Towing a heavy camper - tow ball weight

[GregMilner]

Chaps - and chapattes where applicable - the bride and I are looking at buying a forward fold camper trailer, but I'm a teensy bit concerned about weight on the tow ball.
Most camper manufacturers we're looking at are quoting tow ball weights of around 180kg dry. Add two or three jerry cans and a couple of hefty gas bottles and you're looking at 250kg on the tow bar.

Given that I've got an extended tow tongue already, I'm a bit worried that 250kg is pushing things a bit.

Anybody towed with that kind of weight at the back end?

[BigJon]

I have towed my Dad's caravan a few times. I don't know exactly what the ball weight is, but I am pretty sure it is well northwards of 200kg. No dramas at all.

[Graeme]

Chris didn't report any problems towing his 3.2T van across the Plenty which would have had quite a substantial tow-ball load.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/l322-range-rover/221505-outback-trip-l322.html

[GregMilner]

Chris didn't report any problems towing his 3.2T van across the Plenty which would have had quite a substantial tow-ball load.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/l322-range-rover/221505-outback-trip-l322.html


Yeah, I suppose I'm just being a bit of a nanna:-) I just worry about excess ball weight, 20 inch tyres etc.....

[Pedro_The_Swift]

and remember, all that weight comes off your rear axle loading,,
which is?
:D;)

[GregMilner]

Maximum rear axle load is 1850kg Pedro - but the FFRR tow hitch has a maximum load rating of 250kg, so in theory at least, that means you have to tow such a camper trailer with the car pretty much completely empty.
(Whereas the Disco has a tow hitch load rating of 350kg, for example.)

[CSBrisie]

I was a tad worried about this as I know I was at around 300kg on the ball when we left Brisbane on our trip to the Red Centre. But in the end, we towed a 3.2-3.5t (fully loaded with water it was closer to 3.5t) caravan 7000km with no issues at all. I had a fridge in the back of the car - nothing else. Took the spare out of the rear floor and put it and a second one on the roof so don't suppose that made a massive difference (maybe we had slightly more wheel weight towards front than with spare in the floor). I packed the van as best I could and moved water around a bit (the van had 6 tanks!) but I couldn't get the tow ball weight (measured via those tow ball scales you can buy) at less than 280kg with the Bushtracker in tow.

No doubt the Insurers might have been an issue for me in a hypothetical "disaster" scenario. I guess it was a risk I accepted and I did put my faith in the RR engineers that they were being conservative....!

By the way, the actual tow hitch assembly is rated to 350kg ball weight. That was important in my considerations.

So, not sure if that all helps - at least is some real world experience if nothing else!!

I note the L322 is the only RR that is rated at 250Kg ball weight (P38, Classic and Sport and L405 are all 350kg). Odd.

[Rextheute]

I was under the impression that the max ball loading was 150kg on the p38 - both my caravan and camper are 120kg packed .

Not that I want to increase it , I'm getting old and weak !

[GregMilner]

I was a tad worried about this as I know I was at around 300kg on the ball when we left Brisbane on our trip to the Red Centre. But in the end, we towed a 3.2-3.5t (fully loaded with water it was closer to 3.5t) caravan 7000km with no issues at all. I had a fridge in the back of the car - nothing else. Took the spare out of the rear floor and put it and a second one on the roof so don't suppose that made a massive difference (maybe we had slightly more wheel weight towards front than with spare in the floor). I packed the van as best I could and moved water around a bit (the van had 6 tanks!) but I couldn't get the tow ball weight (measured via those tow ball scales you can buy) at less than 280kg with the Bushtracker in tow.

No doubt the Insurers might have been an issue for me in a hypothetical "disaster" scenario. I guess it was a risk I accepted and I did put my faith in the RR engineers that they were being conservative....!

By the way, the actual tow hitch assembly is rated to 350kg ball weight. That was important in my considerations.

So, not sure if that all helps - at least is some real world experience if nothing else!!

I note the L322 is the only RR that is rated at 250Kg ball weight (P38, Classic and Sport and L405 are all 350kg). Odd.

Thanks Chris, that gives me some comfort anyway. I'm just wary of overloading the suspension, particularly with those silly 55 profile tyres...with that kind of load on the back, it'd be perilous letting the tyres down to anything below about 35psi on the rough stuff.

[CSBrisie]

Good point re tyre pressures Greg - fully laden on the Plenty I had around 36psi in the rears I think. We just went slowly ;)

[justinc]

P38 classic and disco 1 are all 150max. Disco2 is 250. Defender is 250. The rrs and d3 onward are 350.

Jc

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I find it funny how the first D1's had a tow rate of FOUR tons, but had a ball loading of only 150.
Anyone care to speculate on why?

[justinc]

That 4t was off road only. Braked trailer, low range, not to exceed 40kmh i read somewhere (?) The only legal weight on road for these was 3.5t.

Its gunna snow here today Pedro!! 😭😭😭

Jc

[Graeme]

My RRC was 4T on-road but both 6.5T and 8T come to mind for max speed of 40 kph. I still have an owners manual so will check the weights later but perhaps the 6.5T was total weight 2.5T vehicle + 4T trailer for normal use.

The 3.5T limit was introduced with ABS.

[cripesamighty]

I found this on AULRO many moons ago. I think this is what you might be looking for...

[CSBrisie]

Wow!! 6 tonnes! I doubt the old 3.5V8 would have liked that much!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/smilies/ohmy.gif

[Grentarc]

Wow!! 6 tonnes! I doubt the old 3.5V8 would have liked that much!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/smilies/ohmy.gif

I remember having to tow one of the tractors uphill with the RRC - I do remember low range was required.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

but it happened yes?

[Grentarc]

but it happened yes?

I can't remember if it was successful (Graeme might? It was the White tractor in the front gate paddock hill if you remember?) But I do know that traction on the dirt driveway was terrible.
I just had a quick look and that tractor is supposedly 6740kg.
40kph would have been VERY optimistic.

[GregMilner]

Well, I've settled on a camper trailer with a dry towball weight of 130KG...much better. The whole thing weighs about 1100kg with an ATM of 2000kg, so I feel much happier with that than a towball weight (dry) of 180kg to 190kg.

[Graeme]

The tractor had blown an hydraulic hose which meant that the hydraulic steering box allowed the front wheels to go wherever they wanted. With insufficient traction to drag the front wheels at an angle up the hill it got left there to have the hose replaced before moving it under its own power again. At least it moved half a km whereas the old girl's predecessor, a 76 RRC, wouldn't budge a bogged dump truck full of sand.

[CSBrisie]

Greg are we going to get a hint on the camper make? (!) :D

[GregMilner]

Pioneer Longreach - Australian made, beautifully glued together in Melbourne Chris. Lots of options, nice demo model.

[CSBrisie]

Had a look at their website and the review of the Camper on Caravan Camper Sales site - very nice indeed!!! Well done ;)

[GregMilner]

Yes they are. It was extremely tempting to go with one of the Chinese-sourced brands (MDC are doing huge business across Australia), and Michelle and I did exhaustive research. Kicked a lot of tyres, poked and prodded all over the place.
MDC's product has dramatically improved over the last couple of years, and they look to be pretty solid trailers - and literally less than half the price of comparable Australian built ones.
But...they ALL seem to be so nose-heavy. And all much of a muchness. In the end, it came down to a choice between cheap and cheerful, or supporting a well-built, expensive Australian product.
But I think the resale will be much better, and I'm a lot more comfortable with warranty claims on a local product.

[Fluids]

Wow!! 6 tonnes! I doubt the old 3.5V8 would have liked that much!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/smilies/ohmy.gif

When we had our smash repair business I tow started our tilt-tray truck with my S3 shorty 2.25L 4cyl. Getting off the line and up through the gears (in low) to get enough road speed so the tuck driver could drop the clutch was a real challenge ... but it did it !! :twisted:

[CSBrisie]

Thanks Greg, at risk of being a little OT...(!) ...I had not heard of MDC so spent lunch time looking at them on the net; Lots of youtube videos etc and quite an impressive website (3D imaging etc). Interesting stuff.! Gee there is no shortage of choice in the camper / caravan market these days!!


Anyway, yours looks sensational so I hope there are many miles put under the wheels - behind the L322 ofcourse!
cheers


Chris

[GregMilner]

Thanks Greg, at risk of being a little OT...(!) ...I had not heard of MDC so spent lunch time looking at them on the net; Lots of youtube videos etc and quite an impressive website (3D imaging etc). Interesting stuff.! Gee there is no shortage of choice in the camper / caravan market these days!!


Anyway, yours looks sensational so I hope there are many miles put under the wheels - behind the L322 ofcourse!
cheers


Chris

...of course! And secretly, I didn't really want to be towing a cheap Chinese camper behind the world's best 4WD:-)

[gavinwibrow]

I found this on AULRO many moons ago. I think this is what you might be looking for...



Yep, I was aware the early data was 4,000 kgm. Now to confirm what is the real limit for the 95 LSE, as opposed to a 100 standard - not that there should be any difference as outlined in Steve's (Rok Dr) post.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

All the modern tow stuff is 3.5T rated,, toungues, balls, couplings,
Are there alternatives Gav?

[gavinwibrow]

All the modern tow stuff is 3.5T rated,, toungues, balls, couplings,
Are there alternatives Gav?

Yep eg I have a double ended Titan Rapid Hitch that I bought over 10 years ago. The 50mm end is rated for 3.5K kgm and from memory the 70 mm at the other end was something between 4.5 and 6K kgm. It came as a 2 piece unit with a solid bar that slotted into a 50 mm square receiver and had adjustable heights in addition to turning over between the 50 and 70 mm tongue balls.

[RR876]

For what it’s worth, the Westfalia hitch on my US 2007 RRSC is rated to 7700 lbs tow weight and 770 lbs tow ball load ( i.e. 3500 and 350 kg respectively). If the Australian cars use the same tow bar, I am unsure why they would be rated any differently. It’s obviously not a problem for the tow bar.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/03/524.jpg