Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 7
Towing damage potential?
Can anyone suggest anything in particular to look out for in D3s that have been used for towing (with a fixed towbar)? Any common damage patterns that forum members have come across? Anything in particular that D3s succumb to having done a lot of towing?
Thanks
13th Aug 2020 7:33 am
jenseneverest
Member Since: 12 Jun 2017
Location: somewhere
Posts: 769
i often see "never used for towing" when peeps sell cars, like it makes the car better somehow....i just dont get it TBH
A car driven badly with or without a trailer is still the same IMO
I guess if used a lot for towing, say a very heavy horse box, the drive train / clutch / auto gearbox would see some extra loading's. But then if it was driven boy "racer style" its whole life is that any better than towing ??
What i am basically saying is if used a lot for towing, and driven correctly, it should not be an issue.
13th Aug 2020 9:16 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4445
I've don't recall any discussion about towing causing specific damage to D3/D4. Some members tow all the time, some never tow, and still have diff/transfer/propshaft issues.
My D3 had never towed anything till I bought it at 90k miles, and the front diff went at 120k miles. I'd only towed a caravan and a car trailer a few times.
I don't think towing is the biggest issue to worry about with these cars!Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
13th Aug 2020 10:08 am
John C
Member Since: 28 Aug 2007
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 3292
If it was used to launch boats into sea water regularly, it's likely there will be above average corrosion if it's not rinsed off.
Driven hard with a heavy load in tow will undoubtably put more wear on the transmission, so I'd check for any judder under load by forcing it into to higher a gear and low revs on a hill.
I've done 270K and had two gearbox rebuilds which I am guessing towing heavy loads regularly in the past didn't help...
I did one particularly hard drive back up through France with a loaded car, roof and caravan as we were running late for a ferry. That definitely sped up the decline of the gearbox and had it refurbed a couple of weeks later.2020 SDV6 D5 HSE, Carpathian Grey +
2022 Tesla Model Y LR... almost Carpathian Grey
Previously : 2005 TDV6 SE Auto, Cairns Blue (288K) - ours for 16 years
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum