Originally Posted by
BobD
After weighing my ex 2013 Range Rover Vogue TDV6 and finding it too heavy to legally tow my caravan (2571kg tare with GVM of 3000kg) I have sold it and bought a new Discovery 5. I immediately weighed it prior to taking delivery to ensure that there was enough capacity for the 330kg TBW of my caravan at maximum load.
For those interested, the kerb weight with a full tank of fuel and nothing else in the car was 2440kg with a rear axle load of 1224kg. This is for a SDV6 7 seater SE with no sun roof or other heavy extras. For a 7 seater, the GVM is 3200 and the rear axle capacity is 1900 which is significantly more than the RRV, with 3000kg and 1775kg, and allows me to legally tow as long as we don't put more than about 130kg in the rear of the car after allowing for my wife and I. The limiting criteria with a heavy TBW is the rear axle capacity. For my car, the TBW adds 1.46 x TBW to the rear axle due to the overhang. It was also the same ratio for the RRV.
I did also look at a 5 seater, which would be slightly lighter. However, the GVM is then reduced to 3050 and the rear axle capacity is 1775, which is too low, even with a little bit less weight. In the case of the 7 seater D5, the GVM and axle capacities in the on line manual agree with the weights shown on the compliance plate and I have assumed that the same applies for the 5 seater.
I have discovered that the weight given in the Land Rover manual does not include fuel, the standard tow bar, the third row seats in a 7 seater, any options such as sun roof (heavy) or even many standard features that are not on the most basic version of the car. For example, there is no difference in the specified weight of a 7 seater or 5 seater, S, SE or HSE, so it impossible to find an actual tare weight for Range Rovers or Discoverys. It also does not correspond well to the specifications provided on the LR web site, which are supposed to include some fuel and a 75kg driver. The only way to actually get an accurate capacity is to look at the compliance plate on the pillar near the rear of the drivers door and to weigh the car to get an accurate kerb weight.
Below is the extract from the D5 manual under Towing, which is why we need to know the rear axle weight when towing FYI.
"When calculating the vehicle's rear axle weight, the vehicle's payload weights must also be considered. Include the combined weights of all the rear passengers, the loadspace, roof rail, accessory equipment, and the trailer nose weight. The combined weights must never exceed the GVW or the maximum weights for the front and rear axles."
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