Kerb weight vs max towing weight - braked

Lutz, I am confused. My Freelander 2 has a kerbweight of 1785 kg. My V5 shows a mass in service of 1958. My Swift tech. handbook says not to add the weight of a tow bar to kerbweight when using the 85% formula. Can you advise me what weight I can tow using 85% formula. My vehicle manufacturer states max tow weight is 2000kg, but of course I would never do that.

Thanks, Ken

Where did you get the kerbweight figure from? If it is not specific to the particular chassis number of your Freelander then it can be no more than a very rough guide. The only way you are going to get an accurate figure is to have the car weighed, but then, of course it will include the weight of the towbar. I have not come across any car manufacturer that provides actual kerbweight figures for each vehicle as it comes off the line and I know of no other reliable source, so there is no alternative . 

A kerbweight figure less than mass in service is very suspect anyway.

Lutz, I think your the knowledge so here goes. as said earlier can I ask what I will be better using.

1- 2006kg as on the V5 ( mass in service )

2- 1970kg as weighed on a bridge ( without me in it )

3-2200kg approx. with me/wife and load.

Cheers pal.

No. 2 (1970kg) is about as close as you are going to get if it was with a full tank of fuel, although the 36kg difference to mass in service, if you use that, is not going to affect the end result appreciably (less than 2% - which is negligible)

Thanks Lutz. that gives me a 91% match with my van if I max to the limit which I try not to so can cope with that.

Thank you Lutz. The kerbweight figure came from a Landrover site but did have a rider that it was the lightest weight. Would I be correct then in matching to 85% of my mass in service.

Ken

can I ask which weight would legally matter? 

In practice none because there is no legal requirement based on kerbweight/mass in service, etc. The trouble is that as far as the definition of kerbweight is concerned, the term is often interpreted differently by convention than in the way it is defined legally, even by the industry.

However, regulations do provide for the need for car manufacturers to document mass in running order (same as mass in service) and, with the introduction of 1230/2012/EU, the actual mass of the vehicle, neither of which correspond 100% to the definition of kerbweight.

Ok thanks for the reply

so the 85% rule is a bit of a waste of time really as kerbweights are not usually found on the V5 doc now but the mass in service is. I suppose that as long as the van is lighter than the car, legally thats ok. passed test before 97 so total mass is irrelivant.