Weight balancing hire car trailers.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Defender's are rated to tow 3500kg.
Trailers should be set up to almost balance, with no more than 10% towball weight.
Personally, any trailer bigger than a simple box trailer should have electric brakes, I reckon.
I once saw an accident where a trailer went out of control and sent a tinny through the windscreen of an oncoming car, decapitating the driver. Not pretty.

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On a Defender it’s no more than 7% at max load....
250kg ball weight max.

At any ball weight over 150kg the balance must be removed from the vehicles GVM - up to 100kg if running at 250kg ball weight..

Wheelstraps are the ONLY way to move normal vehicles.
Chains are used for loads without suspension.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

I'd still love to see the legislation no matter who posts it up.
I suspect it might be another "rated shackles" myth.

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Not that i would know but it used to be 2 fixing points for local and 4 for interstate [bigwhistle]
And chains were all the go years ago till the invention of straps which made life easier and quicker but yeah what would i know or care [bighmmm] .
As for legalities do i really care any more [bighmmm] !

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Originally Posted by Tombie

On a Defender it’s no more than 7% at max load....
250kg ball weight max.

At any ball weight over 150kg the balance must be removed from the vehicles GVM - up to 100kg if running at 250kg ball weight..

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Interesting. I wonder if having rear airbags to level up the vehicle when towing would alter that?
Our camper is nowhere near those numbers, so it's not a problem for us. Just curious

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Originally Posted by rangieman

Not that i would know but it used to be 2 fixing points for local and 4 for interstate [bigwhistle]
And chains were all the go years ago till the invention of straps which made life easier and quicker but yeah what would i know or care [bighmmm] .
As for legalities do i really care any more [bighmmm] !

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Yeah, just what would you know?
I'm not talking best practice. A statement was made.

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Originally Posted by Colmoore

Apparently the law in SA states that you must overstrap each wheel down to the deck when towing. Found that out when I had to have my 110 tilt trayed to Pt Augusta to replace an engine mount & IC hose a couple of years back. The coppers fined the truck driver a small fortune for chaining it down only. Totally retarded IMO - my truck wasn't going anywhere til we undid those chains.

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If it is a rule that you can get fined for non compliance, that rule must be in legislation somewhere. I've not heard of this rule and, judging from what I regularly see on he road, many others have not heard of this rule, which you can be fined for not following, or so it is said.
I'm just asking for a link to this rule, which I cannot find.

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Originally Posted by LRT

How do you go about measuring nose weight on a D2 with SLS when they lower slightly when you turn it off? Or am I over thinking the whole thing?

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I don't have SLS, but I don't think it self levels until start up??? Looks like it in the pics too. Hopefully you can still do pre/post loaded measurements before it self levels.

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Originally Posted by johntins

IWhat you say is valid, but it needs level ground to make it work.

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Rather than using given measurements referenced off flat ground, I just run the tape for a measurement with everything in place where you are loading literally just before you load, bring the car on and then measure again which will give you the drop. Doesn't matter where the tow car is or what its on.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Interesting. I wonder if having rear airbags to level up the vehicle when towing would alter that?
Our camper is nowhere near those numbers, so it's not a problem for us. Just curious

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Hi Mick,

It makes no difference. The maximum is inline with axle loading capacities. Regardless of height the mass on the rear can’t by design exceed 250kg.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Yeah, just what would you know?
I'm not talking best practice. A statement was made.

If it is a rule that you can get fined for non compliance, that rule must be in legislation somewhere. I've not heard of this rule and, judging from what I regularly see on he road, many others have not heard of this rule, which you can be fined for not following, or so it is said.
I'm just asking for a link to this rule, which I cannot find.

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Just found the RTA guide for securing loads and it states that lashing from specific chassis mounting points is an option.

Securing at the wheels is good for short trips IMO as it produces less shunting and shock loads on the vehicle.
Biggest issue is such vehicles with long travel suspension which can bounce regardless of initial tension applied.

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Originally Posted by Tombie

Hi Mick,

It makes no difference. The maximum is inline with axle loading capacities. Regardless of height the mass on the rear can’t by design exceed 250kg.

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Fair enough. 250kg is a heavy towball weight too. I'd be concerned about plonking that much weight on the towball.
The Guardian camper trailer I fancy next has a towball weight of about 120kg, but that can be reduced by about 10kg just by filling the rear water tank.

My Crossover is nose heavy, runs about 200kg for 1800kg loaded.