Knowing Towing

Story from Horse Deals July 2019 magazine.

There has been quite a bit of activity on social media recently about the possible pitfalls in buying a horse float. Cameron McGann from Mansfield Floats and Trailers has been offering some sound advice, so Horse Deals got in touch with him for a chat about what we should know about floats and towing.

“Vic Roads and no doubt all the similar bodies in the other states have regulations as to the weight certain vehicles can tow,” says Cameron. “The first question I would ask someone wanting to buy a float is what do you plan to tow it with? A few decades ago you got a tow ball fitted to the family sedan and away you went to the shows with two horses, and Slim Dusty drove all around Australia pulling a massive caravan with a Fairlane! But those days are gone and every vehicle today is weight rated regarding what it can legally tow. The amount each vehicle is allowed to tow is based on factory tests and the structural build of the car. Vehicles with a full chassis will always be able to tow more than a vehicle with a modular body. Basically, if you have a float find out what car will tow it and if you have a car, find out what float it will legally tow.

“Many manufacturers say the twin cab utes and SUVs can tow 3,500kgs, but that is with the car basically empty, so you can’t load the car if you want to tow 3,500kgs. The weight rating is directly related to safe function on the road and importantly its ability to stop in a given distance. Also, the manufacturer does not include the addition of bull bars, tow bars, and fridges and other accessories that are added before any passengers get in. If the Gross Combined Mass GCM of the car and float is 5,000kgs, you have to factor in that the car weighs 2,000kgs, therefore you cannot legally pull more than 3,000kgs (two large horses weigh roughly 1,500kgs). A basic straight load two horse float nowadays, which means including at least a tack box, comes in at about 1,100kgs. Add the horses, the passengers and the gear, feed, etc and you are getting pretty close to that 2,500kgs.

“If you go to a car dealer and they say the vehicle is rated to tow 3,500kgs, say to him: I’ll be going to a competition and it will be me and my husband, two teenage kids, and some gear. I have a two horse angle load float that weighs (has an ATM of) 2,000kgs, will this vehicle do the job for me? The dealer must then refer to the allowed GCM (Gross Combined Mass) of the car and trailer and if the weight is beyond the towing capacity of that, he should advise you accordingly. Not all SUVs and twin cab utes have a towing capacity of 3,500kgs when loaded. The GCM is the really big one that goes over the weighbridge. Apart from being put off the road if you are overweight, there are legal and insurance implications if it is found you have not complied with towing weight limits. Vic Roads could not give me a proper answer about the implications of overweight vehicles, but they did say if the cause of the accident was caused or partly caused by the fact that the GVM was overweight, then you could be found culpable.

“Floats with living sections up the ante and of course people add things to floats like portable yards and carry quite a bit of feed. Another thing to look at is the TBM (Tow Ball Mass). It is only meant to be around ten percent of the weight of the trailer, so if you have a 3,500kgs float, the tow ball downforce should be no more than 350kgs. The living in the front of the float adds weight and the weight distribution of the horses, especially in an angle load float where you see the front horse stall in front of the axle, all add to TBM. No explanation is needed for the dangers of a tow ball that is overweighted. The best way to ensure that you comply with regulations is by taking your car and float loaded over a weighbridge and if possible weigh the car and float separately. There are some fairly hefty fines being handed out for being overweight and it is happening more and more.

“If you are buying a float, just ask the questions. Do your research, ask Vic Roads or a similar body in your state. Go to the manufacturers to ask the weight of the float and check things like the flooring, which can be made of a honeycomb material to keep the weight down and that has been known to fail. Take someone who knows about floats to check out a prospective purchase and if you can, get them to go over it. By far the safest braking option is electric brakes, which most floats have these days.

“A lot of floats that come to me for repair are suffering from lack of maintenance. People just don’t seem to think about regularly servicing their floats, which given the precious cargo is hard to understand. The biggest issues I see with floats that come to me are wheel bearings, axles, and springs. If the float is used regularly, a yearly service is the best way to avoid problems. Find someone that is willing to have a good look at it and remember there is a minimum of a 12-month guarantee according to consumer protection regulations.

“The critical thing is the cargo you have in the back.”

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Story by Anna Sharpley.

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