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Dakar and Trailers
DISCLAIMERThe information regarding maximum permissable towing weights within this document are based on my own interpretation and understanding of the various manufacturer specifications and DVLA guidelines and regulations. I may have messed up, so double-check everything and do NOT take my word for it! If in doubt, contact the DVLA and/or VOSA to ensure you are legally permitted to drive a particular vehicle / trailer combination. |
Towing weights
It's quite entertaining trying to work out exactly what and how much you're allowed to tow with the Dakar. Seeing as it is effectively a Range Rover classic, a good starting point is the official figures for this vehicle. For Range Rovers between 1970 and 1995 they are as follows:
| Permissable weights for Range Rover Classic | |
|---|---|
| Aspect | Weight (Kg) |
| Kerb weight (EC - includes driver @75Kg) | 1839 |
| Kerb weight | 1764 |
| Trailer max nose weight | 150 |
| Max Gross Train Weight | 6010 |
| 85% max towing weight (recommended max for class B) | 1499 |
| 100% max towing weight (legal max for class B) | 1764 |
| Trailer Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) on class B license | 1736 |
| Trailer Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) on class B+E license | 3500 |
Now, this is all well and good - in theory you can have a laden combined trailer and vehicle weight of just over 6 tonnes (!), however there are some limitations with standard Category B car licenses. Distilled from the DVLA web page about towing:
- Class B can not have a Gross Train Weight exceeding 3500Kg if the trailer exceeds 750Kg
- Class B can not tow a trailer exceeding the kerb weight of the tow vehicle
Entertainingly, I passed my test in October 1996, so I got the automatic entitlement to B+E. This means that I can tow up to the design limit of the vehicle, i.e. 3500Kg of braked trailer or 750Kg of unbraked. Put simply:
| Maximum trailer tow weights for Range Rover Classic | ||
|---|---|---|
| License type | Braked Trailer | Unbraked Trailer |
| Class B (Licence obtained post Jan 1 1997) | 1736Kg | 750Kg |
| Class B+E (Licence obtained pre Jan 1 1997) | 3500Kg | 750Kg |
Dakar weights
The Dakar is considerably lighter than a Range Rover Classic having lost a foot-and-a-half of chassis and lots of bodywork and glazing. The only real way to work out the vehicle's current kerb weight is to take it to the weighbridge. The Kerb Weight is defined as:- Vehicle mass
- All fluids (including a full tank of fuel)
- All necessary spares and tools (spare wheel, jack, tyre spanner etc.)
- No passengers
- NO TOWBAR!
Additionally,
You MUST use the Kerbside Weight and GTW shown on the VIN plate on your vehicle for the purposes of calculating what you can tow. You CANNOT weigh the vehicle if it has been modified and then use this weight as the Kerbside weight for these calculations. Any extra weight over and above the Manufacturers Kerbside Weight (passengers, luggage, winch, side steps, etc) is regarded as part of the vehicle load.Great! My Dakar has had a DVLA-issued VIN plate and chassis number (SABTV-prefix) as it is a Q-registration and it simply doesn't contain weight information... I suppose the nearest thing is a weighbridge certificate...
The Dakar's design weight is quoted as being 2200lbs, or 998Kg - appreciably lower than a Classic! Until I get my Dakar to a weighbridge, I'll assume that is the kerb weight of the vehicle. If you scale both the braked and unbraked weights to account for the 43% reduction in vehicle mass, the trailer weight table for the Dakar looks like this:
| Calculated maximum trailer tow weights for Dakar 4x4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| License type | Braked Trailer | Unbraked Trailer |
| Class B (Licence obtained post Jan 1 1997) | 998Kg | 424Kg |
| Class B+E (Licence obtained pre Jan 1 1997) | 1980Kg | 424Kg |
Obviously this is a very crude method of adjusting the towing capacities and probably errs on the side of caution seeing as most Dakars - my own included - have uprated brakes and much larger tyres than a standard Range Rover which would probably offset the reduction in mass somewhat.
One big plus about the Dakar as a tow vehicle is the distinct lack of rear overhang. As this brings the vehicle-trailer pivot point (i.e. the tow hitch) closer to the rear axle, it helps to reduce the lateral forces the trailer can exert on the rear axle. According to the law of levers, it should also increase the maximum permissable trailer nose weight, but to be safe I'll keep that at 150Kg.
This page was last updated: 24th July 2006 at 3:08pm BST