Towing Limits and Performance

[Budgie823]

Hi All,

 

I drive an Autotrail Apache 2.3 150 with a Comfortmatic gearbox and with a towing limit of 1250 kg. I currently tow a Peugeot 107 on an A frame with a total weight including the frame of about 850 kg. I have found the performance of the tow to be very smooth and hardly noticeable.

 

I am now looking to change the tow car to a DS3 and the model I am interested in has a total weight including the frame of around 1200 Kg, obviously getting closer to the limit. Although I appreciate I am still legally able to tow this I am looking for some opinions on whether this is wise before doing so.

 

I am particularly interested to know how the performance of the tow might be affected, i.e. uphill, and also whether there is likely to be any adverse wear and tear on the engine and gearbox of the motorhome.

 

Many thanks,

 

Ian

[StuartO]

As I understand it the Comfortmatic is a manual gearbox with an external gear change mechanism, so there is unlikely to be any special lowering of towing capacity on that account.  The towing weight limitation of your MH is more likely to be a reflection of the chassis characteristics of your motorhome, i.e. the overhang and the strength of the rear chassis, than the power train.

 

So within the published towing weight limit, you should be able to expect that it will behave pretty well with a heavier towed weight of the sort you are thinking about, apart from perhaps acceleration which is a bit slower and maybe even having to drop a gear slightly more often on hills - but nothing to worry about.

 

Reversing with a heavier towed weight with a Ducato-based MH, especially uphill, is potentially a problem but since you use an A Frame rather than a trailer presumably that will not apply in your case.

 

[Budgie823]

Thanks for your reassuring comments Stuart. As for towing uphill you are right - I tried it a couple of times on the flat and even then it wasn't exactly a roaring success!