Im occasionally towing a twin axle Ifor Williams horse box,
Unladen Weight: 905kg
Max Gross Weight: 2340kg
I never tow fully laden, Max, about, 1655kg
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Unladen Weight: 905kg
Max Gross Weight: 2340kg
I never tow fully laden, Max, about, 1655kg
SES88
Well-Known Member
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Freelander is only rated to pull 2000kg anyway! A Freelander will do it fine, but yeah a remap will make it easier, if you go for a remap get a power map suitable for towing, more low down torque and so on, bhp is pointless when towing
Thank You for the advice, I will source a Chip over the next week and will post my findings ..
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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In which case you will be driving It illegally.
The max gross vehicle train weight permitted is 4080 on my '06 TD4 auto.
My vehicle GVW is 2505 kg, plus the 2340kg of your trailer gives a max train weight of 4845kg, almost 800kg over.
On the earlier vehicles the GVW is 2040kg, plus your 2340, puts you over by 300kg.
You should have another vehicle..........
If you got pulled by the police you would be prosecuted as it is irrelevant what is in the trailer or car, they just go by the plates on the trailer and the car.
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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Ps
Legally, If your car GVW is 2040kg, the max plated trailer you can tow is 2040kg, but the towing max towing limit is 2000kg, so the max plated trailer you can tow is 2000 kg.
For my TD4, the max I can tow is a plated trailer of 1575kg.
Legally, If your car GVW is 2040kg, the max plated trailer you can tow is 2040kg, but the towing max towing limit is 2000kg, so the max plated trailer you can tow is 2000 kg.
For my TD4, the max I can tow is a plated trailer of 1575kg.
Once again, Thank You so much for enlightening me, you are so right, I need to change my vehicle! It looks like all the time and trouble everybody has taken to help me come to a conclusion on which chip to get, is all in vein! to a degree, Thank You All, for your replies, its been quite an interesting "TOPIC" in which I have learnt so much, This LR Forum is excellent, Thank You.
PS. I will let you know what I decide on, the P38 TD or the Disco TD5ES on a 04 plate. bon voyage for now.
SES88
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P38 uses the BMW 6 pot engine, good engine if a little crude
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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Glad to be of some help. 
David Drew
Active Member
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My handbook says Max Trailer weight is 2000kg
My trailer is 1300kg empty and 2600 kg max loaded.
If I read this thread correctly I am committing an offence even if I tow the trailer empty as the possible max is 2600kg?
Is that right? Or can I legally tow a load of 700kg?
My trailer is 1300kg empty and 2600 kg max loaded.
If I read this thread correctly I am committing an offence even if I tow the trailer empty as the possible max is 2600kg?
Is that right? Or can I legally tow a load of 700kg?
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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You would be illegal.....
They go on whatever is on the plates on the car and the trailer. If the trailer has a max trailer weight of 2600kg and the max train weight of your vehicle from the plate inside the door is 4000 kg and the car has a max of 2000, then, yes you would be illegal, being over by 600kg. Doesn't matter if the trailer is empty or not, or the car being empty or not, the point is you could put a load of up to 1300kg on it.
"tis a right pain. If you need to tow the trailer with the 2600kg max trailer weight then you need a different vehicle
David Drew
Active Member
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You would be illegal.....
They go on whatever is on the plates on the car and the trailer. If the trailer has a max trailer weight of 2600kg and the max train weight of your vehicle from the plate inside the door is 4000 kg and the car has a max of 2000, then, yes you would be illegal, being over by 600kg. Doesn't matter if the trailer is empty or not, or the car being empty or not, the point is you could put a load of up to 1300kg on it.
"tis a right pain. If you need to tow the trailer with the 2600kg max trailer weight then you need a different vehicle
Thanks. Appreciate the clarification
Cheers
Jamadant
Member
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You would be illegal.....
They go on whatever is on the plates on the car and the trailer. If the trailer has a max trailer weight of 2600kg and the max train weight of your vehicle from the plate inside the door is 4000 kg and the car has a max of 2000, then, yes you would be illegal, being over by 600kg. Doesn't matter if the trailer is empty or not, or the car being empty or not, the point is you could put a load of up to 1300kg on it.
"tis a right pain. If you need to tow the trailer with the 2600kg max trailer weight then you need a different vehicle
Are you sure about that advice, The trailer has an unladen weight of 910KGS unladen, the horse probably around 550/600 KGs absolute Max giving a total weight of 1510KGs. The max trailer weight is what the trailer is capable of carrying + unit maximun. Sorry but i disagree with your view that the unit is overweight by 600KGs. I have been showing horses using both a rice trailer and Ifor Williams 506 for longer Journeys. I have never had an issue with the freelander, the very reputable company i hire the Ifor from have never mentioned being overweight for the one horse in the trailer. The Government has produced a guide for horsebox and trailer towing which clearly states "It’s the actual weight of the vehicle and load which is important in determining a vehicle’s compliance with
legal weight thresholds, not the potential carrying capacity".
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Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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When I did my City & Guilds in off road driving & using a trailer at work, we were told that the GVW of the car and the GVW of the trailer, whether empty or full must be no more than the Maximum Train Weight that is stamped on the plate on the car and that if stopped, we would be prosecuted, even if the trailer was empty.
In my above example I worked in the GVW of the trailer being 2600kg as mentioned in the post I quoted. If your trailer has a lower GVW the the figures will be different.
On my TD4 auto from 2006, my car GVW is 2525 kg approximately and the max train weight is around 4080kg, so if I tow a trailer it has to be 4080-2525kg = 1555kg max GVW. I know the car is rated at pulling up to 2000kg.
Earlier TD4's have a lower GVW of around 2000kg, so can tow a trailer up to 2080kg approximately, but as it is rated at 2000kg, then 2000kg is the max you can tow.
In my above example I worked in the GVW of the trailer being 2600kg as mentioned in the post I quoted. If your trailer has a lower GVW the the figures will be different.
On my TD4 auto from 2006, my car GVW is 2525 kg approximately and the max train weight is around 4080kg, so if I tow a trailer it has to be 4080-2525kg = 1555kg max GVW. I know the car is rated at pulling up to 2000kg.
Earlier TD4's have a lower GVW of around 2000kg, so can tow a trailer up to 2080kg approximately, but as it is rated at 2000kg, then 2000kg is the max you can tow.
Skynet
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Also beware of putting too much strain on an Autobox with heavy loads as the final drive will slip and 'burn'
Jamadant
Member
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totally understand where you are coming from and do agree that the freelander is not the best for towing at its limits, however to prosecute you would need to be taken to an MOT weigh bridge to prove the unit is overweight. You cannot be prosecuted for towing a trailer etc that is unladen or weighing under the maximum GVW just because of the the maximum GVW of the trailer plate.
David Drew
Active Member
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Is that right?
So, say the vehicle can tow 2000kg. The trailer unladen is 1300kg and plated to 2600kg. If towed unladen or with less than 700kg then legal - despite what the trailer plate says? Police would have to take me to a weigh-bridge if they thought the trailer overall was over 2000kg?
blue beasty
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I thought it was the MAM (maximum authorised mass) not the actual mass being towed?
Epicuser
Ex Freelander Owner
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Thats what I thought. I called it Max train weight. what ever is on the plate of the car.
