Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4186
I want to see the sweets before I get into your windowless van... I'm not stupid!
Corris Grey D4 Commercial SE 2016
Zermatt Sliver 2007 D3 SE manual (gone)
Indus Silver D4 HSE 2015 (gone)
Bonatti Grey D3 HSE 2006 (gone)
White D3 S (LHD) 2007 (gone)
Firenze Red D4 HSE 2014 (gone)
Black RRS 3.6TDV8 2008 (gone)
Rusty Green Defender 110 1997 (gone)
Black FL2 HSE 2013 (gone)
8th Sep 2020 2:16 pm
riverblanche
Member Since: 31 Aug 2010
Location: retford'ish
Posts: 2214
Hi,
as already mentioned mainly just good maintenance
check all fluid levels
check tyre pressures, increase for towing, reduce when there, increase for trip back
(although most level them high especially if only away for the weekend )
so a decent pump is worthwhile.
Check your nose weight, under the ball hitch not the jockey wheel (or try both and see any difference)
and
If new to towing a tintent I would recommend loading as you think is right, then go to a weighbridge and see what your weights are, tintent unhitched you may be surprised how its all added up
take the awning, chairs, spare gas bottle, all the tinned food and maybe a bottle of shandy
all back out to get down to the max weight.
Last Cl we were on a 2008 ford focus turned up, family of 4 got out (4 adults kids were grown up) of the car and the dog
out of the caravan came, a full size awning and steel poles, 2 full size canoes 4 chairs, BBQ, dog cage, 2 tents (said kids grown up they had 1 each ) big stand up clothes drier, wet suits,
you get the idea
if they were not overloaded
They do tow well, ISTR we ran a nose weight more like 120kg
Member Since: 27 Jul 2020
Location: Bedford
Posts: 101
Just towed from Bedford to Cotswolds, New Forest and Isle of Wight and back to Bedford. Towed well except power was somewhat lacking I felt. Usually have a 520d touring to tow with that is Stage 1 tuned.
This changed up gears slowly (had reset done a few weeks ago so may be learning still) from what I previously remembered about D3’s towing performance, and I suspect EGR may need replacing. Seemed to stay in 3rd gear a long time. Low down grunt was not strong enough. Managed about 25mpg on average. Found 4 Fords to drive through and that added to the fun. It is improving day by day on changing gear.
I have not run any fault detection tests on it and wondered whether I should if none are showing? Curiously, it drives better after I noticed one rear tyre was pumped to 50 and the other (slow leak) was now on 38. I matched both to 40 and that seemed to improve things... This was done before we set off with the caravan. I towed 36 on front and 42 on rear.
We decided to stay on site the day of Storm Francis as you don’t want to tow in strong winds - especially in a vehicle you don’t know too well.2007 Discovery 3 HSE Lugano Teal
2011 BMW 520d Touring Sophisticato Grey
2000 Porsche Boxster 2.7 Arena Red
2002 Porsche 911 3.6 C4 Cabriolet Artic Silver - sold last year
1987 Porsche 944S Black - sold last year
2006 Discovery 3 HSE Buckingham Blue - sold last year
2012 Ford Grand CMax Panther Black (wife’s) wish we’d sold that instead!
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