Topic: Why there is such a discrepancy in tow ratings between NA and Europe?

[Mike-NB]

There is a reason I’m asking this question. It isn’t just theoretical. My wife has a 2014 Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. Here in North America it is rated to tow 3500 pounds. We have a small single-axle travel trailer with a dry weight of approximately 2700 pounds. When we load up with a full tank of fuel, two adults, two cocker spaniels, food and water we are probably right at the maximum capacity if not over it by a couple of hundred pounds. I’m not an engineer so towing at or slightly over capacity makes me uncomfortable. But I know a lot of engineers and I’ve asked each of them who just roll their eyes and say that if the vehicle is rated at 3500 pounds then it’s likely been tested to substantially more.

That got me thinking about tow ratings in Europe.

I randomly picked the VW Golf. Here in Canada it has a tow rating of 1000 pounds while in Europe a similarly-equipped Golf has a tow rating of 3100 pounds. If anything, the European Golf has a less powerful engine.

It then occurred to me that the Ford Escape is available in Europe as the Ford Kuga. A search of the European tow ratings on that vehicle reveals that there is a wide variety of powertrains available there but that most Kugas have a towing capacity of approximately 4100 pounds though there are some that can tow as much as 4400 pounds. There are models in Europe that are equipped to tow 4100 pounds that have less horsepower and torque then the North American model. Apart from powertrains I don’t think that there aren’t any significant differences between the North American Escape in the European Kuga.

So why is there such a discrepancy between North American tow ratings and European tow ratings?

My first thought is that it comes down to the more litigious environment we have in North America and the manufacturers want to limit their liability. Honestly, if I had to make a bet that’s where I would place my money. (As support for this, I’ve read that in most parts of Europe even to pull a small travel trailer you need a commercial driver’s license.)

Another possible reason I’ve come up with is that manufacturers in North America want to drive customers to the bigger vehicles with more profit built in. If a customer has a 2800 pound travel trailer and they want to pull it with a Golf there is a lot more money for VW and the dealer to put them in an Atlas. In our case, if we wanted to upgrade to a trailer with a dry weight of somewhere around 3500 pounds we could legally pull that with the Escape/Kuga in Europe but here in North America the dealer is going to steer us to an Explorer or F150.

Any thoughts?

As a closing remark I’m no longer worried about towing within all-up weight of somewhere between 3500 to 3800 pounds in an Escape.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Been through this before.  It has to do with speed limits and trailer weight distribution.

So, you have to understand the correlation between trailer tongue weight, speed, and stability. 

The rule of thumb in North America is to have 10% of your gross trailer weight as tongue weight.  So, if you have a 3000lb trailer, your tongue weight will be 300lbs.  A trailer with 10% tongue weight is very stable at speed, and its natural tendancy will be to not sway.  If a gust of wind pushes the trailer around, it should quickly return to a neutral position.  When you have a stable trailer with 10% tongue weight, speed doesn't really play a role in trailer stability.  The trailer will be just as stable at 130km/h as it is at 80km/h.  This is good, because North American highways are FAST.  There are no separate speed limits in NA for vehicles pulling trailers.  We often see trailers being towed at or above the speed limits, which in some states can be 80-90mph (130-145km/h). 

Now, contrast this to Europe:  The minimum tongue weight in Europe is 4%, with a goal of being between 5% & 7%.  On a 3000lbs trailer, your tongue weight can be anywhere from 120lbs - 210lbs.  BUT, a trailer with a lower tongue weight percentage will be less stable than a trailer with high tongue weight, especially at higher speeds.  In fact, Europe has separate trailering speed limits that are lower than the normal speed limits.  Trailers are limited to a maximum of 100kph on dual lane highways, and 80kph on single line highways.

Back to your Ford Escape/Kuga.  In North America, your maximum tow rating is 3100lbs.  With a 3000lbs trailer, you'll have a tongue weight of 300lbs. 

In Europe, the Ford Kuga has a tow rating of 4100lbs.  With a tongue weight of 7%, that translates to 287lbs.  This tongue weight is pretty close to the maximum tongue weight that YOU are allowed to have on your North American Ford Escape. 

300lbs of tongue weight is the maximum that the rear axle (and tires, suspension, etc.) can safely handle on a Ford Kuga/Escape.  That 300lbs is placed 2-3 feet behind the axle, and acts as a giant moment on the rear axle.  A 300lb tongue weight placed 3' behind the rear axle can translate to an extra 900lbs of load on that rear axle (with a commensurate lightning of the front axle).  Weight distributing hitches can help alleviate this somewhat, but they can only do so much.

Engines and transmissions on modern vehicles are plenty strong enough to pull much higher trailer loads.  The weak link is the rear axle and its assemblies (axle, springs, tires, etc.)

[Sir Osis of Liver]

^ Bang on

 

[Fobroader]

Well GBA covered anything I had to say about it and did it better, well done!!

[OliverD]

In fact, Europe has separate trailering speed limits that are lower than the normal speed limits.  Trailers are limited to a maximum of 100kph on dual lane highways, and 80kph on single line highways.

Are they actually that consistent? Because their normal speed limits certainly aren't.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

In fact, Europe has separate trailering speed limits that are lower than the normal speed limits.  Trailers are limited to a maximum of 100kph on dual lane highways, and 80kph on single line highways.

Are they actually that consistent? Because their normal speed limits certainly aren't.

Here is where you check:  http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/united_kingdom/speed_limits_en.htm

[OliverD]

In fact, Europe has separate trailering speed limits that are lower than the normal speed limits.  Trailers are limited to a maximum of 100kph on dual lane highways, and 80kph on single line highways.

Are they actually that consistent? Because their normal speed limits certainly aren't.

Here is where you check:  http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/united_kingdom/speed_limits_en.htm

I looked at a few countries there but none said anything about trailers.

Based on this it doesn't look like their speed limits are consistent at all: https://www.caravanguard.co.uk/news/caravanning-in-europe-6639/

[Gurgie]

Well GBA covered anything I had to say about it and did it better, well done!!

 

[Mike-NB]

GBA – Thanks for this really informative answer. I have a vague recollection that I may have even posted this question here before and you provided the answer at that time as well. At my age, memory is an issue…

Based on your answer I’m going to research a couple of things. I’d like to know what the maximum tongue weight rating on the Escape is and then I’ll have to do some figuring on what my actual tongue weight would be. I recognize that I can influence the tongue weight somewhat by how the trailer is loaded. I suspect this is even easier given that the trailer we pull is a single axle rather than a tandem.

We do use a weight-distribution hitch and I do find that helps quite a bit. Obviously we’d be negligent if we didn’t use one. I’ve also recently added a rudimentary sway control bar that simply uses friction to help keep sway under control. Sway has not been a problem except for when we are pulling in very high winds. But I usually try to avoid pulling in high winds.

Finally, I tend to self-limit my speed to 100 km/h and in most instances I’m at 90. I don’t feel too bad about this since traffic in New Brunswick tends to be relatively light and since most of our travel is on four-lane divided highway I’m not really holding anybody up.

My biggest concern has always been the transmission so you’ve given me a fair bit of comfort in knowing that even if I’m pulling at 110% of capacity the transmission will be fine.

Overall, pulling a trailer has never been a problem. I’m assuming that I am in the safe zone when it comes to tongue weight because I’ve never really had much of a problem with sway. The Escape seems to be an excellent tow vehicle as I’m even able to maintain 90 km/h going up hills.

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer this question.

Thanks!

[Great_Big_Abyss]

You're welcome.  I've done a lot of towing over the last few years, and have carefully paired my trailers with the tow vehicles. 

A few more things to mention:

Be very careful when balancing weight within the trailer.  Excess weight at the back can reduce tongue weight too much, and you'll start having stability issues.  Weight at the back of the trailer can act like a pendulum.  I'm not saying don't do it, but you want to make sure that you never dip down below 10% tongue weight. 

Your transmission should be fine.  There are a few precautions you can take: 

A)  Increase your transmission service intervals.  Your owner's manual may have a 'severe duty' timetable for maintenance.  If you're towing near the maximum regularly, follow that severe duty schedule.
B)  Install an auxiliary transmission cooler, if not already equipped.  Heat is the enemy of a transmission, and the more cooling capacity you have for it, the better.  If your Escape came with a tow package, it may already be equipped.
B)  If your vehicle has it, use the manual shift function on the transmission to limit gears.  I.E, if it's a 6-speed transmission, use the manumatic function to lock out 6th so that you're cruising in 5th.  If you see a hill coming up, anticipate the extra load on the drivetrain and shift to 4th or 3rd gear pre-emptively, and hold that gear until you get to the top of the hill.  This prevents the transmission from constantly hunting gears, which is what will wear it out faster. 

I'm assuming you have a trailer brake controller?  Typically, the rule of thumb (although it varies from province to province) is that if your trailer weighs more than 2000lbs, it has to be equipped with brakes.  Most trailers (with the exception of boat trailers) are equipped with electric brakes, which will only work with a brake controller installed in the tow vehicle.  Having functioning trailer brakes is not only safer, but will reduce excess wear on your tow vehicle brakes. 

[HeliDriver]

Explained here, too: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611

Oh, and this is a cool demonstration of tongue weight and trailer sway: https://youtube.com/watch?v=4jk9H5AB4lM

[quadzilla]

I could have used all this trailer advice before I rode across Missouri. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

[ktm525]

There is a huge difference in pulling a trailer along a little motorway in Europe for a few hours and pulling a trailer at high speed across lets say Wyoming at high elevation and into a 40 MPH head or crosswind for 5 hours while semis barrel down on you at 85 MPH. Fun times lol.