Member Since: 07 Nov 2007
Location: Blue Mountains
Posts: 103
Towing 20 foot van with D3
Guys,
My father is looking for a new vehicle and I think he is down to a D3 or a Pajero.
He wants to tow a 20 foot caravan (on road one) and is worried that the Pajero is not up to it with it's smaller towing capacity -- so he is coming back around to a D3 like me. The van is 2000kg + you need to put your personal & cooking items in, so it's close to the 2500kg maximum on the Pajero before the ball weight drops ... the D3 can do 3500kg.
His questions are:
1. He thinks a weight distribution hitch is wise, but unsure about that with self leveling suspension. Should he get a used 'S' with coils, or is the air suspension fine for towing a big van ?
2. What electric tailer brake controller do people recommend for the D3 ?New MY15 TDv6 D4 in Buckingham Blue
Previously 2005 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue
- LR Steel Bar & Lights, Cooper STT 245/70R17 on LR 17", ContiCrossContact UHP 255/60R18 on LR 18", Traxide/Optima Yellow Top, GME 3440 UHF, FrontRunner Roofrack.
Previously 1999 TD5 in Blenheim Silver
8th Jun 2009 9:24 am
BlackPerth2
Member Since: 09 Apr 2009
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 63
Go for a TDV6 SE (get it chipped and get 550nm!) - you'll get air suspension and no need for a weight dsitribution hitch (Landrover specifically recommend against it); plenty of forum members tow heavy vans and boats with no issues; and a Hayman Reece brake controller / Prodigy etc are all fine.2006 SE TDV6 with G4 Options ("A" Bar, Driving lights, expedition rack, ladder; fr & r light guards, side steps, G4 logos) door moulds; plus Long Ranger 115L sub-tank; OL rear wheel carrier; OL rear drawer system; Kenwood / Garmin Satellite Nav/bluetooth/iPod/rear camera/DVD); LR roof mounted DVD; GME 3440 UHF; Tyre Dog tyre monitoring system; Optima Yellow second battery and Traxide dual battery management system; Mitchell Bro's tow hitch;
8th Jun 2009 9:51 am
strudeltoowoomba
Member Since: 05 Nov 2008
Location: Toowoomba
Posts: 27
Dad runs a 2005 S on coils and tows a 21'6 Roma caravan which ways in around 3200kgs. The only modification he has made is the Mitchell Brothers hitch, he still runs a hayman reese WDH as it helps with the coils, he has tried it with and without the WDH and it handles better with it.
Averages between 15 and 18 litres p/100 kms and loves it compared to his D2.
I have a 2008 SE and will not use the WDH as the air suspension does it automatically, I have also read of cases where the standard hitch casting cracks after a while with the use of the WDH so watch for that if not using the Mitchell Brothers hitch.Strudeltoowoomba
2010. TDV6 - ARB Bar, GME UHF, Drifta Drawers
Having previously had a 93LSE (My Baby) with air suspension and a D3 with Air, I defiantly don’t want to go down the path of air is bad lets forgo all its benefits and go to coils.
Air suspension has been around for 15-20years, embrace it; its what makes the D3 great, etc.
Understand what air suspension is, its just another rubber air bag just the same as your tyres, no one wants to go back to solid rubber tyres, 1920 style. So air suspension is the next step.
There are ways around air spring problems, just do your homework and find a solution that fits you.
Now to the topic at hand, WDH, DO NOT - DO NOT, fit a WDH to your D3 or RRS. Your insurance Co will love you if you do, they can wipe any claim you may make, and yes I have made a claim of grater than $100K. not involving the D3.
Further I have towed a 3ton van round Oz for 7 months with the D3 and plan to do so again in the near future without a WDH. The van is a three-ton Kedron ATV tandem axle, 17' internal 24'6" external.
As has been said the D3 /RRS is a different beast to any other LR, and deserves to be treated as such.
This is not to say an anti-sway coupling would not go astray for your particular application, however it was not needed in my case and an anti sway device is not a WDH.
The latest Cvan and Motor home issue has an article on WDH and ordinary vehicles and, also a D3. The conclusions were a towball weight of from memory 140kg resulted in a 60kg lighter load on the front wheels which still left a weight of grater than 1100kg on the front tyres of a D3, If I remember their conclusion correctly, the D3 SLS took care of everything and a down force of 1ton plus on each front wheel maintained directional control.
Yes I would love to have a remap for grater torqu/bhp however SWMBO says $3k for tyre's 17" rims and a tyre pressure monitoring system is the budget for this year, spend more, we stay home!
I forgot to say I had a Mitchell Bros tow hitch reciever.
Ryall
8th Jun 2009 11:17 am
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
As said do not use a WDH, it is not needed and LR say it can cause cracking to the tow point weld as the DSC and air suspension fight against it.“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.
8th Jun 2009 11:37 am
character
Member Since: 01 Jan 2008
Location: wiltshire
Posts: 5781
have air, great, adjust accordingly, pull 3m high single car transporter, gross train weight approx 3tons
then have a "straightliner" on the hitch that stops any sway when I come past an artic on the motorways
Are you on the standard removeable tow bar or permanent?
Just asking because I have a straightliner (great piece of kit ) which I used on my D1 as last t/t was basic hitch - not a clamp ike the Alko...
Now have a t/a t/t with Alko hitch so haven't bothered to check to see if the head end can be changed from bolt-on to clamp-on to the removeable tow bar I now use.... any ideas FORECAST FOR TONIGHT: things have happened out there!!!
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