Towing vehicle

**jx2mad** · 7th May 2016, 08:33 PM

What do you consider the best type of towing vehicle? Scenario is that the trailer to be towed is a camper trailer, unbraked. Which of the following types of vehicle would be the best suited.
All wheel drive
Front wheel drive
Rear wheel drive
Manual or auto

**Michael2** · 7th May 2016, 09:01 PM

D4

I mean all wheeldrive auto [in diesel]

**B92 8NW** · 7th May 2016, 09:08 PM

I find front wheel drives horrible towing cars. You really need the weight over the drive axle.

**bee utey** · 7th May 2016, 09:34 PM

Just about any medium sized car with a 2 litre engine or bigger will tow a 750kg camper with relative ease so long as you don't venture off the bitumen. Auto or manual, front or rear drive should make little difference unless you get stuck somewhere steep or soft. For preference, to allow for a bit of safety in slightly more challenging terrain than a flat highway, I'd suggest a manual AWD Subaru wagon with the low range lever. They are quite competent tow cars and pretty economical on a trip. Low range on them is only a bit lower than high but is synchromesh so dead easy to use.

**Aaron IIA** · 7th May 2016, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

I find front wheel drives horrible towing cars. You really need the weight over the drive axle.

Unbraked trailer <750kg. Vertical ball weight ~75kg. It isn't really that much difference in weight over the drive axle.

Aaron

**DoubleChevron** · 7th May 2016, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

I find front wheel drives horrible towing cars. You really need the weight over the drive axle.

What front wheel drives have you towed with? I find them nothing short of brilliant. Far, far better than any rear wheel drive I've towed with.

seeya,
Shane L.

**ADMIRAL** · 7th May 2016, 11:59 PM

Try towing with a front wheel drive, uphill in the wet or mud, and you will change your mind quicksmart. Particularly when you have come back down in reverse.

**BMKal** · 8th May 2016, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by ADMIRAL

Try towing with a front wheel drive, uphill in the wet or mud, and you will change your mind quicksmart. Particularly when you have come back down in reverse.

Yep. Have had that experience.

A rear wheel drive vehicle is a far better and more capable tow vehicle than front wheel drive any day of the week.

**Stuart02** · 8th May 2016, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by bee utey

Just about any medium sized car with a 2 litre engine or bigger will tow a 750kg camper with relative ease so long as you don't venture off the bitumen. Auto or manual, front or rear drive should make little difference unless you get stuck somewhere steep or soft. For preference, to allow for a bit of safety in slightly more challenging terrain than a flat highway, I'd suggest a manual AWD Subaru wagon with the low range lever. They are quite competent tow cars and pretty economical on a trip. Low range on them is only a bit lower than high but is synchromesh so dead easy to use.

Yes the "low" range is very useable for reversing and just closing up the ratios, cos of the centre diff not locking

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

**JDNSW** · 8th May 2016, 05:59 AM

As with all these questions - define what you mean by "best".

For a (legally loaded) unbraked trailer, it is not too much of a problem with just about anything.

My experience, in over fifty years of towing trailers of all sorts.

All wheel drive (D2, 110 for example) - no issues. Regularly tow one with the 110.

Front wheel drive - Real advantage in stability can come from having the rear wheels closer to the tow hitch. Citroen DS with wheels right at the back and no rubber used in the suspension (roller bearings not bushes) was exceptional. Only once ran into traction issues on steep uphill on wet grass, but the trailer was a lot more than 750kg. Also towed such a trailer regularly with a Ford Laser without any problems

Rear wheel drive - regularly use the S2a in rear wheel drive with an unbraked trailer, no issues.

Manual/auto - with this weight trailer, whatever you prefer. With a heavy trailer, it is a toss up between the ease of use and no clutch to damage on an auto, and no risk of overheating on a manual.

Other things to assess. If you consider reversing, there are a number of points worth thinking about.

1. Power steering is almost a must - but just about everything has it today.

2. You really need the trailer no narrower than the towing vehicle.

3. The shorter the distance from the tow hitch to the rear wheels, and the longer the distance from the trailer wheels to the tow hitch, the easier.

4. Low range really helps the beginning reverser - but an auto is nearly as good.

Light trailers really have almost no issues towing with anything you are likely to have today. The main issue is to remember it is there, and again, making sure the car/trailer combination is such that you can see it in the mirrors is a real help.

John

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