Towing

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FFX-DM
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Towing

Post by FFX-DM »

Does anybody know what the max towing weight of a ZX 1.9D is? Has anybody got any experience of and useful comments on the fitting of towbars to ZX? Any particular type to go for or avoid? One towbar place advises the swan necked 'eurobars' for the ZX.
I am just about to join the legions of the Damned. What's it worth NOT to stick an Andyspares sticker in the window of my CARAVAN then Jon? [:D]
Jon

Post by Jon »

CARAVAN? Oh my God. That'll be 2 of you on this very forum then (the other,Dave Bamber the only person in the Uk to tow a caravan with a Berlingo?)
Have a look at http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/ and also http://www.towsure.co.uk/ for some details. I think (?) towbars should be 94/20EC approved now. Towsure UK offer a ZX towbar at a very reasonable £59.95 but it isn't EC approved. I am not quite sure if this is important due to age of car, no doubt some avid towing enthusiast out there can enlighten us.
I don;t know about towing weights, the Zx owners handbook will give you some details however, but i seem to remember something about the weight of your caravan not exceeding 75% of the kerbweight of the car, or somesuch?
As I am known for my towing safety [;)] I have towed such things as a 3/4 ton car trailer with a BX on it. With a ZX.[:0]
PS Do not under any circumstances stick your Andyspares Forum sticker on a carvan.[V]
Guru Meditation
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Post by Guru Meditation »

Hi,
Don't know about laws etc off top of my head and don't have my ZX manual to hand so cannot look up maximum towing weights, but check these links out:
http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/
http://www.legsdown.co.uk/the_law.htm
I know the laws have changed recently, for example you cannot legally fit a towbar to a Ford Ka not even to tow a tiny trailer something to do with the manufacturer not getting type approval for it or something.
One related question-on my ZX TD the manual speaks of needing some extra cooling ducts if you intend to tow. My car has tow bar fitted (haven't towed anything yet) I was just wondering how to check for these extra vents that should be opened up? Not going to a Cit dealer for it!
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FFX-DM
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Post by FFX-DM »

Ah, so now I know that the weight of your towed load must NOT exceed the weight of your towing vehicle. They recommend 85%, but I will have to look up the kerb weight of my car in the handbook. A 306 (I thought it was the nearest on the list) is 1250Kg. Apparently I do not have to have an EC approved towbar as this only applies to cars from 1997 onwards and mine is a 1996 P reg. Should save me some dosh.
It's a shame that they don't have an emoticon for rolls about on floor in helpless laughter when I see caravan names such as 'swift' and 'sprint'. After 25 years of going camping every 3 weeks or so I am just fed up with pitching the bleeding tent. I think my knackerd old body can put up with a spot of comfort these days. Interestingly, there is a P reg ZX 1.9D round the corner (white like mine) and they have just sprouted a towbar I notice and now I see they have a caravan parked on the driveway. Perhaps I should knock on their door for a chat, but if I answered the door to myself it would just be too weird for words!
Jon

Post by Jon »

Hm, well the Caravan Club recommend that the weight of your caravan dies not exceed 85% of the car's kerb weight. However, the law says that you can legally tow up to the car manufacturer's towing limits (these are in the ZX handbook).
As regards the comments in the handbook about cutting out bits of the front bumper, I don't think that applies to Uk market cars as we get the ZX bumpers with an open grille below the number plate which serves this purpose. Interestingly the handbook says that if you're towing with a ZX TD then an "engine undershield must be fitted". Never seen or used one of them, and what they do, I do not know.This only applies TD models. I can't find any reference to it on the microfiche.
Jon

Post by Jon »

ZX 1.9d 5 door.
Unladen weight 1035
Gross vehicle weight 1560
Laden trailer (braked) permissible weight 1000
So ye olde ZX handbook tells me.[|)]
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Post by NiSk »

I used to rally a Sunbean Rallye Imp (lightened to about 11 cwt) back in the good old days (1965-1975) and towed it to some events with a Land Rover. One one occasion the Land Rover broke down . . .
Well it was either a case of towing the Land Rover on the trailer with the Imp, or leaving it in Oban (Isle of Mull rally). We tried to be invisible . . .
//NiSk
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Post by Dave Bamber »

Ah yes, the caravan. Dragged the damned thing all the way to Spain last year. Never again.[:0] I was taking it out to replace one I have on a site down there and I was glad not to bring it back! Set off from sunny Fleetwood up the M55 keeping to 50mph, 20 miles later, well bored, stuck it to 70 all the way[}:)]! Got to Brum ok but at a stop, one of the 'van wheels was sooo hot you could fry an egg on it[:(] Stripped off the wheel to make sure it was the brakes, not the bearing cooking. It was the brakes. Phew[:D] Knocked the adjustment back and off we went. I did spend the rest of the trip with one eye on the mirror convinced I was gonna see the wheel disappearing into a field. I worry too much sometimes[B)]
Towing the van was a means to an end, not something I would do regularly.
Don't let me put you off Alison, having a large lump of ali and wood hanging off the rear bumper was not for me[:o)]
Mr Wood. I'm not the only one to tow with one, I've seen 1.9D's dragging huge vans. Can you imagine how long it must take them to get anywhere, the engine's only just powerful to drag itself along!
Mr B[:)]
Edited cos my spolling is crep.
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Post by Guru Meditation »

It was that 'engine undershield' that I meant when I was talking about extra cooling. Wondered what the devil one of those was for!
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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

Our ZX D has been used for towing by a previous owner and has twin fans - I know they were not fitted to all BX's and fitting the second was recommended for towing. I don't know what the position is on ZX's.
Jeremy
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Post by RichardW »

The max towing weight given in the handbook is a legal limit and you must not exceed it. For stable towing the Caravan Club recommends you don't tow more then 85% of the kerb weight of the car, which in the ZX's case given above is only about 880kg - that's not much caravan!
I would strongly advise a Witter towbar - the extra money over a Towsure bar is cleary evident in the quality of construction when you compare the two. Buy (and use) a stabililser bar - the benefits far outweight the cost! Keep a careful eye on the nose weight of the van, and remember not to balance it by putting heavy stuff in the nose or tail of the van - or it will have a tendency to try and come round and meet you.... Take some lessons in towing if you've not done it before - particularly reversing which is entertaining the first time you try it!
Oh, and buy a faster car - the 1.9D will be SLOOOO....OOOOW (add as many OOOs as necessary)!!!
Richard
PS I am NOT a caravanner, but did work for a guy mending caravans/fitting towbars etc during holidays when I was at Uni - hence the bit about Witter bars
Jon

Post by Jon »

"Pleased" to see that Alison has already updated her profile to reflect her move into the exciting world of caravanning.
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Post by tomsheppard »

I've seen these swan necked bars for caravans carrying mountain bikes and the like but I didn't know you could put a ZX on one. I'd advise you to check that the caravan has strong walls. I don't like to think of the car falling into the road. By the way, what are you using to tow the caravan?
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Post by JohnD »

I've read these posts with interest since they started and would like to add my 'two pennyworth'. For the last ten years I've towed my van down to Malaga every January, first with a BXTZD and now with a 2.1 Xantia. The Xantia Estate is at a weight ratio of 78% but the BX estate towing the same van was at almost 100%. With the BX's turbo going, pulling power was never lacking, but with its light weight, stability could be a problem on the downward stretches. In my opinion to use a vehicle with a weight ratio of more than 85% without a turbo, is a recipe for sluggish, tiring towing. I disagree with Richard on his remarks about towbars. I have always used Towsure. The one on the Xantia is the sixth one of theirs that I've fitted. The fitting instructions and price can't be beaten.
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Post by pwatson »

I've also read the posts with interest since we went through the same "need a bit of comfort for us and the two kids" about 20 years ago. We started towing with a Renault 5 (yes, that's 5 NOT 25!)and it actually got us to Greece and back twice!!. Since progressed via BX RD, TGD to a Xantia HDi. You do need to stick to the 85% rule to start with which will greatly limit your choice especially with new vans which have grown in weight remarkably over the years with all the extras they have added. Some of these I think are unnecessary (oven? - are you going to cook a sunday roast? central heating - are you going to 'van in winter?). you would be better with an older van (ours is 1993) and you will have more choice (and if you don't like 'vanning you won't lose via depreciation). My Avondale handbook from then gives 7 vans up to a max laden weight of 900kgs, both 2 and 4 berth (and an Argos 5 berth - we had one and it served us well for many years) And if you buy second hand you may well get many extras thrown in including an awning which doubles the size of your van if you end up with a small one!
The following websites may also help you
http://www.clicreports.co.uk/ (Gives weights of current vans)
http://www.practicalcaravan.com/board/board.asp
(for any caravan specific questions you have)
Finally, yes the 1.9D engine may be sluggish but it will cruise all day at 60, not much power for overtaking but key is to take your time and be realistic about the distance travelled each day. 400 miles is a very long and extremely tiring day. 200 isn't bad (depending on traffic of course)and you can have frequent fag(?) and coffee stops. And anyway who's racing? Enjoy
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