Bailey 75- 4 car towing weight

First of all you need to establish what weight your van can tow and don't forget to include the weight of your trailer or A-frame as well as the car when doing your calculations.

Also, remember the towbar fitted to your van will eat into its payload allowance.

Most Baileys seem to have a towing capacity of 2000kgs see here https://www.baileyofbristol.co.uk/motorhomes/autograph/autograph-74-4

David

I would go for the lightest car that meets your needs regardless if you could actually tow a heavier one. It will both help with performance and fuel consumption.

Have a look at what Towbars2Tow are selling, they usually have a range of second hand vehicles already equipped with an A-Frame and their system is very good.

peedee

Thanks guys. Appreciate the advice

agree with TW....

I see you've just bought this van and I don't wish to alarm you....however.....there is some basic weight information you need to be aware of (no doubt the salesman has already done this....)

this van is mightily heavy for a 3500kg unit....it's payload is quoted as 358kg, which means the MIRO is 3142kg.

this includes no passenger @75kg or water @90kg (let alone anything else, food, bedding, tools, electronic kit, bikes, tables, chairs, awnings etc) nor the towbar or the A frame as mentioned by TW.

so, with just OH and a tank of water, the van now weighs 3407kg (payload 93kg) before any of the above essentials are loaded....not forgetting any factory (or user) fitted accessories....extra battery, satellite system, bike racks, inverter etc, etc.

93kg won't cover the above list by some margin, so the overall limit of 3500kg looks very vulnerable.

also, this van has a huge rear overhang and, as such, will skew the weight distribution so that possibly 55% (or more), of that 3407kg, nearly 1900kg, is on the rear axle....which has a limit or 2000kg.

so, this limit is also very close without any of the above kit loaded.

again, this is before you add the towbar or a-frame.

just to add further pain, due to the pendulum effect of that long overhang, any weight added to the rear of the van (tow bar and a-frame) exerts more than its own weight to the rear axle, so that 100kg 'spare' on the rear axle is likely to be only 70kg or so in real terms.

IMHO this van is close to its overall limit at 3500kg as you have less than 100kg spare payload (virtually nil, in real terms) and the rear axle is perilously close to being overloaded. 

yes, you can dispense with some (or all) of the fresh water but this negates a lot of what having a MH is all about.....spontenaiety, away from it all camping.

i would strongly recommend weighing the van in your normal touring trim with OH on board and (say) half a tank of water and note the axle weights as well as the total....you can post back here if you need help.

even if the van has been upplated to 3650kg (or even 3850kg) these are only 'paper' changes that 'allow' more overall payload but leave the axle weight limits the same, so that 2000kg limit remains.

I wish you luck, but this is a long, wide, heavy van to be running at 3500kg and has the smallest of payloads. my own view is that this type of van should only offered to customers on the heavy chassis at 4000kg but of course this removes a section of the potential market.

actual vans (of the same model) vary in weight so you need to be sure of the weight of 'your' specific van. it may be heavier or lighter than the manufacturers figures I quoted.

Bailey isn't the only converter to produce vans like this, but MH over 7.5m with loooong overhangs are notoriously difficuly to run successfully at 3500kg so knowing you weights is paramount.

i can see why folk choose large, spacious vans like this as they are just like Bailey caravans, but MHing is not caravanning and there are different contraints involved and it annoys me that salesmen don't fully engage with customers re payloads etc...(although the answer is obvious)...

please weigh this van quickly (the dealer may have weighing pads) and come back with your findings before heading off down the towbar route.....you may be making your van overweight.

you need to know as quickly as possible whether this van is actually fit for purpose...on some forums I know what the answer would be.

again, good luck.

Gosh. Thanks Bolero Boy. So much to consider. Can't recall the sales person talking about pay load but she might have told mu hubbie while I zoned out! Really useful info. Guess it's not life and death we have a car to tow. Hubbie is pretty good at driving larger vehicles after his time in the forces. Just may be a bit restrictive in some areas. Thanks again

hi, again, not trying to alarm or put you off your lovely van re size/manoeuvrability (that's yours to manage as you wish) but to get weight info (re legality to drive) as quickly as possible.....as if the van is seriously overweight , you will hopefully be able to do something about it.. (a different kettle of fish).

so, even forgetting the car towing, I think you should soon go to a weighbridge (or check with dealer, if nearby, about weighing pads) and weigh the van with you both in it, a half full water tank, gass bottle(s) and nothing else.

this will give you a baseline as to your additional capacity....remaining payload.

alternatively, you can add all the stuff you'd normally have with you for a fortnights holiday...that's bedding, clothes (both far heavier than you would think), books, pots, pans, other kitchen stuff, kettles, plates, cups, cutlery, iPads, PCs, maps, shoes, coats, boots, bikes if you take them etc, and all the outside stuff like mats, chairs, tables, windbreak, awning etc, etc..as this will be your real world all up weight.

however you do it, get the total weight and the weight of each axle...the rear one is the critical one...

as I posted upthread, it may be you only have 90+ kg left with just you two and the water on board, which is less than ideal in the real world, and be prepared to find that, with all the stuff I mentioned, you may be over weight.

so, you need to know by how much under (spare capacity) or over (what can you leave behind) weight you are.

i can't predict an accurate answer but as I said, large vans running so close to 3500 when 'empty' are bound to be 'tricky' (close to legal weight limits) when full.

keep in touch, more than happy to help....if required.

Hi Watshea, boleroboy has provided an excellent review of the issues.

I have a Autograph II 75-4 (ignore my picture) and tow a Toyota Aygo on an A frame. I also have a spare wheel and carrier fitted under the rear. I had the dealer replate  the weight when I bought it to it’s maximum 3850 kgs for no charge, that is without doing anything mechanical, just a paper exercise.

Fully loaded, 2 adults, food, clothing, bedding two bikes on the bike rack, and with the Argo attached I came in at 3800 kgs  on a weighbridge, with the rear axle at its maximum 2000 kgs. 

I travel with around 30 litres of fresh water or less,  if going to a site where I can fill up when I arrive. 

Weighing enabled me to redistribute some gear and of course you can put some gear in the car.

Replating  presents other issues. It lowers your VED to £165 a year but restricts speeds and prohibits driving through some villages in France, others will know more. Some recovery agents won’t recover over 3500kgs.

But, you have a nice MH, enjoy. 

thanks A, it shows that, even withouth the A-frame or spare wheel, there are 'difficulties' in trying to run a van of this size at 3500kg.

A's van is like yours and shows it hitting maxima in all areas, even when  upplated by 350kg.

its a lovely van, but it's easy to get into thinking you can lob in the kitchen sink....yes, on a heavier chassis, but on the light 3.5 tonner you have to be careful.

And don't forget the other issue of the driving licence restriction of 3500kg max for the over 70s or those who passed their test on or after 1 Jan 1997. It can be overcome by taking the necessary test but it’s all more hassle to be endured. I guess the OP's OH will be OK though.