help advice towing i want a p38

[p38newbie]

I want a p38 4.6 HSE to tow trailer for solar installs (electrician) I do (I'm sick of always being in my uncomfortable work truck currently sr5 auto diesel hilux twin cab).

I want the RR to tow tandem braked trailer (custom made just over 5 metres tip to toe just under 2 metres wide and 1.8 metres high van style with opening doors for tools and stock), when loaded will be just over 2300kg, under 2400kg ,tare no more than 900kg, electric brakes on all 4 wheels and electric breakaway fitted, with LED tail lights and side lights LED internal lights LED work-lights .LED reverse spots and reversing camera, inverter for charging battery tools and 240 drop saw and microwave (for lunch), with its own battery charging via solar panels and via car when in transit probably via Anderson plug' so will need some torque and power in RR. We in Oz didn't get the high compression motor did we ? :(Overfinch is outside my price range so is supercharger or turbo :D for that extra oomf :pHmm is it now I'm just being:censored: silly

The RR will additions of driving(spot) lights , LED reversing spots, LED light bar, GPS, dashcam, USB input stereo, UHF ,Trailer brake controller, reverse camera for car and reverse camera from trailer constant whenever in motion, inverter for laptop (paperwork and email etc) and fridge in rear of wagon with second battery (like one I've seen on here) redo the hevac if needed and regass I want super cold ac after hot days installing on roof out west, oh and the pollen filters, I will change all globes inside and out for brighter lights inside and out probably LED and resistor to prevent error message (like I've seen on here) and will be wire to be "lights on " when engine running , so addition electrical loads:confused:

All, well almost all driving will be bitumen, with some graded gravel roads and very very rarely may need to cross farm paddock or lawn to get to job site (as stated hilux has never been in 4wd)

Expect to tow at highway speed 100-110kph in my work area south-western QLD and spare power oomf to overtake the road-trains,. reside in Toowoomba so there will be some hill and range towing also the range crossing here is 10% grade for 3-4km

I don't want LPG!!. if your are going to have a big car and v8 the price is fuel :cool:and the comfort and power the reward :Doh and the burble:p

I am hoping to find a 4.6 HSE (black with lightstone trim) preferable with factory bulbar if not will have to find factory bar and fit as I like to keep era the factory look except wheels. As all driving is highway I'm thinking of fit later model 20" RR sports wheels with lower profile road tyres (I really like the look of them) no off-road hence road tyres smoother and quieter

I have had in the past a series 1 disco with 3.9 v8 awesome car, excellent 4x4, but not all that comfy on long trips :obut I don't see the p38 doing any 4wd track or beach just highway cruising and trailer hauling in comfort and luxury

I'm going to take the white collar HSE :twisted:and put it to work blue collar style [bigrolf]with a little class:wasntme: then I'll unhitch the trailer and go white collar for the sales jobs:p

long story but I wanted you to know the purpose for the RR so your help advice and opinion were pertinent to its use


So any advice, views , opinions and experience on


GEMS vs THOR ?? towing torque??
cooling engine and or trans??
electric thermal fan/s for cooling??? more electrical load??
suitability of p38 for the towing task??
performance improvement?? extractors/headers/ exhaust/ chips or even whether is worth rebuilding engine to higher compression??
are any of these worth the money for the gain??
electrical load ?? bigger battery??
size of second battery??
wheels and tyres??
how to go about charging second battery in rear of wagon for fridge and third in trailer whilst in transit without letting main battery suffer ??? this concerns me as RR sensitive when it come to low voltage and battery issues?? electrical load ??


Would be appreciated thank you:) Mick

[DT-P38]

I always thought solar was a money making racket for clever sparkies! Now your choice of work vehicle will confirm it to the unknowing (of P38 bargain prices) public at large.

FIND:

Well maintained, "Top Hat" fitted GEMS OR Thor. If you can, get as many of the following thrown in or find one with it done.

BUY:

- EAS Kicker OR (pref) a Nanocom Evolution

BUY and FIT:

- EAS Override Kit (or carry valves for emergency use)
- Aussie Desert Coolers OR New Radiator
- New coolant overflow cap

Triple check all normal consumables and service items and replace/upgrade as required.

Go to your favourite Auto Elec and get them to wire up your battery/tool stuff.

Start towing... there is a lot more than that to consider, but for the money you are only paying out 1/4 the cost of an SR5. That means you can throw 3 P38's away while properly joining in with the community here, learning to use the search function and getting on top of the other bits and pieces!!!

:angel: Good Luck! Dave

P.S. Join RACQ Top Care (just in case!).

[p38newbie]

thanks dave,


yep the general public don't know what they are missing out on lol and yes about 1/4 cost of sr5 but also bout 1/4 cost in custom trailer so yes should be in front even after spending on restoration of bits and pieces, wallet should be wiser and more comfortable sitting in luxury hehe


racq will be a must also, p38 wont have any probs with the weight towing I assume, any tips worthy in the performance line


yes forgot to put in bout nanocom or eas kicker that's on the list


"top hat"??? meaning nice condition?? or something else
either GEMSr THOR no noticeable torque advantage?
I figure cooling will be an issue specially out west
have been reading and learning a lot here


thanks again for the help mick

[p38newbie]

thanks dave


hmmm "top hat" fitted cant find any post re top hat think it means something else other than looked after type of intake manifold?? now im showing my newbie side :)
mick

[33chinacars]

Top hat refers to the way new cylinder liners are fitted. Like an upside down top hat. These engines can over heat .

Me, for towing would go Thor. Better torque down low I think.

The only other thing to watch is your tow ball weight. 150 kg ball weight / 3500 kg towing.

Highly recommend EAS Kicker. And EAS Over ride kit.

There a great car . Hope you find a good one

Gary

[p38newbie]

thanks gary


ahh so how do you find out if "top Hat" fitted it has to have had an engine rebuild?? for top hat to be fitted??
yes to the eas override and kicker
and regards trailer I haven't worked out the ball weight as yet as being custom built and designed althou im sure we can get it to under 150kg ball weight and expecting loaded weight to be 2300kg to 2400kg so will be inside those limits


thanks again
mick

[Keithy P38]

Without blowing the trumpet, I think what you're after is something similar to my current setup (minus the off-road additions).

See my thread in Members Rides section: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members-rides/119177-meet-my-second-p38.html

And also my dual battery setup: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/p38a-range-rover/170818-my-dual-battery-install-new-centre-switch-pack.html

A basic rundown - Traxide SC80 dual battery isolator, capable of feeding one or two batteries (so great for feeding power to a trailer or van). Mine has two 50amp circuit breakers (one near the crank battery and one near the aux battery) and I've also fitted an Anderson Plug to my dual battery setup for physical disconnection when/if needed as my aux battery is in an Ark Powerpack box so I can take it out and power accessories away from the Rangie. To top that off I've fitted an isolation switch to the battery controller to allow me to prevent charging the aux if needed, but also to prevent draining the main battery on extended camps.

The Anderson Plug doubles as a means to connect my solar panels to the aux battery.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/p38a-range-rover/57734d1363050253-my-dual-battery-install-new-centre-switch-pack-blue-range-rover-059.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

In terms of towing, I've now got a Tekonsha P3 trailer brake controller for my P38. I have heard excellent things about this brake controller. Am yet to use it in anger.

With that said, I towed a fully loaded Classic Rangie on a 1.2t car trailer - while my P38 was also loaded to the hilt (this was in Cape York on my trip in 2013 and without a brake controller at the time) and managed a respectable 18.5L/100km at 85km/h average speed. The P38 had no issues towing that 3.5 to 4t load, it also had no issues pulling the load up despite no trailer brakes (but I do not recommend it - I went down the Kuranda Range in Cairns like this and nearly had no brakes by the bottom).

So towing wise, a Thor 4.6 has plenty of torque to get the job done.

You'll also see in my thread in Members Rides that I've installed a second OEM EAS Compressor to run in parallel with the original. This is an off-road mod as I deflate and reinflate quite often on trips, including other vehicles. It allows the short-term use of pneumatic tools from the on-board air as well (although you probably use 18v cordless).

And lastly, something preventative for EAS issues (I don't have issues, but would like to be prepared in the event that I may), I've installed a manual bypass for the EAS.

This setup consists of an alloy block with schrader valves for each air spring, plus one (with a pressure gauge) for the air tank. To improve on a good thing I've fitted a ball valve to each air spring line prior to the alloy bypass block. This allows me the opportunity to bypass the factory EAS system altogether and run pure manual if needed. It's hard to explain as its not the usual bypass. Instead of using a T fitting straight from the valve block I've placed the T fitting after the ball valves.

Long spiel there, and like I said I'm not trying to blow the trumpet! I quite like my setup and I think if anyone can poach ideas from it that are handy, it could possibly prevent issues before they arise or allow quick recovery/mobilization if something did happen.

Cheers
Keithy

[davus]

Howdy,

Not sure if this is of use, but ill say it anyway :)

I recently bought a boat weighing 3.5 ton on the trailer, and needed to buy a cost effective, comfortable car to tow it.

For the price, i just couldnt beat the P38. Full chassis car meaning from a structural point of view towing this weight is not a problem. I was lucky enough to get an EAS kicker with mine when i bought it.

They certainly have their electrical issues - theres no doubt about that, but to be honest ive found that a resourceful person can usually get parts quite cheap (second hand).

Most of the issues that happen with them are common across the board, therefore they are well documented with many having almost step by step guides on how to rectify.

They are comfy, aircon is great (when it works), bucket loads of mod cons for a car of their vintage, and really a lot of smarts built in (sometimes too smart for its own good).

I tow my boat regularly from east of Melbourne down to the Mornington peninsula which is predominantly flat 100km/h roads. It tow very smoothly and despite its slightly shorter wheelbase (than say a landcruiser or patrol) it doesnt really get thrown around a bit.

Power admittedly is my biggest issue. Once it gets to 100 k's, you have to work it to get it to stay there. Any form of hill and it will either slow down, or if you push it, it will just drop down a gear and really work hard. Remember I am towing over 100kg's more than you would be though.

I dont know what motor i have unfortunately. Its a 1996 4.6 V8......if that helps.

I find putting it in sport mode helps towing that amount of weight. The gear changes just seem to be a little snappier, and a little earlier.......seems to work for the way i tow.

hope that helps.

Dave

[Pedro_The_Swift]

You say you dont want LPG now,,,:rolleyes:
wait untill you fill your combo up after only 350 odd kays and it sets you back $150 bucks,,
work it out yourself at around 5-6 kilometres per litre,, I get 3.5 towing my van on LPG.

It will be comfy though!:cool:

[mtb_gary]

Mick

I have the 1996 4.6 HSE running on the slightly cheaper 91 RON (regular ULP). I too regularly tow a boat of around 2.5 tonne. Ordinarily it does it fairly comfortably although at the moment I have a problem with what I believe to be a stuck exhaust valve. I have a 2nd battery located where the sub woofer used to be. The sound is still not too bad it just doesn't vibrate with the bass anymore. I went with the Narva dual battery kit with 150 Amp fuses at either end.
I also run the 18" road wheels and tyres for the bitumen work. Unless your suspension and steering system is 100% you may find the 20" a bit prone to wandering on the road, the higher profile tyres that came standard on the car seem to mask out some of these problems.....just one to watch out for.

Good luck with the purchase

Gary

[p38arover]

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/p38a-range-rover/57735d1363050626-my-dual-battery-install-new-centre-switch-pack-blue-range-rover-060.jpg

My eyes! My eyes! :eek:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/02/191.jpg

[Keithy P38]

That pic was from the day I did the install haha! I've since tidied it up.

Very rough and dusty/dirty there!

[TheTree]

Curious as to why you don't want LPG since it provides more torque than petrol and the exhaust note is unchanged ?

Steve

[p38newbie]

thanks to all who have made suggestions and help with what to look for and advice on duel batteries etc I have found a p38 im going to look at it fairly priced has 176ooo ks on it have spoken to him regarding a few thing prior to my travel to see it , it is in nsw im in qld so the advice im seeking he say heater works well but ac doesn't he thinks regas im thinking blend motor issues or sensor perhaps pollen filters ?? hasn't had any work to blend motor done and doesn't have moisture floor in footwell. has had radio change to alpine but not connect to steering wheel does have remote control how hard would this be to connect to strerring wheel control or would it require another change of audio unit to work with these controls I want these to by usable but also want input from phone either usb or 3.5mm jack for music and lastly he states that sometime cruise wont set doesnt drop out just sometimes wont let it be sett any suggestions of the likely cause of this it is a 1997 hse gems management system trim in fair condition has factory bulbar sidesteps rear light protectors and dual dvd in rear I suspect they are aftermarket vouge badges but it is a hse ans clear lens update fittes asking 7000 thanks in advance for any advice

[p38newbie]

oh and he says eas works well althought no work been done to it I expect at these dollars I will spend some on ac eas and stereo as well as kicker or nanocom and full service over hoses radiator and oils before it getrs put to work for the job I have for it seems like a fair starting place but advice is what im seeking thanks al
l

[Scouse]

If A/C is not working, it could have a leak in the system or the compressor clutch maybe be worn out. I can't see blend motors or pollen filters affecting the A/C side of things.


Cruise control intermittent is a common complaint. Could be anything from a slight leak at a vacuum hose to a dodgy ECU.


As for the radio, it sounds like you might need to start from scratch but I don't think there's many late model aftermarket units that will work with the RR steering wheel switches straight out of the box.

[imatt]

Maybe check this mob out for audio controls
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/products.asp's=Car%20Audio%20Technical&c=Range%20Rover%20P38%20Radio%20Harmon%20Kardon

[Hoges]

Maybe check this mob out for audio controls
Range Rover P38 Radio Harmon Kardon | Nexxia UK (http://www.nexxia.co.uk/products.asp's=Car%20Audio%20Technical&c=Range%20Rover%20P38%20Radio%20Harmon%20Kardon)

FWIW: The Nexia info is not quite correct... some P38s with high end Alpine head units have several amplifiers located in the doors rather than the single amp within the subwoofer assembly.

The iPod conversion put out by GROM plugs into the rear of the Alpine head unit displacing the feed to the CD player. It suits all P38 Alpine head units and full functionality of steering controls is maintained... has blue tooth for phone and iPod connector which charges iPod while connected...