TDV6 - what size caravan you tow ?

[Ean Austral]

Gday All,


As the title says, I am curious as to what size caravan people do / have towed with their TDV6. I am not after the "my car towed a road train" type of answer , I am looking from the view that if you were doing a lap or what your regular holiday size caravan is that the car tows well.


Let me have it :D:D

Cheers Ean

[ytt105]

I've got a 2005 TDV6 2.7.

I tow a Jayco 18' twin axle van.

ATM of the van is 2200kg.

Tows it easily.

Depending on terrain, fuel consumption can vary from 13-16l/100 at normal speed limits.

[Catmatt]

I tow a Kimberley Off-road camper Mariner model with boat, engine and trailer loaded on behind my 2010 2.7l D4. Just finished a trip to the Cape with quite a few off-road explorations through sand and mud without any difficulties. Trailer weighs approx 1.5T fully loaded

[EricN]

20'6 Tandem 3000kg ATM

Doesn't even know its there.

[Fatso]

I would not tow a van which is more than about 80% of the tug curb or empty weight and have a ball weight of about 10% of ATM , any more than that is the tail wagging the dog imho .

[Briar]

Not sure if you only want comments about TDV6's rather than what I have which is the SDV6 SE. I do tow a large van so my comments may assist. I tow a 24ft 4inch van with an ATM of 3500kg. Tare is 2917kg. Apologies if this is not relevant.

Only had it a few months. Car knows it's there but tows easily. If I drive to sit about 90km/h highway speed I get consistently about 15.5-16 l/100km. Pushing it up to 95-100km/h it goes up to about 17 l/100km. If I'm able to drive at a slower pace and it's not affecting traffic at all I will sit at 80-85 km/h. Doing that and driving frugally I can get the fuel consumption down to about 14 l/100km.

110634

[Meken]

Not a van .... But [emoji12]
110637

[Rockylizard]

Gday...

I have 2006 D3 TDV6 SE Auto and tow a 2,680Kg (over the scales) tandem van as a full-time nomad traveller.

I bought the D3 in 2010 when it had 72,000Km on it - it now has 198,000Km ... at least 100,000Km of those have been done towing the van all around Straya. Very little dirt work mainly on the black top.

I cruise on 90-95kph in Drive and rarely use cruise control. I use the box manually on down hill runs. Sometimes on very steep climbs I will put it in Sport Mode.

I have had no instances that have caused me to 'not proceed' - anything that has happened has still allowed me to get to a service place ... and anything that has occurred has been minor in the overall scheme of things.

I keep a spread sheet of actual litres/Km's travelled - the average for my 126,000Km is 14.2Ltr/100Km - best towing was 12.2Ltrs/100Km (Canberra to Richmond Sydney) and the worst was 16.9ltrs/100Km Normanton to Mt Surprise - pushing a strong headwind while sitting on 80kph.

The D3 does not really feel the van is there on anything except a steep hill - acceleration to pass is obviously slower but not that much so.

Due to an urgent family medical emergency back in Victoria, I came back from Kalgoorlie to Sale Gippsland in four nights - sat on 100kph across Nullarbor and still returned 15.3ltr/100km for that journey.

I did steel pan and full transmission oil change at 80,000Km, 138,000K and next at 204,000Km. Not because of any problems/issues with the transmission - simply as insurance. It has always changed incredibly smoothly and effortlessly - up and down hill and dale. :)

Summing up . :) Love the Landy - will never uptrade, will simply just keep it on the road.

Cheers - John

[Hogarthde]

G,day Ean , 2008 , 190000k towing Trakmaster Nullabor of3000kg.

All the dirt we can find , just love short cuts ,even if they take longer!

lIike John, just love the Landrover

dave

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Gday All,


As the title says, I am curious as to what size caravan people do / have towed with their TDV6. I am not after the "my car towed a road train" type of answer , I am looking from the view that if you were doing a lap or what your regular holiday size caravan is that the car tows well.


Let me have it :D:D

Cheers Ean

well well well,,,,
age shall not weary them huh,,,:p

[Ean Austral]

well well well,,,,
age shall not weary them huh,,,:p


Just putting the wheels in motion Pedro.:p


Cheers Ean

[Fatso]

Gday All,


As the title says, I am curious as to what size caravan people do / have towed with their TDV6. I am not after the "my car towed a road train" type of answer , I am looking from the view that if you were doing a lap or what your regular holiday size caravan is that the car tows well.


Let me have it :D:D

Cheers Ean


Not about size of van but a good quote by a well known camper , "Take what you can not do without then halve it "

[bester]

2014 TDV6 towing Jayco Outback Expanda. Probably close to 3000kg. Average about 14 - 15l/100km when going at 100km/h.

[Narangga]

Gday All,


As the title says, I am curious as to what size caravan people do / have towed with their TDV6. I am not after the "my car towed a road train" type of answer , I am looking from the view that if you were doing a lap or what your regular holiday size caravan is that the car tows well.


Let me have it :D:D

Cheers Ean

Ean I assume you mean a 2.7 TDV6 - unless you're are contemplating a double upgrade? :p

[Ean Austral]

Ean I assume you mean a 2.7 TDV6 - unless you're are contemplating a double upgrade? :p

I know what I meant . :p:p

Cheers Ean

[Narangga]

I know what I meant . :p:p

Cheers Ean

Do tell, do tell... :D

[Ean Austral]

Do tell, do tell... :D

As you correctly pointed out 2.7 TDV6.

Shhh the secrets out.:p

Cheers Ean

[PeterJ]

Hi Ean, a bit the same as above, I have 2013 SD, car has done 60K, 50% towing 3200kg offroad van, Black top at 100kph 18 l/100km, lower speeds it improves a lot. Changed auto trans at 52k service. I too started with a target of 75% of vehicle mass, but it just got over the top, we are now officially practicing grey nomads, in 2 years we start the lap. The saving grace from a safety perspective of such a big pendulum is caravan sway control, the upside is the comforts, especially if you plan on spending a big chunk of your time in it.

If I can work out how to post a photo I'll put one up.

Peter

[aus86inch]

Hi EAN
we have 2014 tdv6 with a roofrack weighs in at 3191 over the scales
19 foot 6 inch caravan off road sits at 3.2m high to aircon weighs in at 3200 full of water and 50 litres of diesel on draw bar.
Tows really well, has dexter sway control on van.
Fuel consumption average of 17 litres per 100km by my spreadsheet. Tried various speeds between 80 and 106, but 96 seems to be the magical number without a headwind. 80 to 84 in a headwind results at 19 per 100.
Also experimenting with cruise control versus driving. Better economy seems to be with cruise on unless we are off the highways.
My experience onver the last 6000km
Andrew

[luked3]

D3 Tdv6 permanently running mtr tires and plenty of other non fuel efficient mods towing a 2012 complete campsite Kakadu at 2150 ATM. 13.6-13.9l at 90-100kph and 16l at 110kph . Trailer tows very well and usually always fully loaded .

[TDV6]

Hi Ean,

We have a 2005 2.7 TDV6 now done 270k with towing a tandem axle 26.5 foot external 3+ ton Kedron ATV, have towed the van for at least 120k and are based in SE QLD,

We took seven months to do the Au lap, a few trips up north only to Cooktown though, several trips out western Qld, and also several trips to Vic, SA and separate trips to Tassie as well.

The car has towed the van really well, we delight in getting off the blacktop and being out in the bush free camping, you just have to be sensible and take reasonable spares, oil, coolant etc as well as if it's a hot day slow down and don't over work the auto box.

We have fitted an extra oil cooler and steel pan to the auto box, 17 inch rims for LT grade tires a Mitch hitch, an auxiliary air compressor from my old Rangie and UHF radio as well as extra gauges and carry a MSRV2 diagnostic tool for those troublesome electrons that need resetting via the OBD2 port.

Re the radio there are places which have "CALL POINT" signs that mean a road train coming will announce they are at southbound at "X" while you are northbound also at "X" and its single lane road, radio is essential gear.

In short the car will do its job in comfort, with good maintenance let it do it.

I tend to sit on 2000 rpm in 5th unless on gravel etc, pull up and enjoy the trip after all, that was the whole point in getting a van.

HTH,

Ryall

[justinc]

Hi Ean,

We have a 2005 2.7 TDV6 now done 270k with towing a tandem axle 26.5 foot external 3+ ton Kedron ATV, have towed the van for at least 120k and are based in SE QLD,

We took seven months to do the Au lap, a few trips up north only to Cooktown though, several trips out western Qld, and also several trips to Vic, SA and separate trips to Tassie as well.

The car has towed the van really well, we delight in getting off the blacktop and being out in the bush free camping, you just have to be sensible and take reasonable spares, oil, coolant etc as well as if it's a hot day slow down and don't over work the auto box.

We have fitted an extra oil cooler and steel pan to the auto box, 17 inch rims for LT grade tires a Mitch hitch, an auxiliary air compressor from my old Rangie and UHF radio as well as extra gauges and carry a MSRV2 diagnostic tool for those troublesome electrons that need resetting via the OBD2 port.

Re the radio there are places which have "CALL POINT" signs that mean a road train coming will announce they are at southbound at "X" while you are northbound also at "X" and its single lane road, radio is essential gear.

In short the car will do its job in comfort, with good maintenance let it do it.

I tend to sit on 2000 rpm in 5th unless on gravel etc, pull up and enjoy the trip after all, that was the whole point in getting a van.

HTH,

Ryall

Hi Ryall hope all is going well with that rig of yours!! Jc ☺

[Milton477]

2015 TDV6 towing around 2800 kg. First time I towed the van with the D4 I had to keep checking it was there. 19l/100km at the speed limit. The same van towed by my D2 involved much negotiation as to who was in control, the van or the D2. The D4 owns the van completely. Awesome tow vehicle!

[Bulletman]

Reading this thread i assume a 2.7 tdv6 should be capable with a dual axle van with a Tare of around 2.5t and GVM of 3200. I am hoping to find a van under those figures but due to wanting a offroad van around 19-20ft it seems like these numbers are in the ball park for the type of van we are looking at.

When we do go we certainly wont be in a hurry so not expecting to see crazy fuel figures or stress on the car.

Cheers Bulletman