Maximum Towing Capacity T6.1 4-Motion

[Viktorgeorge]

I am trying to work out the maximum California towing capacity legally, for a braked trailer/caravan, and also get feedback on what will feel comfortable and safe (which is probably much less).

I have a Ocean T6.1 4-motion on order, with removable tow bar, non-slip differential, hill descent control and driver profile selection (so suspension can presumably be stiffened). I also have a pre 1997 driving licence with BE, C1E &D1E entitlements.

Has anyone else done this research or had practical experience on this?

It looks to me as if I can tow up to 3500kg (3.5 tonnes) under my licence entitlement 'BE', up to 7500kg under 'C1E' and up to 8920kg (12,000-3080kg) under D1E.

I can find no reference on my web searches (GOV.CO.UK etc.) to maximum length of vehicle towed - though I thought there was one - and similarly I can find no reference to a requirement that the 'braked' towed vehicle being no heavier than the towing vehicle.

I am thinking of both a largish caravan, and towing other vehicles on a trailer. I am looking at buying a caravan before my California is delivered, and have both an old Land Rover and a VW Phaeton 4-motion 3ltr TDi for towing in the meantime. The towing would be occasional, i.e. not touring as such, more a case of taking it annually to a single location.

 

[TripleBee]

2500 kg for my 140hp front wheel driven California.

Yours will be the same.

 

[WelshGas]

T6.1, 204 4Motion - 2500 Kgm Braked, 750 Kgm Unbraked.

 

[Calimili]

T6.1, 204 4Motion - 2500 Kgm Braked, 750 Kgm Unbraked.

may I ask... 2500kg is also on my T6 150 4M. But total weight is 5300.
If I'm fully loaded at 3080 and tow 2500kg I exceed 5300kg.
Does this mean I can tow 2500Kg but I cannot than exceed 2800 effective weight on my van ?

 

[B J G]

Maximum trailer gross weight is as said before 2,500kgs with a Cali..
Note! you cannot tow a trailer that is 3,500kgs gross even empty - legally.

Rule generally used for Caravan towing weight is 85% of towing vehicle
eg 3,000kgs Cali is 2,550kgs. The 2,500kgs is the max.
Majority of caravans can be towed but the heavier the harder to both pull and control in emergency situations they are.

Cali Insurance only covers trailers up to 750kgs, over that requires trailer/caravan to be insured. Ensure you declare that the Towbar is fitted as it's considered a modification. You may know all that but----

ps the pre 1997 towing rule applies to all Drivers now due to a rule change a few days ago. Part of the speeding up tests for HGV Drivers etc.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Thank you, TripleBee and WelshGas.

I take it you are referring to maximum legal load, rather than maximum comfortable load to tow (braked), though if 2500kg is correct for the former (braked) then I am guessing this is also comfortable to tow.

Also, that you are referring to the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of the trailer i.e. including any load.

I had heard those figures too, but they do not match what GOV.CO.UK id telling me given my licence entitlements, see insert. What is your source, please?

Calimili, where your 5300kg figure come from, please?

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Thank you, TripleBee and WelshGas.

I take it you are referring to maximum legal load, rather than maximum comfortable load to tow (braked), though if 2500kg is correct for the former (braked) then I am guessing this is also comfortable to tow.

Also, that you are referring to the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of the trailer i.e. including any load.

I had heard those figures too, but they do not match what GOV.CO.UK id telling me given my licence entitlements, see insert. What is your source, please?

Calimili, where your 5300kg figure come from, please?

Maximum trailer gross weight is as said before 2,500kgs with a Cali..
Note! you cannot tow a trailer that is 3,500kgs gross even empty - legally.

Rule generally used for Caravan towing weight is 85% of towing vehicle
eg 3,000kgs Cali is 2,550kgs. The 2,500kgs is the max.
Majority of caravans can be towed but the heavier the harder to both pull and control in emergency situations they are.

Cali Insurance only covers trailers up to 750kgs, over that requires trailer/caravan to be insured. Ensure you declare that the Towbar is fitted as it's considered a modification. You may know all that but----

ps the pre 1997 towing rule applies to all Drivers now due to a rule change a few days ago. Part of the speeding up tests for HGV Drivers etc.

Thank you, BJG.

That all is helpful and makes sense, and I don't want to tow in excess of the comfortable and safe.

Useful info, thank you, also regarding: standard California Insurance (750kgs max); declaring tow bar (did not know that); and 1997 towing rule update.

But to be clear is the 85% rule the law, or just best practice? and is the 2500kgs that you and others are advising therefore similarly based and this 85% rule - if so where is it set out because as per my previous post, I found nothing on gov.co.uk making such a restriction for me.

 

[WelshGas]

may I ask... 2500kg is also on my T6 150 4M. But total weight is 5300.
If I'm fully loaded at 3080 and tow 2500kg I exceed 5300kg.
Does this mean I can tow 2500Kg but I cannot than exceed 2800 effective weight on my van ?

Yes, according to the information in the VW T6.1 brochure.
In fact it’s the same on my 2014 4Motion.

 

[B J G]

85% is the long standing caravan guide for all vehicles, just a coincidence that it's the same in this case to Cali spec. Max.

GOV.uk and DVSA both give guides in scrapping of 1997 trailer towing change. From 16 Dec. I think. Licences will be updated when renewed automatically.

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you, BJG.

That all is helpful and makes sense, and I don't want to tow in excess of the comfortable and safe.

Useful info, thank you, also regarding: standard California Insurance (750kgs max); declaring tow bar (did not know that); and 1997 towing rule update.

But to be clear is the 85% rule the law, or just best practice? and is the 2500kgs that you and others are advising therefore similarly based and this 85% rule - if so where is it set out because as per my previous post, I found nothing on gov.co.uk making such a restriction for me.

85% is best practice, not a legal requirement.
2,500 Kgm is maximum towing limit of the VW California as decided by VW.

 

[andyinluton]

Maximum trailer gross weight is as said before 2,500kgs with a Cali..
Note! you cannot tow a trailer that is 3,500kgs gross even empty - legally.

It is perfectly legal to tow an empty 3500kg trailer behind a Cali as long as your licence covers it ( since the recent relaxation of rules I think just about every bodies does now) .

It is the laden weight of the trailer that counts.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I now feel fully briefed. I had not realised VW set their own limit for towing capacity. This all makes sense, finally. Thank you.

 

[B J G]

85% is the long standing caravan guide for all vehicles, just a coincidence that it's the same in this case to Cali spec. Max.

GOV.uk and DVSA both give guides in scrapping of 1997 trailer towing change. From 16 Dec. I think. Licences will be updated when renewed automatically.

That is trailer tests now not required.

 

[B J G]

It is perfectly legal to tow an empty 3500kg trailer behind a Cali as long as your licence covers it ( since the recent relaxation of rules I think just about every bodies does now) .

It is the laden weight of the trailer that counts.

I'm certain that new rule is the gross trailer weight is what is used for towing limit now. Recall thinking that I can no longer tow a 2700kgs Ifor W. Box Trailer with the Cali. Have to delve a bit as Grosse weights are used as in Driving licence, you can't drive a lorry that weighs 7000kgs empty but is 16000kgs Grosse.

 

[andyinluton]

As long as you have a licence to cover the plated weight, the towing vehicle only has to be capable of the actual weight.

Extract below from the .Gov website on towing updated September 2021


"Where the sum of the maximum plated weights of the towing vehicle and of the trailer added together exceed the plated GCW of the towing vehicle, this is not a problem as long as the ‘actual’ weights of the vehicle and trailer (which may not be fully laden at the time) do not exceed the plated GCW."

 

[66tim99]

Ensure you declare that the Towbar is fitted as it's considered a modification. You may know all that but----

Nothing factory fitted was considered a ‘modification’ when I was phoning round insurance brokers

 

[B J G]

Nothing factory fitted was considered a ‘modification’ when I was phoning round insurance brokers

Did you check Towbar specifically?
If you do an online quote and there you will find that Towbar is listed under Modifications heading.

When I was renewing my safeguard Policy they were quite clear that a Towbar, whether fitted by the Factory or not, is classed as a modification, didn't add to the cost but they needed to know.
Not sure how a claim would fare if a trailer was on tow during the accident and it wasn't declared.

 

[B J G]

Thank you, BJG.

That all is helpful and makes sense, and I don't want to tow in excess of the comfortable and safe.

Useful info, thank you, also regarding: standard California Insurance (750kgs max); declaring tow bar (did not know that); and 1997 towing rule update.

But to be clear is the 85% rule the law, or just best practice? and is the 2500kgs that you and others are advising therefore similarly based and this 85% rule - if so where is it set out because as per my previous post, I found nothing on gov.co.uk making such a restriction for me.

The legal limit is just that.
What is comfortable and within the capability of your vehicle is a subjective matter.

From many decades of Caravan towing for ease and comfort on the road it is important to be able to keep up with the traffic flow or you find that you will go 'backwards' in the queue plus get cutup by the must pass a caravan drivers.

My buying criteria was not to buy any longer than essential for the berths needed. Keep the weight as low as possible for towing and fuel economy.
If going to France then short caravans are adviseable to get into their hedged pitches.

I'd be looking at under 2,000kgs loaded with 1,750 as a target. Actually find that I can have what I would require with only a 1200kgs weight.

My experience

 

[andyinluton]

I am trying to work out the maximum California towing capacity legally, for a braked trailer/caravan, and also get feedback on what will feel comfortable and safe (which is probably much less).

For your 4motion Cali the maximum train weight is 5300kg ie the weight of the loaded van + loaded trailer, this will be stamped on a plate under the bonnet & also gives the maximum load on each axle.

A 4 motion ocean only has 377kg payload & you need to be careful not to overload the van, a bigger trailer/caravan can be 100kg nose weight - that is the load put on your tow bar. It uses up 100kg of that already small 377KG

There are rule as to maximum sizes of trailer - 7m x 2.55m excluding the A frame, any uk caravan should be within those dimensions.

Its worth noting that a 2500kg flat trailer tows very differently to 2500kg of caravan.

 

[Dark Ocean]

We’ve been towing a 1000kg horse trailor with a 500kg horse on board using our 4m Cali, and you can really feel the weight. We specified the removable factory fitted tow bar. The Cali gear changes are certainly more strained and braking is harder but overall I’d say it does a good job.

 

[B J G]

For your 4motion Cali the maximum train weight is 5300kg ie the weight of the loaded van + loaded trailer, this will be stamped on a plate under the bonnet & also gives the maximum load on each axle.

A 4 motion ocean only has 377kg payload & you need to be careful not to overload the van, a bigger trailer/caravan can be 100kg nose weight - that is the load put on your tow bar. It uses up 100kg of that already small 377KG

There are rule as to maximum sizes of trailer - 7m x 2.55m excluding the A frame, any uk caravan should be within those dimensions.

Its worth noting that a 2500kg flat trailer tows very differently to 2500kg of caravan.

Good points there having to adhere to Train (combined) weight.

My 4Motion has a 3080 gross leaving a max towable weight of 2,220kgs (if fully loaded) not the theoretical 2,500kgs.

My V5 has Mass in Service as 2607kgs giving a carrying capacity of 473kgs Not done a weighbridge check.

Rear axle load is also critical when towing. 1,575kgs in my case.

 

[GrannyJen]

As above. From a practical point of view the Cali is a superb towing vehicle. The MPTLM of my Sister's caravan is 1700kg and when we went away for 48 days tour we reached that, helped by two 25kg bikes on a 15kg bike trailer being lashed down inside.

Getting the nose weight correct was more critical, with a tow bar limit of 100kg it took lots of pulling and pushing the bike rack with the two bikes on it to the correct position before I achieved a nose weight of 85kg.

204 4 motion towed without noticing it.

 

[66tim99]

Did you check Towbar specifically?
If you do an online quote and there you will find that Towbar is listed under Modifications heading.

When I was renewing my safeguard Policy they were quite clear that a Towbar, whether fitted by the Factory or not, is classed as a modification, didn't add to the cost but they needed to know.
Not sure how a claim would fare if a trailer was on tow during the accident and it wasn't declared.

I have double checked now. I was always asked the question (along the lines of) “have there been any modifications to the vehicle?” which I answered “no”.
LV have just clarified that is the vehicle was delivered from the factory with a specified towbar, the towbar is not considered a modification. No need to declare a factory towbar.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

For your 4motion Cali the maximum train weight is 5300kg ie the weight of the loaded van + loaded trailer, this will be stamped on a plate under the bonnet & also gives the maximum load on each axle.

A 4 motion ocean only has 377kg payload & you need to be careful not to overload the van, a bigger trailer/caravan can be 100kg nose weight - that is the load put on your tow bar. It uses up 100kg of that already small 377KG

There are rule as to maximum sizes of trailer - 7m x 2.55m excluding the A frame, any uk caravan should be within those dimensions.

Its worth noting that a 2500kg flat trailer tows very differently to 2500kg of caravan.

Really helpful, thank you everyone for your contributions.

 

[B J G]

I have double checked now. I was always asked the question (along the lines of) “have there been any modifications to the vehicle?” which I answered “no”.
LV have just clarified that is the vehicle was delivered from the factory with a specified towbar, the towbar is not considered a modification. No need to declare a factory towbar.

Might have been under the question 'is the vehicle being used to tow?' in the past on other vehicles.