Towbar Ratings

yendor, Jan 31, 11:04pm
Have just brought a pop up camper, it weighs around 700 - 800kg, our car is only rated to 500kg un-braked & 1500kg braked on the tow bar sticker. After making a few inquiries today it seems that braked trailer components are only made for weights over 1500kg. So, do you need brakes!, what is the law! and what would your insurance company say if you had a crash and had a trailer on over 500kg & no brakes!. Is there an easy way to get brakes on the camper!, it has durotorque suspension at present.

unideck, Jan 31, 11:39pm
The law states at 30km you must be able to pull to a dead stop within 7m :) Go on, try it haha. Don't forget the extra "stuff" you will be adding like food, water, clothes etc etc etc.

franc123, Jan 31, 11:57pm
This is NZTA's factsheet on light vehicle towing, it will answer all of your questions.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/glovebox-guide-safe-loading-towing/guide-safe-loading-towing.html

Read it once, read it through again, apply some common sense and make up your own mind.I don't see any problems if your car is amidsize one and thus has an adequate mass, can stop in the above distance, and it obviously has a towbar that will be up to the job.Don't forget to add an extra trans cooler if it's auto.People have been towing poptops for years with 1600-2000cc cars without any safety problems.

yendor, Feb 28, 10:56am
Thanks for reply, anyone had experience with insurance companies on this subject!