| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 2006.1 | 1Kg = 2.2lbs | BLKPUD::WILLIAMSH | | Thu Jan 28 1993 13:19 | 8 |
| Hmm, you're very close.
I make 16 cwt to be 814.5 Kg.
Aren't there insurance implications if you overload your car's towing
capacity?
Huw.
|
| 2006.2 | Don't believe that figures | KERNEL::PETTET | Norm Pettet CSC Basingstoke | Thu Jan 28 1993 15:36 | 10 |
| Tim,
Don't believe the manufacturers figures, they are based purely on
the ability of the car to pull the stated weight up a 12% gradient.
A much better rule is NEVER pull any trailer/caravan whose weight is
greater than the unlaiden dry weight of the towing car. The caravan club
recommend that you never exceed 85% of the weight of the towing car.
Norm
|
| 2006.3 | | ESBS01::RUTTER | Rut The Nut | Thu Jan 28 1993 15:41 | 6 |
| Although you will get some answers in here, you *may* find a better,
more knowledgeable (sp ?) response in the 'caravanners' conference.
I'm sure Mr [Alan] Smart can provide a pointer...
J.R. (not meaning to cause offence)
|
| 2006.4 | Yes...but! | LARVAE::SMART_A | Resists anything except temptation! | Thu Jan 28 1993 17:49 | 9 |
| Caravans conference is on TRUCKS::CARAVANS_UK.
The basic assumption is that you should keep to 85% of the car's EEC
kerb weight but.... different models have different characteristics and
this can only be a rule of thumb.
BTW the most umlikely car ( in most people's view) got the towcar of
the year award - a Calibra 4x4 turbo!
|
| 2006.5 | Torque plus delivery! | UTROP1::BOSMAN_P | | Fri Jan 29 1993 09:54 | 37 |
| Towing capacity:
There are three area's to look at:
1. Pulling POWER, meaning torque at LOW revs. KWatts are no use when
pulling heavy loads unless the transmission is geared down. So when
compairing cars/engines, look at the torque graphs closely.
You'l find that turbo-diesels are usually the top in this respect.
2. Weight. What is the vehicle weight, payload, train weight etc.
Torque vs. total weight gives a good compairison figure as well.
3. Torque transfer: meaning the capability to MOVE a load. No use to
have a torquey engine if the clutch/gear combo won't let you get it on
the move.
When pulling away on a hill THIS is the deciding/limiting factor. Mosdt
cars have more than enough power to overcome the gravity forces, very
few however can deliver it. It is quite a feature to overcome the rev.
differance between the crankshaft at max.torque revs and a zero-rev.
output shaft!
Usually automatics, with an HD-oilcooler on the tranny, are unbeatable
in this respect.
For safety, control, reasons the pulled weight should be in a safe
relation to the vehicle weight.
A 1 ton 4wd CAN easily pull a 4.5 ton load, just put it in 4wd-low, BUT
will have a hard time getting trough traffic safely!
Have a look at the brake construction as well.
Personally I look at:
- Torque/revs/vehicle weight (150 Nm/2500 revs/1000 kg if,)
- Vehicle weight/Trainweight (1000kg/2000kg)
Clutch/tranny type/construction and gear ratios influance the actual
ratios I look for.
Good luck,
Peter
|
| 2006.6 | ***TRACTION*** | CMOTEC::JASPER | | Fri Jan 29 1993 12:18 | 16 |
| This topic is discussed at length in the Caravans_uk note, but a factor
missing from -1 is that the car also has to DELIVER the power to the
tarmac 8-].
I have towed with 3 FWD cars, & when there is a load beyond the rear
axle & moisture on the road surface, dont rely too heavily on the
manufacturers figure for hill-starts, you may be sitting standstill
while the speedo shows 30 mph. The Belmont I had produced lots
of power, but while starting on a mountain road I couldnt see for blue
smoke from the front tyres :-(
Getting the mass rolling is I guess where 4wd really scores, so its no
surprise to me that the Vauxhall walked away as prizewinner. Me ? I
switched to rwd & LSD.
Tony.
|