Towing Guide - Flipbook - Page 6
THE CAR
The towing vehicle in this guide is assumed to be a car.
The masses defined below will generally be stated in a car
owner’s manual.
VIN plate
A plate fitted by the car manufacturer
to identify the vehicle and stating the
vehicle’s masses.
Kerb Weight (KW)
Car manufacturers’ definitions vary
but in general terms it is the weight
of the car in working order (with
fuel and fluids). Depending upon
the exact definition used by the car
manufacturer, this may include a 68kg
allowance for the weight of a driver and
a 7kg allowance for his luggage, but
will not include a weight allowance for
passengers or their luggage. Most car
manufacturers now include the driver
in their KW.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
(Maximum Permissible Weight (MPW)
or Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)
The maximum allowable weight of the
car when fully loaded, when towing,
this will include the noseweight of the
caravan as stated on the car’s VIN plate.
6 NCC Caravan Towing Guide
Maximum Towing limit (MTL)
(Maximum Permissible Towing Mass
(MPTM), Manufacturer’s Braked
Towing Limit)
The maximum weight of a braked
trailer that the car is allowed to tow.
Gross Train Weight (GTW)
The maximum permitted combined
mass of the car and trailer as specified
by the car manufacturer as stated
on the car’s VIN plate. Usually the
sum of the Gross Vehicle Weight and
Towing Load limit. However, the car
manufacturer sometimes restricts the
car’s capability to carry payload within it
(e.g. 7 occupants, perhaps) while
simultaneously towing a heavy trailer
or caravan in such cases, the GTW may
be less than the sum of GVW and MTL.
The GTW must not be exceeded.
Noseweight Limit
(S-value, Tongue Weight, Tongue
Load, Nose Load or Towbar load Limit)
The maximum vertical static load
that the towbar can support through
the towball. Published by the towbar
manufacturer and shown on a plate on
the towbar. This may also be known as
the noseweight.
The car manufacturer will also
define a limit for maximum vertical
static load that the car can tolerate
(and this will usually be quoted in the
Owner’s Manual). This figure can differ
