Vehicle Towing capacity Ford transit

[Robbie260]

Hi all I have a 2010 ford transit Mwb low roof 2.4tdic manual Awd. Been trying to figure something out about it which isn’t quite making sense.

It’s an ex RAC patrol van that has obviously been repainted at somepoint.

Anyway the question. It’s plated to a GTW of 5300kg and a MAM 3300kg. But looking at the specs on the V5 its max towing capacity braked is 2000kg. The van only weighs 2038kg so in normal circumstances and past experience any excess weight not used by the tow vehicles load capacity transfers to the trailer. But obviously not the case here. I’m not wanting to circumvent the rules at all but just wondering is this the same for all transits of this age and size or is it peculiar to the ex AA and RAC vehicles as they were expected to be carrying a set amount of equipment all the time?

 

[qwakers]

Max train weight minus max gross weight =a number that is almost always higher than the max trailer weight on the v5. This is to allow for a fully loaded trailer behind a loaded van (although not necessarily fully loaded) the max trailer weight is the max weight you can tow, end of.

 

[mtt.tr]

What's the question?

You can drag a 2000kg braked trailer and not exceed that.

 

[mr haynes]

You will find some Transits of similar age can only tow 700kg, so says Mr Ford

 

[8ob]

Transit towing weights are all over the place, @Robbie260 `s is an awd so will have a higher towing capacity than a fwd transit. I think a rwd twin wheel transit can tow around the three ton mark.

Bob

 

[mtt.tr]

What does the door plate say? That's what the police will look at.

 

[Robbie260]

What's the question?

You can drag a 2000kg braked trailer and not exceed that.

Yes I know was just wondering if it was peculiar too the Ex RAC and AA vans this size as they usually have a defined set of equipment onboard or the same for all transits as have gotten some wildly different answer’s depending on what source you look at. A lot of people say these transits can tow much more ie same size 330 but can’t find anything official to back that up?

 

[mtt.tr]

Yes I know was just wondering if it was peculiar too the Ex RAC and AA vans this size as they usually have a defined set of equipment onboard or the same for all transits as have gotten some wildly different answer’s depending on what source you look at. A lot of people say these transits can tow much more ie same size 330 but can’t find anything official to back that up?

As Bob says tranny's are all over the place can only go by the v5 or weight plate.

 

[Robbie260]

What does the door plate say? That's what the police will look at.

Gonna stick to what the V5 says but had wondered as the train weight is 5300kg which considering the service weight of the van would give you a total towing capacity of 3262kg if it had been an empty van with no kit in it but obviously this doesn’t apply in this case.

 

[Agrismith]

View attachment 393614

Gonna stick to what the V5 says but had wondered as the train weight is 5300kg which considering the service weight of the van would give you a total towing capacity of 3262kg if it had been an empty van with no kit in it but obviously this doesn’t apply in this case.

That's the case with the rangers and infact most pickups.
The gross allowable trailer weight + max gross vehicle weight is higher than the max train weight. To the point that you can barely put your lunchbox in the passenger seat if you are towing a fully loaded trailer

 

[m_c]

Any vehicle can only legally tow up to what the manufacturer says it can.

However there are likely some vehicles where the max train weight is lower than the combined MAGW and Max trailer weight, in which case how much payload is in the van will affect how much you can tow.

 

[Erie Fred]

Looking at this "from afar", could the spec be higher because it was a special build for the police ?

 

[m_c]

Looking at this "from afar", could the spec be higher because it was a special build for the police ?

It's not been for the police.
RAC = Royal Automobile Club, although they no longer use that, they just use RAC (just like British Petroleum is now just BP) They're just one of the big breakdown services in the UK.

 

[Erie Fred]

It's not been for the police.
RAC = Royal Automobile Club, although they no longer use that, they just use RAC (just like British Petroleum is now just BP) They're just one of the big breakdown services in the UK.

That explains the lack of a siren on top.....

 

[Turbo]

RAC/AA vans were commonly built with uprated brakes, etc to enable them to tow broken down vehicles legally & as a result they have a higher towing/load capacity than a standard transit. I found this out when I was researching a van I could use to legally tow my track car.
Unfortunately RAC/AA vans are a rare sight over here so second hand ones are hard to find & expensive!

 

[m_c]

RAC/AA vans were commonly built with uprated brakes, etc to enable them to tow broken down vehicles legally & as a result they have a higher towing/load capacity than a standard transit. I found this out when I was researching a van I could use to legally tow my track car.
Unfortunately RAC/AA vans are a rare sight over here so second hand ones are hard to find & expensive!

Brakes haven't been uprated since the days of T4's.
They just buy a higher payload standard van now, as that gives them the performance they want.

 

[Justme]

Max train weight minus max gross weight =a number that is almost always higher than the max trailer weight on the v5. This is to allow for a fully loaded trailer behind a loaded van (although not necessarily fully loaded) the max trailer weight is the max weight you can tow, end of.

Except its not.

The max braked trailer weight listed in the V5c is not enforceable in its own right.
MAM Axle & GTW are.

However if towing over that limit then it could be up to you to prove that its safe.

 

[Robbie260]

Except its not.

The max braked trailer weight listed in the V5c is not enforceable in its own right.
MAM Axle & GTW are.

However if towing over that limit then it could be up to you to prove that its safe.

That would explain why there are so many of these vans that can supposedly tow 2.6 ton or so on forums or some of the weight stickers I have seen on other tow dolly vans (stickers put in the van by a recovery company). Also explains why my vans tow dolly is plated for 2.6 ton gross weight and 2.4 ton max load weight.