Thread: Towing with a Defender

Modern turbo engines are so much more efficient and powerful than much larger older engines, particularly older V8s, which were so inefficient for their size. I regularly drag off older V8s at the lights! Its amusing to watch the looks on the faces of their drivers.

Originally Posted by MR LR

Not fishing... I'm just not in the business of recommending machinery that is inadequate of performing the job asked of it. I see you don't share that conscience, good for you, Pat

I've had a few V8 cruisers,they are nothing more than an exxy Tdi,my TDCi will pull 2T from idle without clutch slip and will keep a steady 90km/hr without issue,the V8 cruiser won't,for all it's power it won't pull without riding the clutch and because of the gearbox won't sit on a nice 90 cruising speed. Pat

Agreed pat, the 2.2 will do the job towing, for me I regularly tow with a GCM of 6-7 ton with my 130 2.2.. Yes it's down on power, but the gear ratios are spot on for this sort of work.. Will, are you basing your comments on a drive around the block, on paper figures or real life heavy towing day in day out? Power isn't everything, for me, chassis dynamics on the 130, 2 diffs driving instead of 1 and disc brakes on the back end, as well as the tow vehicle having the weight to handle the trailer..just my 2 bobs worth..

Another problem with cruisers is the transfer,you need to pull back,up and across from low to high,with the defender straight back with a double clutch,the best way to get a big weight moving,another is open center diff in both low/high so reversing at idle in low is easy and locked center is a flick sideways for wet grass etc. Pat

You can't compare a remapped milk carton and a bit to a stock, single turbo V8... If you remap the milk carton and a bit, then the V8 should be allowed the same treatment... a remapped 4.5 Cruiser pulls stupid hard... especially with a twin turbo set-up fitted to actually get the most out of the engine.

Our farm work ute is a 1HD-FTE 79 Series ute... I'm gonna cop hate for it, but I think it's one of the best engines out there... the V8 pulls heaps harder (I have driven a few), and both will show up that crappy TDCi motor...

One bloke on this forum replaced his Puma with a Cruiser and is happy as Larry... wonder why!

I'm a Land Rover guy through and through, but I'm not so blind to the world that I can't see the merits of other vehicles... there's a damn good reason people buy Land Cruisers and not Defenders... I'd personally probably do the same!

Both vehicles aren't without their faults, though.

But recommending a 2.2L that weighs two tonnes as a heavy tow car is just unrealistic, especially if you're only saying it's good because you tow at 90... The cruiser is happy pulling at 120, even my td5 is except on hills.

Originally Posted by PAT303

Another problem with cruisers is the transfer,you need to pull back,up and across from low to high,with the defender straight back with a double clutch,the best way to get a big weight moving,another is open center diff in both low/high so reversing at idle in low is easy and locked center is a flick sideways for wet grass etc. Pat

I've towed double the rated capacity with our Cruiser ute, (7t 36ft header comb on a dog trailer) and only ever used low range for maneuvering, first gear is plenty low enough...

Originally Posted by MR LR

You can't compare a remapped milk carton and a bit to a stock, single turbo V8... If you remap the milk carton and a bit, then the V8 should be allowed the same treatment... a remapped 4.5 Cruiser pulls stupid hard... especially with a twin turbo set-up fitted to actually get the most out of the engine.

Our farm work ute is a 1HD-FTE 79 Series ute... I'm gonna cop hate for it, but I think it's one of the best engines out there... the V8 pulls heaps harder (I have driven a few), and both will show up that crappy TDCi motor...

One bloke on this forum replaced his Puma with a Cruiser and is happy as Larry... wonder why!

I'm a Land Rover guy through and through, but I'm not so blind to the world that I can't see the merits of other vehicles... there's a damn good reason people buy Land Cruisers and not Defenders... I'd personally probably do the same!

Both vehicles aren't without their faults, though.

But recommending a 2.2L that weighs two tonnes as a heavy tow car is just unrealistic, especially if you're only saying it's good because you tow at 90... The cruiser is happy pulling at 120, even my td5 is except on hills.

I've driven two worked V8's,my last one,a 76 was worked and neither pulled stupid hard,they are twice the capacity and have twice the cylinders yet don't go twice as good,to me they just droned more,the 1HD-FTE with the 5 speed auto is the best engine/gearbox ever fitted to LC's,I've had one,the V8 is a boat anchor in comparision,so much so Jaguar mine in Wiluna were buying brand new 79's and doing FTE engine swaps with them when I worked their,I'd love to do an AULRO road test between a D4D 4 and V8,Tdi,Td5,4.2 nissan and TDCi,that would be brilliant. Pat

Originally Posted by PAT303

I've driven two worked V8's,my last one,a 76 was worked and neither pulled stupid hard,they are twice the capacity and have twice the cylinders yet don't go twice as good,to me they just droned more,the 1HD-FTE with the 5 speed auto is the best engine/gearbox ever fitted to LC's,I've had one,the V8 is a boat anchor in comparision,so much so Jaguar mine in Wiluna were buying brand new 79's and doing FTE engine swaps with them when I worked their,I'd love to do an AULRO road test between a D4D 4 and V8,Tdi,Td5,4.2 nissan and TDCi,that would be brilliant. Pat

Glad we can agree the 1HD-FTE is an awesome engine... though I prefer it in 5spd manual flavour