Trailer Hitch; General Information; Driving Characteristics And Towing Tips; Trailer Towing - Vauxhall VIVARO Owner's Manual

162 Driving and operating

Trailer hitch

General information

Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment. Only use
towing equipment that has been
approved for your vehicle.
Driving characteristics and
towing tips
In the case of trailers with brakes,
attach the breakaway stopping cable.
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate
the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the
coupling ball, is being used to reduce
snaking movements. For trailers with
low driving stability the use of a
stabiliser is recommended.
A maximum speed of 50 mph must
not be exceeded, even in countries
where higher speeds are permitted.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more
slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 213.

Trailer towing

Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be
exceeded. The actual trailer load is
the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In
general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12%.
The permitted trailer load applies up
to the specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 m above sea level.
Since engine power decreases as
altitude increases due to the air
becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10%
for every 1000 m of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving
on roads with slight inclines (less than
8%, e.g. motorways).
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 207.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
The maximum permissible vertical
coupling load is specified on the
towing equipment identification plate
and in the vehicle documents. Always
aim for the maximum load, especially
in the case of heavy trailers. The
vertical coupling load should never
fall below 25 kg.