I want to tow a 1200kg vehicle behind my motorhome. It exceeds the unbraked limit of 750kg so requires some sort of braking device linked to the tow vehicle. What's available to achieve this? Any advice would be appreciated.
bwg11,
Jan 15, 8:45am
I may be wrong, but what is this "unbraked limit" of 750 kgs? My boat trailer is unbraked and is way over 750kg.
msigg,
Jan 15, 8:47am
Electric brakes. Hydraulic brakes, you can buy all the parts from super cheap or repco. Must be a small motorhome if that's all it can tow, sure you can't fit a heavy duty tow bar to it. Best to call into a towbar shop and discuss.
jmma,
Jan 15, 8:50am
What is the tow vehicle and how are you towing the towed vehicle?
sas777,
Jan 15, 10:51am
That sounds like the rule over here in Perth. Are you in Oz?
xs1100,
Jan 15, 6:24pm
and how would you fit all this braking up do you think,i m pretty sure the manufacturers didn't leave a lot of room for additional braking.OP you will be fine if you are A framing it around and its like a Suzuki escudo sort of thing. a commodore/falcon you might have a few issues
ceebee2,
Jan 15, 8:17pm
Most common is to A frame Suzuki Escudo or Suzuki Vitara. The Vitara has the facility for towing by having an adapter plug to utilise its rear brake lights when towed. You can also disable the 4WD to be towed.
Another observation I have seen in Australia is to tow your vehicle on a low slung tandem trailer. More variety of vehicles that way.
tony9,
Jan 15, 8:34pm
Would insurance company and Police Accident Investigation unit feel the same way?
mrfxit,
Jan 15, 8:58pm
It could be done with a hydraulic "Y" coupling of some sort between a std drawbar braking system & the towed vehicles own brakes but would need certifying plus a lot of working out the kinks. It could also be pretty hard on the towed vehicles brakes.
Any mods to vehicle braking systems in this case would need certifying & thats partly because you would be towing a std factory vehicle & modding the brakes on that to suit your camper/motorhome.
Best option is to purchase a mid size motorbike & maybe a sidecar arrangement & put them on a small trailer or find a smaller car to tow.
It's your "town runabout" not your main transport so compromise is the key
martin11,
Jan 15, 9:26pm
Most vehicles have an unbraked limit of 750 kgs and the time it will become a problem is when you have an accident either your fault or others while you are towing and then you may have a problem with the police accident team or your insurance may be declined . Some vehicle insurances have a clause in them that states if you are towing over the vehicle manufacturers ratings your claim will be declined . This is happening now in NZ .
bwg11,
Jan 15, 9:54pm
I was under the impression that the law requires that every light vehicle and trailer combination must be capable of stopping within a distance of seven metres from a speed of 30km/h. In effect, this means that the maximum allowable weight of an unbraked trailer is limited by the weight and braking ability of the vehicle being used to tow it, abd not some arbitrary 750 kg limit.
rsr72,
Jan 15, 10:04pm
Methinks it's time to update towing regs to suit modern cars and their much-improved braking and handling ability. And while at it phase out the 1 7/8" towball size for the 2"-50mm size that are increasingly fitted as OEM parts, as the UK has done.
martin11,
Jan 15, 11:10pm
You are right on the braking distance but the 750kg is a manufacturers structural rating on the vehicle . Some vehicle are not allowed tow bars by the makers . Australia has some good information available on most newer vehicle and also the AA . A boating mag in NZ a few years ago did a very good article on towing and the late model Holden could not meet the braking distance to stop in with only about 1000kg being towed and just made it with the 750kg limit .
supernova2,
Jan 16, 12:10am
Short answer = nothing. That is assuming that the restriction is due to the vehicle manufacturer so the only practical solution to your problem will be to use a braked transport trailer.
If its only the towbar rating then you need to get a better higher rated towbar fitted.
martin11,
Jan 16, 12:23am
Ive seen a lot of vans towing vehicles in aus and they have a 2 wheel dolly under the front wheels and I am sure that it is braked , No need for a full transport trailer . Do some research .
petermcg,
Jan 16, 3:49am
Tow your vehicle with an A frame and dont worry about the weights and measures,
raf4,
Jan 16, 6:16am
It is a Kia Dreamtime on a Ford Tr a sit chassis, 3 years old. The reg sticker says the tare wt is 3750kg and the mTM 750kg unbraked or 3000 braked. I want to tow a Suzuki Vitara which weighs 1200kg, so to be within the law it needs to have its brakes linked to the tow vehicle, similar to a lot of caravans. I am in NZ. Thanks for all the feedback but I still haven't got a practical solution
grangies,
Jan 16, 6:44am
I just had to google Kia Dreamtime, as I was wondering why the hell Kia would build a camper on a Ford Transit platform.
Kia = Kea. LOL.
skull,
Jan 16, 7:01am
Linking brakes on a caravan is entirely different to linking the brakes on another automobile. Post #16 is probably the most economic solution.
raf4,
Jan 16, 7:12am
Mmmm, interesting. Thanks, Tony
tub4,
Jan 16, 7:32am
Try a braked dolly under the front wheels of Suzuki Vitara or a small transport trailer for the Vitara, the plus side of this is no wear & tear of the Suzuki Vitara while being towed.
xs1100,
Jan 16, 8:05am
for the towed vehicle to be braked your only option is a trailer or a braked dolly as others have stated, plenty of trailer shops around could make you up a dolly no problem
captaink,
Jan 16, 5:21pm
A trailer is a pain in the butt, so often no room to park it plus the motor home and the toad (towed vehicle). Not sure why you feel the need to tow a vehicle with a Dreamtime, but there are any number of units you can import from the States that sit on the floor and activate the brakes ie no installation required, use on any other vehicle you want to tow etc, Brake Buddy, Blue Ox are two that spring to mind., plus of course you can flat tow an auto Vitara/Escudo if you prefer auto, no A frame, no Dolly, no trailer to park.
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