Funny trailer video clip!

[cuyeda]

You may have seen this clip before, as it has circulated on the internet. The clip shows a tiny car towing a trailer uphill. Well, like the ol' saying goes, what goes up, must come down!


You can see the video clip here:
http://www.salsaholics.com/trailer/littlecarntrailer.wmv

[Outlaw]

I haven't seen that one before, thank for posting

[rainjer]

[angib]

Most North Americans would be shocked by what (relatively) large trailers we tow with small tow vehicles. It's common to find the same vehicle in Europe has a tow rating 2 or even 3 times what it has in the US.

So for the record, when I first saw that video, I tried to estimate the weight of the trailer and the towing capacity of the tow vehicle. I reckoned the trailer is at least twice the tow vehicle's rating and maybe 2.5 times.

It is however a good demonstration of one problem of European mechanical surge trailer brakes - they are designed to not work in reverse (so that the rig can be backed up).

Andrew

[Joseph]

Most North Americans would be shocked by what (relatively) large trailers we tow with small tow vehicles. It's common to find the same vehicle in Europe has a tow rating 2 or even 3 times what it has in the US.

Amazing. How about transmission problems? My Ford Ranger w/manual transmission has about half the tow rating as the automatic because the automatic has a lot more torque. Maybe European trannys are higher torque to begin with?

Joseph

[Nitetimes]

Amazing. How about transmission problems? My Ford Ranger w/manual transmission has about half the tow rating as the automatic because the automatic has a lot more torque. Maybe European trannys are higher torque to begin with?

Joseph

If that's the case how about someone sending me 2 for my Explorers!!!!
These things are great all around vehicles if you can keep trannys in them.

[angib]

Amazing. How about transmission problems?

[/nerd on]
Doesn't seem to cause a real problem. But there are so many differences between American and European use, that it's not comparing like with like.

Europeans tend to drive shorter distances, often at lower speeds - most Euro countries set trailer speed limits 10mph below solo vehicles - and we don't have to cross the Rockies. But our population and traffic densities are far higher, so a lot more time is spent accelerating, braking and cornering - one effect of this is that Yurpeen vehicles have stiffer springs than Merkan vehicles, which probably helps when towing big trailers.

Significantly all Yurpeens routinely tow with tongue weights that Merkans would consider dangerous - 4-5% of trailer weight is typical and 7% is the maximum I've seen quoted. So not only is the trailer heavier, the tongue is lighter! Not surprisingly, sway is seen as something the driver must learn to deal with and I think this assumption that the Yurpeen driver will be more attentive than the Merkan, and possibly display more skill, is the biggest difference of all.

Incidentally, Europe is not littered with overturned or crashed trailers, though I've no idea if trailer crashes are more common here or in the US.

Some tow ratings or comparable vehicles(all in pounds):
Toyota Corolla, US: 1500, EU: 2200-2900
Subaru Outback, US: 2700-3000, EU: 4000-4400*
Jeep Liberty/Cherokee: US: 2000-5000, EU: 5900-7400
*EU max tongue weight 180, so 4.1% of max trailer

It's easy to think there are only technical reasons for these rating differences, but I think the biggest reason of all is marketing - for example, the CR-V is the largest (yes, largest) vehicle sold by Honda in Yurp so it gets a 3300lb tow rating. In the US, it's nearly the smallest vehicle in the range so why give it more than a 1500lb tow rating, when the lower rating may encourage someone to buy a bigger model?

And just to see some similarities, it's interesting to note that the Land Rover Defender (the original, crude model that you don't get anymore) gets a tow rating of twice its kerb weight (7700/3900) - which is nearly what the Ford F150 gets (11000/5000), although the Defender gets the same rating for every model whereas the F150 rating goes as low as 2300lb!

Andrew
[/nerd off]

[asianflava]

I think litigation also has a big thing to do with it.

[Joseph]

Europeans tend to drive shorter distances, often at lower speeds - most Euro countries set trailer speed limits 10mph below solo vehicles - and we don't have to cross the Rockies.

That occurred to me. I wonder what the average Yurpeen distance travelled is compared to the average Merican. The last two years I've travelled about 1200 miles round trip to visit the Adirondacks. 1200 miles would cover a lot of ground in the UK - based on my AAA map, looks like you could go from London to Inverness & back.
And it looks like Gage is going to be joining us in the Poconos this year - California to Pennsylvania and back - THAT's some kinda travelling!

But our population and traffic densities are far higher, so a lot more time is spent accelerating, braking and cornering - one effect of this is that Yurpeen vehicles have stiffer springs than Merkan vehicles, which probably helps when towing big trailers.

But which also puts more strain on the transmission than flat out 65-70 mph on a four-lane Interstate.

Incidentally, Europe is not littered with overturned or crashed trailers, though I've no idea if trailer crashes are more common here or in the US.

Those trailers littering our landscape are mobile homes, not travel trailers. Not crashed, just relocated by hurricane or tornado.

In the US, it's nearly the smallest vehicle in the range so why give it more than a 1500lb tow rating, when the lower rating may encourage someone to buy a bigger model?

Hmmmmm - maybe. Though having towed my approx. 1500 lb Scotty (I still haven't weighed it), I know I wouldn't want to get anywhere NEAR my Ranger's max of 3200 lbs.

Joseph

[emiller]

I remember the good ol days when pick ups where for work and the family car or wagon was what you pulled your trailer with, not long ago I was going up interstate 8 to the SCTT gathering and saw a older mercedes sedan pulling this huge travel trailer up the mountain with its rear end sagging real bad it reminded me of the old days. Of course some of the old cars weighed as much as some trucks of today.

[angib]

Of course some of the old cars weighed as much as some trucks of today.

This sounds like the 'they don't build them like they used to' argument. It doesn't stand up in Europe where cars have got consistently heavier, mostly to meet crash standards. I thought I would see what I could quickly find for the US and I chose (almost randomly) Chevy Impalas. There's a gap in the 80s where I've used a Caprice:

1960 - 3800lb - 211"L x 80"W x 54"H
1967 - 4300lb - 213"L x 80"W x 55"H
1972 - 4200lb - 220"L x 80"W x 54"H
1985 - 3800lb - 212"L x 75"W x 57"H (Caprice)
1995 - 4100lb - 214"L x 78"W x 55"H
2006 - 3800lb - 200"L x 73"W x 59"H

The 2006 is actually the smallest, except for height, but weighs as much as ever.

Andrew

[Elumia]

those motors for power everything don't help with weight either.

[H-Balm]

Dusted off this oldie, but goodie.

New link, same video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ru1l2gN88&feature=player_embedded