Towing limits

Not that I am likely to be towing for some time unless I suddenly strike it rich, nor that I would ever want to tow anything as heavy as 2 tons but I am curios to know why the limit for series 3 is only 2 tons and it is 4 tons in a defender?

Surely coil springs don't make that much difference?

I would guess the maximum towing weight theretically is that which when you go beyond it results in the tow ball pulling off when you drive away

Reply to
Larry
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From Series 3 owners manual Part No. 607324A "Cross country: 1020kg" " Road and track with unbraked trailers: 500kg" "Road and track using overrun trailer brakes:2,040kg" "Trailer with four wheels and independent power brakes: Petrol:4080kg Diesel: 3060kg" "A combination having a total trailed weight exceeding 2,040kg should have a separate braking system on the trailer (vacuum or compressed air) controlled from the driver's cab."

As you can see, the limit for the Series 3 is not 2 tons. I suspect that you have got the weight for Series 3 with overrun brakes and the weight for Defender with independent brakes. JD

Reply to
JD

i don't think it has much to do with the strength of the towball, but more to do with how the vehicle will handle when a trailer weighing as much as the vehicle is attached. power-steering would help, as would a more powerful engine, stronger brakes, all this just makes for a vehicle that is perhaps (i have never hauled a 2 ton trailer so don't know from experience) more stable and safe with a heavy trailer.

Reply to
samuel mcgregor

My former vehicle had a plated mgw of 3.7 tonnes but was not designed for towing however being basically a stretched ford granada allowed the fitting of a standard towbar. It could tow a medium sized caravan at illegal speeds without any effect on the stability however it was hard on the gearbox if you did that as the poor old 2.8 was already pulling a lot of excess weight.

Seeing as my series 3 struggles to reach 60 mph, I would not see that sort of towing performance with a standard caravan let alone some quasi legal behemoth behind it.

I wonder though what legally tows some of those showmans wagons you see at fairgrounds, I have a fair idea that there is a lot of illegal towing goes on.

As for anything I would be likely to tow, It would likely be a hired box van full of furniture.

I have two front mounted towballs as well BTW on either side of the bumper that came with it and set me wondering what they were used for.

Reply to
Larry

I am not sure if this is a South African thing, but I understand that the towing limits are set by the mass the vehicle can pull off on a certain grade of hill (assuming coupled brakes!). I am sure there are other factors that come into it.

Thus even though my landy battles to wheeze its way up hills in forth gear (SerIII Nissan LD 28), slot it into low range and I can move off with just about anything on most grades, hence the high tow weight.

Most 1ton pickups here (Isuzu, Hilux etc) have a combined mass of about

3500kgs, whereas the early 110's had a mass of 7050Kg or somthing as the max coupled mass. However I recently came down from Johannesburg to Durban via Lesotho, a bit of a diversion, and having hit a 19% grade at 3200m above sea level, I nearly had to change into low range just to get the relatively empty landy up the hill. If I had a 2 ton trailer behind I am not sure if even Low 1st would have got it up.

Regards Stephen

Reply to
fanie

Larry wrote: (snip)

As far as I am aware there is no requirement in any jurisdiction that a vehicle or combination be capable of reaching or maintaining any set speed. In this state as an example in the other direction, until recently there was a limit of 80kph on trailers over 750kg. When Landrovers were originally designed it was usual for farmers to transport their own produce to market on a heavy trailer pulled by a tractor, and the Landrover was designed to be able to take over this role. As distances were short, even the speed reached by a series 1 with a 2 litre motor was adequate and fast compared to the tractor it replaced.

Quite possibly. But as most of them would be within the limits of all Landrovers (except Freelander) weight is not likely to be the illegality - dimensions, brakes, lights etc more likely.

(snip)

These are used for manoeuvering trailers, especially in tight conditions. With the trailer on the front you can see where you are going when backing the trailer, and it is easier to steer. With a ball at each end of the bumper you can arrange to be able move the van with an obstacle right against it, and also get a better view. JD

Reply to
JD

On or around Fri, 2 Apr 2004 02:06:45 +0100, "Larry" enlightened us thusly:

most things are able to tow more weight than you think, if you go over a certain weight you've speed limits, as well.

the really big showmans vans are built on lorry axles and have air brakes, and are towed by lorries. The smaller ones on over-run brakes are built down to 3500Kg gross, I assume.

I don't know where this towing weight stuff has appeared from - the old LR adverts used to advertise 4 tons.

trailers over 3.5T gross need a linked braking system, however.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Dunno, but I've towed a 3ton 101 behind my IIa SWB, and it was only running on 3 cylinders at the time. I've never been able to work out how they determine towing weights.

Alex

Reply to
Alex
Reply to
Stevie

They have legal exemption for that sort of thing and it is a lot easier than putting a bit between your teeth and doing it on your own.

My mums wheelchair could tow a caravan, (and it was 4WD too)

My limo was towed out of a ditch by a merc once and the limo would have been over the mercs towing limit.

As far as caravans go, the speed limit on dual carriageways is 60 mph now, so the average motorist is going to have less patience with a landie towing at 30 mph even if it could do it all day.. It is bad enough when I crawl up hills at 20 as it is.

Reply to
Larry

in article 406dadf1$1 snipped-for-privacy@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com, Stevie at snipped-for-privacy@tiscali.co.uk wrote on 2/4/04 7:16 pm:

We had a very nice AA man in an Escort van tow the bands van off the motorway at Lutterworth and back to Leicester. It was Mercedes 508D full of PA, drumfit, amps, guitars, lighting and sound rig as well as various members and girlfriends/wives of the band Bruce was is in, in the converted front half. His clutch had gone by the time it arrived back outside our house, so Bruce gave him a tow back to base with the Jag.

Reply to
Nikki Cluley

I don't know where you are but in the UK. the S111 could tow 3.5 tons with over-run brakes and four tons with assisted brakes. Diesel engines might have had a lower limit but few took any notice of it. It was and is common for LR's to tow over the maximum recommended weight with no ill effect. My old 110 naturally aspirated diesel still tows over four tons when needs must.

Huw

Reply to
Huw

Here in the States towing is fairly common as a lot of people have boats and rv's (caravans). They aren't difficult to afford or to own (as measured by fuel costs). We get lots of options for purchasing tow vehicles. In common, the basic chassis must have enough wheelbase to provide stable handling (usually greater than 100" depending on towed weight) otherwise the trailer can easily jackknife the tow vehicle in a hard stop, particularly with any curve. The brakes have to be up to it. The other limiting factors are engine and transmission. I think the torque capacity of the transmission (380 Nm with the R380) and engine power went up with the Defender vs SIII. The hitch on the tow vehicle needs to be able to support a min of 10% of the towed weight. All this will get you reliable towing at highway speeds. You can tow a lot more at very slow speeds.

Is your 4 ton Defender capacity in low range? For the NAS version the tow rating was 3500 lb ('97 4.0) for the 90.

Reply to
Geoff 93 RRC

suspension , braking systems , better engines

in which case if the black rat fraternity are to be believed the maximum towing capacity of RR/disco, P38 and LR110 chassis is in the realm of 44 tonne

Reply to
Martyn Hodson

- trailer manoeuvring - boat launching

- rope bollards

- recovery points

Reply to
Martyn Hodson

More likely, it's the weight at which you brake and jackknife the towing vehicle, or fail to stop altogether.

But stability problems are going to come into play a long time before this, I assume.

David

Reply to
David French

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