Checking your maximum towing weight

Many best-selling cars are capable of towing caravans and motorhomes, but how do you work out your maximum towing capacity? In this blog, we will run you through what towing capacity is and how to make sure you’re towing the legal limit for your car.

Towing weight is the maximum weight a car can tow safely and legally. If you tow a vehicle above your vehicle’s capacity, not only do you pose a massive danger to other drivers, but you are also breaking the law.

So, how do you work out your towing capacity? Towing weight is specific to each individual vehicle, you can find your towing capacity figure stamped on your Vehicle Identification Number Plate (VIN Plate). The VIN plate is either an alloy plate riveted to the body or a sticker and is usually found under the bonnet or on a door pillar, but you can find the details of this in your owner’s handbook.

When you locate the VIN, it will display either 3 or 4 sets of weight and this is what you will use to determine whether your vehicle is over-laden.

The first line is your Gross vehicle weight, the Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) of the vehicle including occupants, fuel and payload. The next line is your Gross train weight, the combined maximum allowable mass of the vehicle and trailer. The next two lines are the maximum axle loads front and rear respectively.

So, to work out your manufacturer’s recommended maximum towing capacity for your vehicle, you need to subtract the gross vehicle weight from the gross train weight.

Let’s take this as an example…

To work out the towing capacity for the vehicle pictured above, we would start with our Gross Train Weight – which is 5750. We would then subtract the MAM (Gross Vehicle Weight) which is 4100.

5750kg – 4100kg = 1650kg – so the vehicle in the above picture has a towing capacity of 1650kg.

Some vehicles are deemed by the vehicle manufacturer as unsuitable for use as a towing vehicle, this is usually hybrid or city-car models. With this type of vehicle, the towing capacity will equate to zero or a gross train weight won’t be displayed. This will give you a clear indication that your vehicle is not suitable to be used as a towing vehicle.

Sometimes the Gross Train Weight is shown as 0000kg as some manufacturers will simply leave this blank, so if you are unsure as to whether your car can tow, you need to check your VIN plate and look at the Gross Train Weight.

If you are towing a vehicle, you should take great care and accept more responsibility as your vehicle will be much longer and heavier.

If you are new to towing, we have a guide to the different types of towbars here which can help you determine what type of towbar you need for your vehicle/journey.

If you wish to shop our range of towbars and find the perfect fit for your car model, click here.