When fitting a towbar to your vehicle, it is essential you are aware of the maximum towing weights for your car in order to ensure your safety and that of other road users. If the tow car is attempting to tow a caravan or trailer above it’s maximum capacity, the vehicle can become unstable if caught in heavy winds, or if driving at high speeds.

We’ve outlined how to find the maximum towing weights for your vehicle here.

Towing capacity figures

You can find the maximum towing weight for your vehicle on your Vehicle Identification Number Plate (VIN Plate).

The VIN plate can usually be located under your vehicle’s bonnet, or on a door pillar, and will be in the form of a sticker, or a plate riveted to the car body.

The plate will display 4 lines of numbers, including:

• Gross vehicle weight
• Gross train weight
• Maximum front axle load
• Maximum rear axle load

The gross train weight is the maximum combined weight allowed for the vehicle and a trailer/caravan. You can therefore establish your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity by subtracting the gross vehicle weight from the gross train weight.

It should be noted that some vehicles may not display a gross train weight, or have it displayed as 0000kg. This means that the vehicle is not suitable to tow a caravan or trailer, and should not have a towbar fitted.

Widths and Lengths

There are also legal restrictions on the width and length of any towing vehicle, and you must ensure that your caravan or trailer is in adherence with these regulations.

The maximum width of a trailer or caravan for any towing vehicle (no matter the maximum towing capacity) is 2.55 metres, with a maximum length of 7 metres excluding the A-frame. It is recommended that the caravan or trailer is kept as light as possible, making it far safer to tow.

If you’re unsure of the towing capacity for your vehicle, or are looking for an expert towbar fitting service, contact our friendly team here at Towbar2U.

We provide a professional mobile towbar fitting service at competitive prices, with a range of towbars on offer to suit the requirements of every customer. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have on the correct towbar for you, and will provide up-to-date advice to ensure your towing vehicle meets the legal requirements to tow your caravan or trailer.

Simply get in touch with us today to find out more, and we’ll be more than happy to assist you.