer will always be able to help you decide what you can tow.
Noseweight
When working out "what can I tow" remember to check the noseweight. Noseweight is the amount of weight which your caravan puts on it's hitch. You can buy a proper noseweight gauge or just use a pair of bathroom scales placed on the ground under the hitch with a piece of wood placed vertically between the hitch and the scales. The caravan's noseweight should be roughly 7% of the caravan's MTPLM. Check your car handbook for it's maximum noseweight.
There are a few things you can do to keep your caravans weight down and to keep it safe when towing -
We know these facts and figures are rather confusing - once you have worked out the correct figure which you can tow, you can start looking for your caravan. Your caravan dealer should always be able to help you with this.
If you would like more safety information, specifically about caravan tyres, please click here.