Try here for your answer http://www.whattowcar.com/basic_index.php
As you have not stated the exact model I can only guess at the kerb weight of the car being 1344kg approx also what your country's laws are on towing weights allowed but as a rule its normally allowed to pull 80% of the kerb weight, I might be wrong with this for whatever your country is but the UK its 80%, you can got higher but apart from pulling the inside out of your car, if you get pulled over you can get prosecuted. Another point to take into consideration if your car is fitted with a manual gearbox it will have a duel mass flywheel (clutch) which dont like being put under excessive towing strains so be warned, its up to a £500 replacement job if it goes.
Here is more than you expected on hitches and vehicles ... all for free and in under 30 minutes.
These are general hitch comments. I am not familiar with your particular vehicle. You have not listed the year, for one thing. Further, I don't know where you are located, different countries have different standards and vehicles are built for the standards where the vehicle is expected to be sold. Ratings vari year to year and also due to installed equipment - automatic or manual transmission for example. Typically, manual transmission vehicles have a lower rating than automatic transmission equipped vehicles. If your vehicle has overdrive, still another rating and/or restrictions apply. Additional weight may require additional transmission cooling capacities as well as engine oil cooling. You may need bigger tires and possibly, different rims.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating should be posted on the driver door pillar as well as in the owner manual and maybe under the hood on a lable. Full particulars for your vehicle can also be found at www.ford.com. The label you find is the rating for your vehicle as it came equipped from the manufacturer. The label you find in your neighbor's truck in his or her driveway may be different.
For 'lighter' reading, checkc this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_vehicle_weight_rating
You will find lots more information than the average person needs. It all boils down to this:
The vehicle weighs something ... lets call it curb weight. No fuel, no oil, no passengers, just the vehicle, straight off the assembly line - nothing added.
The vehicle will weigh more when you fuel it up, put in passengers and cargo; the owners manual, a box of tissues, a DVD player, Big Mac and fries - ANYTHING YOU PUT IN. You can load your vehicle up to the Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. and expect it to oplerate safely.
The NET weight is the difference between the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Curb Weight --- the NET is the combined weight of the passengers, fuel, tissues, ink pens, electronics, etc, stuff you added. Dont exceed the MVGWR.
Your vehicle has a TOW capacity. I have seen "limits" up to 15,000 punds depending upon the hitch. Your vehicle may have a lower or higher "limit" and there may be other factors involved.
Tow capacity will come in two categories, first is a simple trailer. A simple trailer will not have a weight distributing hitch nor will it have any stopping ability on its own. I would suspect the simple weight rating would be limited by the bumper mounted ball and probably around 1,000 pounds. The limit should be stamped on the bumper near the hole whre the ball will be mounted.
Your vehicle may be capable of pulling a large trailer commercial or non commercia, camper, utility, what ever. If you have a PickUp, it will depend if you have a 5th wheel arrangement or a frame mount arrangement. A 5th wheel arrangement (hitch will be in the bed of your pickup) will have one rating and a frame mount will have another - and I am talking about a weight distributing hitch, with springs, anti-sway, etc, not a simple ball mount. Typically, such a hitch is limited to about 1,000 pounds, posibly up to 1,500 pounds which will be called HITCH weight what the hitch would exert downward if the jack (hitch) were placed on a scale.
A frame mounted hitch will come in two parts, the actuall ball (including trunions for springs and anti-sway device) and a "Receiver" which will bolt directly to the frame. The hitch may be adjustible or welded. The hitch is inserted into the 2 inch square receiver and secured with a special hardened steel pin itself secured by a "safety pin". Expect to pay around $600.00 or more for such a hitch. Don't save money by installng a used hitch or one not designed your your vehicle. It must be adjusted to your truck and your trailer to assure proper distribution of the load.
Lets say your trailer weighs 10,000 pounds. My example is not mathmatically correct and is to make it simple to state and easy to understand. In this case, four thousand pounds will rest on the wheels on the right side, four thousand pounds will rest on the left side and two thousand pounds will rest on the hitch. (Your trailer has four tires, each tire supports 2,000 pounds, and should be rated around 2,400 pounds for a safety margin. Read the side of your tire.) Your hitch max is 1,200 pounds in my example, the weight you can put ON THE HITCH. By using a weight distributing hitch, the springs and trunions will throw about 400 pounds forward to the front of your vehicle and 400 pounds back to the trailer tires. Now your hitch only weighs 1,200 pounds so you are not exceeding that weight limit. Such a trailer will come with electric breaks which will be operated by a controller located hear the driver position. Stopping your trailer will not depend entirely on the truck brakes which allows the towing of heavier trailers.
Another consideration is the tires on your truck. In my example, you just put 400 more pounds IN your vehicle. Can your tires each handle the additional 100 pounds??? Again, read the side wall of your vehicle tires. ASSURE YOU MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE TIRE PRESSURE ALL AROUND INCLUDING THE TRAILER for maximumm safety.
Thank you for your interest in FixYa.com
433 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×