What's the difference between MAM and GTW?

MAM is the most your tow car can weigh on its own — fully loaded with passengers, fuel and gear. GTW is the most your tow car and caravan can weigh together, hitched up. A combination can sit under each weight rating on its own and still break the GTW limit once you add them together, which is why Can I Tow It? checks both.

What does Pass, Caution or Fail mean?

Can I Tow It? returns one of three verdicts. Pass (well matched) means every check — Max Towing Limit, GTW headroom and caravan MTPLM — sits comfortably within its limit. Caution (careful) means all checks pass but at least one margin is tight, so it's worth confirming once loaded. Fail (no) means at least one rating is exceeded — for example the caravan MTPLM is more than your tow car's Max Towing Limit. The verdict is based only on the spec figures you enter.

Do I need an account to use Can I Tow It?

No. Can I Tow It? runs in your browser with no sign-up. Enter your tow car and caravan figures and you get the verdict and the reasons straight away. You can optionally email yourself the result so you have it handy later.

Does this replace a weighbridge?

No. Can I Tow It? is a spec-based check that compares the weight ratings you enter — it does not measure your actual loaded weight, and it is not legal weight evidence. Use it to plan and sanity-check your combination, then confirm your real loaded weights at a weighbridge. Towing remains the operator's responsibility.

How accurate is the tow check?

The check is deterministic: it applies the same weight rules every time to the numbers you give it, so the maths is exact for the figures entered. Its accuracy depends on those figures being right — pull them from your tow car's placard and the caravan's compliance plate. Because it works from spec sheets rather than your actual loaded weight, treat the result as decision support and confirm at a weighbridge.

What do I need to get a verdict?

Four essentials: your tow car's MAM and Max Towing Limit, and your caravan's MTPLM and empty weight (MiRO). Add your tow car's Kerb weight, GTW and Noseweight rating for a fuller check that also covers combined weight and noseweight.

Is Can I Tow It? just another towing calculator?

Can I Tow It? gives you an instant spec check for free — a clear Pass, Caution or Fail with the reasons behind it. The loadmate app then goes further: it keeps tracking what changes after you load up, so your headroom stays current as you add water, gear and a noseweight. Figures shown in kg.

Can I Tow It?

United Kingdom towing calculator

Enter your tow car and your caravan and get a clear verdict — Pass, Caution or Fail — with the max towing limit, payload and weight checks behind it. The same engine that runs inside the loadmate app, in your browser, with no account.

Well matched

Comfortable margins across every check.

Careful

It tows, but a margin or load limit is tight.

The pairing exceeds at least one rating.

Enter every weight in kg.

loadmate is decision support for towing safety, not legal weight certification — verify against a certified weighbridge; the tow remains the operator's responsibility. Safety note.

A worked example

Say your tow car has a Max Towing Limit of 3,000 kg and a GTW of 5,500 kg, with a Kerb weight of 2,300 kg. Your caravan has an MTPLM of 2,500 kg. Because 2,500 kg is under the 3,000 kg Max Towing Limit, and 2,300 kg + 2,500 kg = 4,800 kg stays under the 5,500 kg GTW, every check clears with room to spare — so Can I Tow It? returns Pass (well matched). These are round, illustrative figures, not a specific model; enter your own from the tow car's placard and the caravan's compliance plate, then confirm your real loaded weights at a weighbridge.

Towing weight terms, explained

MAM: The maximum your loaded tow car is rated to weigh on its own, including passengers, fuel and everything on board.
GTW: The maximum your tow car and caravan are rated to weigh together when hitched and loaded.
MTPLM: The maximum your fully loaded caravan is rated to weigh, including water, gas and gear.
Max Towing Limit: The heaviest braked caravan your tow car is rated to tow.
Kerb weight: Your tow car's weight empty — no passengers or cargo, ready to drive.
MiRO: Your caravan's weight as supplied, before you add water, gas or gear.
Noseweight: The downward weight the caravan's coupling places on your tow car's hitch when level.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between MAM and GTW?: MAM is the most your tow car can weigh on its own — fully loaded with passengers, fuel and gear. GTW is the most your tow car and caravan can weigh together, hitched up. A combination can sit under each weight rating on its own and still break the GTW limit once you add them together, which is why Can I Tow It? checks both.
What does Pass, Caution or Fail mean?: Can I Tow It? returns one of three verdicts. Pass (well matched) means every check — Max Towing Limit, GTW headroom and caravan MTPLM — sits comfortably within its limit. Caution (careful) means all checks pass but at least one margin is tight, so it's worth confirming once loaded. Fail (no) means at least one rating is exceeded — for example the caravan MTPLM is more than your tow car's Max Towing Limit. The verdict is based only on the spec figures you enter.
Do I need an account to use Can I Tow It?: No. Can I Tow It? runs in your browser with no sign-up. Enter your tow car and caravan figures and you get the verdict and the reasons straight away. You can optionally email yourself the result so you have it handy later.
Does this replace a weighbridge?: No. Can I Tow It? is a spec-based check that compares the weight ratings you enter — it does not measure your actual loaded weight, and it is not legal weight evidence. Use it to plan and sanity-check your combination, then confirm your real loaded weights at a weighbridge. Towing remains the operator's responsibility.
How accurate is the tow check?: The check is deterministic: it applies the same weight rules every time to the numbers you give it, so the maths is exact for the figures entered. Its accuracy depends on those figures being right — pull them from your tow car's placard and the caravan's compliance plate. Because it works from spec sheets rather than your actual loaded weight, treat the result as decision support and confirm at a weighbridge.
What do I need to get a verdict?: Four essentials: your tow car's MAM and Max Towing Limit, and your caravan's MTPLM and empty weight (MiRO). Add your tow car's Kerb weight, GTW and Noseweight rating for a fuller check that also covers combined weight and noseweight.
Is Can I Tow It? just another towing calculator?: Can I Tow It? gives you an instant spec check for free — a clear Pass, Caution or Fail with the reasons behind it. The loadmate app then goes further: it keeps tracking what changes after you load up, so your headroom stays current as you add water, gear and a noseweight. Figures shown in kg.