Towing Wieght - Mk 7 280

[TonyJones]

Hi everyone, I'm new on here and hope someone can help.

I've got a Mk7 Transit 280, converted to a (beautiful!) campervan by Horizons Unlimited.
I took it to a weighbridge the other day, with full touring load, and it tipped the scales at 2720, which is fine.

My problem, though, is that I've promised to tow a friend's caravan to an event we're attending, and I was horrified to discover that the plated "Gross Train Weight" is only 3500 - in other words, with a full load on the van I can apparently only tow 700kg!

This is surprisingly low, considering it's a commercial vehicle base, and I wondered if it was an error on the plate.

HAS ANYONE ELSE GOT A MK7 280, AND IF SO CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE GTW ON YOUR PLATE IS?

The Ford "ETIS" site doesn't refer to the GTW.

Thanks
Tony

[MrMPuk]

I'm afraid that is correct, plus with the vehicle full loaded you need to allow for a full tank of fuel and any passengers so you may even be slightly over weight.

[jay]

look at the plate again and it will also say what the max gross weight of the van is and if it is a 280 and as mpuk say then after you and full tank of fuel pluss passenger and all your other kit you will be overweight..the van will pull it still but vosa wont be to impressed.

[TonyJones]

Sorry, maybe I didn't make it clear. When I said "full touring load" I included driver, passenger, almost-full fuel tank and all our usual kit - we were on our way out for the weekend, and even had a full (70ltr) water tank. So the 2720 really WAS enough. It's the low towing limit that surprised me - especially on a commercial vehicle.

[MrMPuk]

You have one of the lowest rated vans I'm afraid.

[Altransit]

You have one of the lowest rated vans I'm afraid.

It does seem odd to base a motorhome on a low rated van like a 280

[ake]

It is strange, a cost cutting measure on the part of the conversion company

Sorry TerryJones but just to confirm that the max train weight of all FWD 280s is 3500kg, so you are only towing a tiny trailer

[TonyJones]

Cost-cutting in one way, I suppose, but although I specified a tow bar in case I needed it, it was never my plan to be towing caravans (I only asked for, and got, single-plug electrics for a trailer). You don't buy a motorhome and then tow a caravan with it! So there'd have been no point in paying the extra for an uprated van.

It does what it's supposed to do (eg five continental holidays since I bought it in March 08!) so I'm satisfied with it overall.This (one-off) caravan issue is just an example of trying to use the wrong vehicle for that specific job!

Turns out the caravan in question, being an older, less-equipped model, is itself plated at only 871kg, so with a bit of judicious trimming of loads (letting other people in the convoy take some of our gear!) we can make it all run legally.

But thanks for all the responses - this is clearly a helpful forum, and I'll look in from time to time.

[jay]

have you got some pics of the van..always nice to see pics of peoples vans.

[TonyJones]

Here are a couple (if I can work out how to attach them!)

Now, let's see if these have attached or not ...

... nope, someone will have to tell me how to put pics on here. The Forum I usually use does it differently!

[ake]

Picture instructions viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2560