Tow capacity and Euro-style trailers...?

[Lusoluv]

A friend and I were at a very large horse fair and 2 Euro-type trailer mfrs (UK and Germany) had their trailers on display. My friend ended up ordering a 2-horse bumper pull from one of them - it’s her first trailer. She drives a Toyota Highlander. The salesperson only asked her the wheelbase and horsepower before confirming it was adequate to tow the trailer. They didn’t ask the vehicle’s towing capacity, engine size, etc. I’ve seen ads showing Volvo and Mercedes sedans towing Brenderups and Boeckmanns. So do these trailers, with the load balance mainly on the tires and inertia brakes vs. tow vehicle, not need to take a vehicle’s “rated tow capacity” into account? I tend to be paranoid about these details…

I think these trailers are well designed and see a ton of these all throughout Europe where big trucks are almost non-existent. I’ve seen a lot of demos on YouTube, but haven’t found info on my question.

[soloudinhere]

In North America, the dealers of these trailers typically ignore the tow ratings for a couple of reasons:

1. The North American tow rating for a vehicle like a highlander is going to assume the trailer is unbraked. The identical vehicle in Europe can be rated for far more because of their laws requiring trailers to be braked.

2. The North American rating assumes that the tongue weight is “conventional” eg 10% of the GVWR of the trailer, while the European laws limit this to 4% of GWVR (trailer). My Bockmann weighs 2900lbs empty, it is not really lighter than a conventional trailer at all. Its max weight rating is 5291lbs. By conventional standards, a tow vehicle for that size trailer would need to be able to take 529lbs of tongue weight. By European standards, the max tongue weight is 212lbs. That would equal a “North American” tow rating of 2120lbs.

Remember you do have to get the weight moving regardless, so you will be putting more wear and tear on the transmission than a beefier vehicle, even if it is a “lightweight” trailer. I’d also be a little picky what model you get. I have a Portax K which I have been towing with a GMC Yukon XL and I subsequently replaced the truck with an F250. I don’t need the 250, it does not know the trailer is back there - but this would still be a fairly heavy trailer to get moving without some extra grunt for say, a v6 Highlander. If I would stick to the smaller/lighter models in proportion to how much lighter than ‘average’ my tow vehicle is.

The only time this becomes a problem is if you are in an accident and are “towing beyond capacity.” I would suggest keeping all the relevant documentation from the manufacturer in regards to tongue weight and towing specifications. For what it’s worth, I’ve put my Bockmann behind quite a few vehicles and I never felt unsafe in any of them.

[Lusoluv]

Thanks for your thorough explanation! We were getting worried that she would be over capacity, but we were not calculating the tow weight in relation to tow capacity correctly. We were just adding the weight of the trailer, 2 horses and people/gear weight and coming up with a number near her vehicle’s “tow capacity”. By following your math, her trailer’s max loaded weight x .04 = 184 lb getting us a tow rating of 1840 lbs. Very much within her vehicle’s range. Phew!

[Madhouse]

In my experience of towing horse trailers, equipment trailers, boats and various utility trailers with various sized tow vehicles ranging from a Class A motorhome to a minivan and everything in between - TONGUE WEIGHT IS KEY to a safe tow.

I’m certainly not a Safety Nanny - I also am well aware that I’m often a hypocrite as I have been known to overload a tow vehicle from time to time - In my opinion having a light tongue is far more dangerous than an overloaded tongue. I’ve been aware of the difference between the US and Euro standard of tongue weight and considered doing exactly as a your friend did. Instead I went the opposite route - but added a load equalizing hitch:

https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Equal-i-zer/EQ37060ET.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAjw1ZbaBRBUEiwA4VQCIc9KRHIY6WOZFfgz9-fknO10savNdnaEkGZ-Pw3WncyjEopCowdOxxoCa8AQAvD_BwE

With the stabilizing hitch I would argue that I safely pulled a steel, four horse trailer fully loaded with a F150 at Interstate speeds. I would be leery doing the same with out the necessary tongue weight.

To keep the tail from wagging the dog I would recommend adding an “anti-sway” device to the hitch. I have never used a separate anti-sway device so I don’t have a recommendation on one.

[Lusoluv]

Thanks for your reply, Madhouse, but Euro trailers do not need a stabilizing hitch nor can you attach one. They specifically tell you NOT to try to use one. The trailer is designed differently and the wheels are balanced to carry 95% of the weight of the trailer. The tongue weight is not heavy like American trailers NOT because the horse’s weight is behind the center balance, thus making the tongue artificially light. We have done our research and test-pulled these trailers. There was no wagging with or without horses. Not meaning to sound finger wagging, but the trailers you’ve pulled are not a proper comparison. Also, me and/or my friend will never knowingly overload a tow vehicle. Our horses are too precious to us to ever attempt that.

For my friends who have regular American bumper pulls, they ALL have weight-distributing hitches, and rightly so. If that’s the type of trailer I was going to get, I’d absolutely spend the money and use that device!

[soloudinhere]

I had my Portax K behind my F250 the other day when we were passed by a Peter Pan bus at 70mph on a highway curve - I felt it in the truck, but the trailer tracked completely straight and no issues. I really like my trailer.

[Jim_in_PA]

@Madhouse

I
To keep the tail from wagging the dog I would recommend adding an “anti-sway” device to the hitch. I have never used a separate anti-sway device so I don’t have a recommendation on one.

You cannot use a Weight Distribution Hitch with a EURO trailer due to the inertial braking system and it’s not required…the trailer is designed from the ground up to be towed safely and stably by more modest vehicles. Many anti-sway devices are associated with WDH, either as part of them or as an add-on.

That said, and having originally intended to tow a Böckmann Portax with a Highlander Hybrid a number of years ago, I’d still be “more comfortable” with a little more power for the reasons that soloudinhere mentioned in her original post. Even though the lower tongue weight provides less impact on tow vehicle load capacity (people, luggage and tongue weight), the total weight of the trailer plus the equine(s) inside still needs to be accelerated at a reasonable pace and to maintain speed in hilly areas. But the OP’s Highlander can surely pull it safely, IMHO. There’s a lady in this area that pulls an old one-horse Brenderup with an even older Subaru Forester. It’s an interesting sight…