Towing trailer assistance

[nat_89]

Just thought I'd ask a few questions have to tow a car on a trailer next week 600km trip to the dealer. It will be a 2ton car on a 1.1ton car trailer whats people's experience with the D4 high tune 8spd auto? What gear do you tow in I'm guessing using about 7th and sitting on 95km or so? Also what fuel are people using at that weight not that it worries me keen to know? Thoughts and ideas will be much appreciated!! Cheers.

[LandyAndy]

Keep looking in the mirror to see if its still there????
Interested to hear how it goes.
Make sure the load isnt too heavy on the ball or tail.
GOODLUCK.
Andrew

[nat_89]

Keep looking in the mirror to see if its still there????
Interested to hear how it goes.
Make sure the load isnt too heavy on the ball or tail.
GOODLUCK.
Andrew

I will be keeping a good eye haha!! But thankfully it actually comes with a big 70mm tow ball and its own heavy duty hitch that goes straight in the LR receiver. But after the tow I will let you know how it goes!!

[RoverLander]

I tow a 3.4 ton parrachute...emmm i mean caravan with a MY15 Hse. As long as the car recognises the trailer is there it will adjust gear changes and you can just leave it in drive. Led trailer lights would be the main reason for the car not recognising that a trailer was attached. See posts elsewhere on here.

I only change down a gear or 2 for engine braking down hills.

My fuel consumption based on the car computer is between 15 and 22 l/100km with an average of 17. I think its optimistic by about 2 l/100km.

The D4 is a fantastic tow vehicle. You will be amazed at how well it tows that weight up long hills. Ohhh..dont use cruise control...you risk getting a restricted performance message and limp mode.

Peter

[Tombie]

Hope it has electric brakes with breakaway and your D4 has an EBC!

Cruise control hasn't been an issue for ages... So cruise control away!

Let us know how it goes...

[RoverLander]

Hope it has electric brakes with breakaway and your D4 has an EBC!

Cruise control hasn't been an issue for ages... So cruise control away!

Let us know how it goes...



Just to clarify... Most of my towing was previously with a 2010 D4 HSE...Yes with Breakaway, electric brakes and EBC (Tekonsha P3) and Pulse Buster (Caravan has LED lights).


I now have a MY15 HSE and it has all that but I swapped to Redarc TowPro. Brilliant and no more large EBC on the dash.


I didn't know about Cruise Control no longer being an issue. What has changed? I would like to use CC but still avoid it as I don't want any problems.

[nat_89]

Hope it has electric brakes with breakaway and your D4 has an EBC!

Cruise control hasn't been an issue for ages... So cruise control away!

Let us know how it goes...

I asked about the brakes and they told me the brakes are routed automatically through the plug and via the brake lights apparently according to the hire people. as i was concerned about that!!

[orangepop]

Cruise control was fixed with software update about 2 years ago. It happened to me but no issues since the update ( update was not covered under extended warranty by the way) cost about $160.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

---- it comes with a big 70mm tow ball and its own heavy duty hitch that goes straight in the LR receiver. ----

any chances of a PIC of this?

[Tombie]

I asked about the brakes and they told me the brakes are routed automatically through the plug and via the brake lights apparently according to the hire people. as i was concerned about that!!

How did you go?

Thats quite scary considering the current draw of trailer brakes pulling off the brake light circuit!

[nat_89]

Sorry i didn't get a picture of the receiver it was a quite a heavy looking thing with a big 70mm towball on it.

Ill have to admit i wasn't sure how the brakes worked and i dont believe they worked, just from the feel so i sat a fair way back from most people i was following and just used the paddles and mainly used engine braking to ensure i was on the brakes as little as possible.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/06/127.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/nattherat89/media/FullSizeRender.jpg.html)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Is Qld the only state where an "on trailer" brake controller is allowed?
If the trailer brakes are working you will feel the car squat pulling up to a halt.

[nat_89]

Is Qld the only state where an "on trailer" brake controller is allowed?
If the trailer brakes are working you will feel the car squat pulling up to a halt.

Cant be sure of that as it was a hire trailer and i was under the assumption that it would be all up to spec! There wasn't to much of that but they seemed to work okay and it was towing 3.2t the brakes felt pretty good.

[Melbourne Park]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/06/127.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/nattherat89/media/FullSizeRender.jpg.html)

I think in the UK, such a braking setup would be OK for 3.5 tonne towing limit. With our setups like a Tow Pro Tekonsha etc etc then IMO the Disco should be able to pull 4 tonne, as is the case in the UK. So you're setup should have been OK. Max is still 350kg on the ball though.

By the way - your chains are straight. If you cross them, then the trailer will track straighter if they're required!!

[nat_89]

I think in the UK, such a braking setup would be OK for 3.5 tonne towing limit. With our setups like a Tow Pro Tekonsha etc etc then IMO the Disco should be able to pull 4 tonne, as is the case in the UK. So you're setup should have been OK. Max is still 350kg on the ball though.

By the way - your chains are straight. If you cross them, then the trailer will track straighter if they're required!!

Thanks very much for that info ill keep it in mind for next time it actually towed bloody beautifully tracked straight as!! And we sat on about 108kmh the whole way and the D4 just sucked it up and did a fantastic job very happy with how it went!!

[Melbourne Park]

Thanks very much for that info ill keep it in mind for next time it actually towed bloody beautifully tracked straight as!! And we sat on about 108kmh the whole way and the D4 just sucked it up and did a fantastic job very happy with how it went!!

Not surprised it towed well, because despite the land rover, the wheels / Axle on the trailer are well back, and as long as there is a good weight on the front ball, then that arrangement results in very stable towing IMO.

[Melbourne Park]

Thanks very much for that info ill keep it in mind for next time it actually towed bloody beautifully tracked straight as!! And we sat on about 108kmh the whole way and the D4 just sucked it up and did a fantastic job very happy with how it went!!

Actually I would not give credit to the Disco because a two axle trailer with the wheels a long way from the tow ball would make a very stable tow as long as the tow ball weight is decent. IMO ...

[AnD3rew]

Thanks very much for that info ill keep it in mind for next time it actually towed bloody beautifully tracked straight as!! And we sat on about 108kmh the whole way and the D4 just sucked it up and did a fantastic job very happy with how it went!!
It's not just tracking that's important, with the chains crossed, if you do pop off the ball the hitch will sit on the chains and not drop straight to the Tarmac. Much better.

[nat_89]

It's not just tracking that's important, with the chains crossed, if you do pop off the ball the hitch will sit on the chains and not drop straight to the Tarmac. Much better.

Thanks for that ill add that one to the memory to appreciate it :)

[orangepop]

Looking for suggestions ... should I use hill descent or not. Im planning on taking my van (3 Ton Loaded) to a campsite and need to go down a steep 100 Metre long hill. The dirt road / hill is hard packed smooth surface but has a thin layer of fine sandy gravel .... so its like marbles , wondering if I should I use Hill Decent or Not?

[Tombie]

Looking for suggestions ... should I use hill descent or not. Im planning on taking my van (3 Ton Loaded) to a campsite and need to go down a steep 100 Metre long hill. The dirt road / hill is hard packed smooth surface but has a thin layer of fine sandy gravel .... so its like marbles , wondering if I should I use Hill Decent or Not?



Low Range
HDC on (as a precaution)
1st low
Drive through the engine (use some throttle) and then the HDC will cut in less often eg, as you lift off...

Dab the brakes as required - will activate the van brakes also...

[PeterJ]

What is the run off like at the bottom of the hill, is it heavily cambered, is it straight? if it is just a straight road with nothing to dodge and weave around then I think I would just do it in low range, manually apply the van brakes as you roll over the hill in the car to control the speed, you can practice on the flat before you get to the hill so you develop some "feel", don't lock the wheels on the van, use a bit of car service brake and combined with the engine braking in low range (it is quite good) you should be fine. The key is to start the decent at a crawl speed.

Use the run off area at the bottom to bring the speed back down if you need to with gentle braking. I have done the same in mine with the van behind, it is very controlled.

I would not use HDC, thing is HDC will try to control the vehicle speed (in this instance the combination) by applying the car brakes using ABS unit, so it will not activate the caravan brakes, this puts all of the braking responsibility on the tow vehicle. So you are only using 4 of the available 8 wheels to slow things down.

Also, I am not sure if HDC changes or is even available when towing or not, there are some vehicle functions that are locked out when a trailer is connected, rock crawl for instance.

Peter

[Graeme]

Select off-road height manually for rock-crawl when a trailer is attached.

[orangepop]

Thanks Tombie, PeterJ & Graeme, seems the common theme is don't use HDC. FYI PeterJ the road ( not much more than a 2 wheel track) is narrow with a drop off on one side and an embankment on the other so not much wriggle room. I really appreciate all of the input and am now confident that the trip won't end in tears, Merry Christmas to you all.

[sandgroper57]

Mine indicates a trailer all the time because i hard wired the linear electronics harness in and havent yet installed a switch to turn it off when i dont have the trailer on..
Not sure it makes any difference other than my reverse sensors are not working and the rock crawl hieght adjustment.
One day i will get motivated and install the switch.

[Tombie]

Mine indicates a trailer all the time because i hard wired the linear electronics harness in and havent yet installed a switch to turn it off when i dont have the trailer on..
Not sure it makes any difference other than my reverse sensors are not working and the rock crawl hieght adjustment.
One day i will get motivated and install the switch.



Also impacting your transmission shift points and stability program..

[disco 3 door]

Keep looking in the mirror to see if its still there????
Interested to hear how it goes.
Make sure the load isnt too heavy on the ball or tail.
GOODLUCK.
Andrew

Not just to see if it's there, but to make sure there are no authorities around. Everyone complains when truck drivers over weight. Hpoe your insurance will cover you being over weight, even if something goes awol & you are not at fault. Being over on the trailer automatically makes you at fault.