So you think you can tow 3.5t

[Reel Blue]

No typo Brendan, I still have the dockets. I could not make this trip in the past without fueling up at bundy in my LC despite a bigger fuel tank.

[gofishin]

Well I'll be...

Better not sell that truck Martin!

[Reel Blue]

To be precise, 1.5 trips from the campground to Agnes or about 18km were without the boat in tow.

[gofishin]

That small distance probably wouldn't have affected the result too much. Regardless, that is fantastic economy.

Closest I have ever got to that economy (towing my 685 to Agnes) is from a trip in the Navara where it was pi$$ing rain for most of the trip, and I probably only averaged between 80-85km/h, maybe sometimes 90. Economy then was mid 14's, other trips it was mid-high 17's when on the speed limit.
Cheers
Brendon

[macka17]

Interesting that with a full tow load of 3.5t attached, the payload for the new Navara is 489kg, Ranger only 300kg, the Discovery 682kg.
I just double checked the 200 series Landcruiser specs, as they have long been considered the only "real" 3.5t tow vehicle.
A Sahara has a payload of just 580kg (with or without a 3.5t trailer) or up to 710kg (for say the GX).
The dual cab utes are probably not too bad to be getting within 200kg or so on payload (particularly given the price difference), not to mention that the dual cab utes can actually carry about 50% more payload when not towing than a Cruiser or Discovery.

The better respected dual cabs for towing also have a wheelbase about 10% longer than a 200 series cruiser, which can't be a bad thing for towing.

70 Series single cab utes are the pick for payload, 1235kg payload with 3.5t trailer on the back I believe.... bit limited for passengers but!

Reality is, they all need a fair bit of care and thought if your attaching a 3.5t trailer to the back of them....

Hi.
I'm a PAtrol driver for 20 yrs or more.
The GU 3 ltr can carry 30 kg's LESS than the 100 (comparable vehicle) when both are loaded and tow 300kg less

Considering the advanced running gear. economy and reliability in the real world (not internet posts)the Patrol has over a Toyota.
They waay ahead.
I towed my 6.5mtr 3 plus ton caravan for near 15 yrs all over Aust with no problems.
Travelling with. overtaking some on hills and ALWAYS a lot more economical to run than them.
The loads always reduce when you add to towbar.


anybody that thinks he can tow 3 ton or 3.5. behind a vehicle that weighs 2 ton.
SAFELY.

Has got a problem between his ears. regardless of technology.
GRAVITY and traction ( including the lack of) have a fair bit to say about it. once you get off the straight dry trouble free driving.
Your load behind WILL control you whether you like it or not.
I'm an ex trucky in my 70's and have seen quite a few of such in the yrs on the roads in several country's.

MOST country's road rules preclude towing much over 75% of tugs weight. by law
for safety reasons.

I have a D.Max. RATED to 3 ton. But I bought a caravan rated to 1.7 ton LOADED.
THAT weight. in my eyes.
Is the MAX. I want to have behind my ute thank you.

I respect my missus and others on the road lives
WHEN something does go wrong and the overloaded ones DO lose it.

Read up and think about it b4 towing what the salesmen tell you you can.

Gravity and traction wise.

THEY ARE WRONG...

[Oceanic Dave]

Interesting post and I have enjoyed reading and learning.

My boat weighs 2.2T unloaded with half a tank. So let's just say it is around 2.4T when loaded with fuel and gear.

Now if I am planning on buying the new Hilux that has a kerb weight of 2075, I am assuming that is quite safe?

Question now is from that I have been reading, a wagon will tow and grip the road a lot better than a double cab ute. Is that the case because of the weight distribution of the car?

For those that tow 2.5T on a double cab ute, how do you find it?

Thanks

[GBC]

Which wagon? Which dual cab? Way too broad based to be reasonable on any level.

check out the wheelbase and the distance behind the rear axle to the tow point. Long first one and short second one will be a stable tow vehicle no matter what configuration. New dual cabs have sorted this out. Some better than others. I've got no clue about the new hilux yet but the reviews aren't exactly earth shattering. I'm sure it'll be boringly average which is what you buy a hilux for anyway - won't set the world on fire - won't let you down. There are definitely better dual cabs for towing though.

[scottar]

For those that tow 2.5T on a double cab ute, how do you find it?

Thanks

On a 3 litre Navara STR dual cab I found it sketchy enough to trade it on a Landcruiser. No doubt that some of the newer utes will do a better job with much higher power and torque figures but your trailer brakes will want to be spot on if you ever need to slow it down in a hurry. Even with good brakes I could still feel it pushing the back end of the ute around. If you are absolutely set on a ute, my personal opinion would be the bigger, the better. Prior to the Navara I had a 3 litre Patrol that was a superior tow vehicle in so much as feeling a lot more sure footed as well but the V8 cruiser leaves them both for dead IMO in overall drivability with a heavy trailer attached (as it should ).

[beerhunter]

I know a few people towing with the new v8 petrol patrol. It's like your not towing at all and if you don't use all 400 HP all the time economy is surprisingly good.


sent from the beerhunter

[ozynorts]

Interesting post and I have enjoyed reading and learning.

My boat weighs 2.2T unloaded with half a tank. So let's just say it is around 2.4T when loaded with fuel and gear.

Now if I am planning on buying the new Hilux that has a kerb weight of 2075, I am assuming that is quite safe?

Question now is from that I have been reading, a wagon will tow and grip the road a lot better than a double cab ute. Is that the case because of the weight distribution of the car?

For those that tow 2.5T on a double cab ute, how do you find it?

Thanks

The Hilux is only rated to 2.5t towing so you are very close to the limits if you go that way.

[hainsofast]

Mate the new one can tow 3.2 tonne. The pick of the utes at the moment is the D-max in my opinion.

[ozynorts]

Mate the new one can tow 3.2 tonne.

I must have read the old info.
I see that the dual cab manual is 3.5t and the auto is 3.2t in the diesel and the petrol auto is 3t.

[gofishin]

Some very valid comments re tow vehicle weight (comparative to towed weight), wheelbase and t/bar overhang, but the trailer braking system (as Scotty mentioned), is all too often soooo understated/dismissed when considering towing safety on the road, IMHO. And maybe because people haven't experienced how good they can be!

Maybe things have changed in the last ~7 1/2 years, but I remember being absolutely blown away by the performance (still am actually) of the braking system on my yanky trailer and 2.8-2.9t fully loaded BMT (Aussy) boat. It has 10" ventilated Dacromet rotors, Brakerite hydraulic braking unit & Hayes accelerometer type controller. I am normally a staunch Aussy-built supporter, but in this case we had nothing in in comparison to the trailer I was after, and the standard trailers we did have had typical Aussy trailer braking systems that did not (and still do not IMHO) compare - and from what I have seen in the last few months too.

This doesn't change the fact that the towed mass is > than the tow vehicle mass, but it does make it soooo much better to drive, and safer for me, my passengers and everyone else on the road. I have also always used a WDH for highway/long-haul trips, which I think increases the safety as well, let alone makes it a much more enjoyable trip for me.

I see more vehicle manufactures are now recommending the use of WDH's when towing close to their towing limit. With the ever increasing towing capacity of vehicles (and dual cabs), it wouldn't surprise me in the future if WDH's are not seen as a mandatory requirement (and hence policed), i.e. if it is 'recommended', the vehicle manufacturer must think it is needed, so let's 'make it law'!! Might be wrong, we'll see, give it ~5 years .

Towed this boat with 3 cars over its life; a Navara D40 2.5TD, Pajero 3.2DiD, & now LC200TTD. Think approx. car weights are D40 ~2100kg, Paj ~2250kg, LC ~2700kg from memory. Long w/base of the D40 was good, but the rear t/bar overhang was felt without the WDH (pitching). Always loaded the D40 up, as the added weight helped a lot. Pajero was a better tow vehicle (but a lot less space). LC200 miles better again - but an extended w/base D/cab conversion would be better . More weight certainly helps. Just got to make sure that you do all the GCM/GVM calcs with some utes before loading the tray up!

My2c.

Cheers
Brendon

[scottar]

Mate the new one can tow 3.2 tonne. The pick of the utes at the moment is the D-max in my opinion.

Company I work for has a 2wd dual cab D'Max. Not sure whether they have a different gear ratio set up in the 4wd but around town the thing is horrible to put it bluntly. I thought the cruisers auto was a bit busy around town until I drove this thing. It's certainly good on fuel and not bad to drive on the highway ( apart from having to plan your overtaking - being used to the V8 certainly raises your expectations )

[macka17]

Read all these posts....

NOT ONE mentions when things go sideways. in the dry or wet.

ANY vehicle can tow pretty much any load sriven to suit.
BUT when things go sideways.
That's when you'll find which is the better tug. trailer controller. SAFER vehicle.

Towing safety and comfort is a lot more than big engine. Wheelbase. vehicle weights. traction. braking.
All come into it.

Jeez. last truck was a Kenny with 720hp donk and 15 spd ranger plus splitter.
took a while but got up to 130 (cruising speed in the Territory).
with three drags and around 103/107 ton under you.
We often stuck another 40 fter on back t'ween Three Ways and Katherine overnight.

But each axle had it's own brakes. that were rated to it's own weight. and a big compressor.

We were fine 98% of the time but if the last drag got up a swing it'd drag the rear end 20ft each way
and snake like you wouldn't believe. hard on tyres and jocks.

Sorry O.T a bit there.

Have a tug to suit the tow.and you go to sleep at night.

Look at a few films of some that have gone wrong and you might think about it a little more.
It really is scary. you town drivers have no idea...

Everything's fine till it goes wrong...THEN you realise your vehicle is not really the one you want to be in.