Thread: Towing a caravan going offroad

Hi, I am new to this so please forgive me if I do this wrong. We hope to take delivery of our TD6 Range Rover sports in aug/sept and will be going offroad a fair bit. We are looking to buy a van and went to the brisbane caravan show, we fell in love with the Kedron vans which will go offroad and not fall apart. Could anyone give me their advice/experience on towing weights, we do not want to be out in the bush and have no power left from having too much weight behind and nothing left to get us out of trouble. I know we can tow 3500kg but I'm thinking it would be stupid to have the van at max weight.Years ago range rover used to have 4000kg capacity but now only3500kg, is anyone towing 3000kg plus and how does your vehicle handle the weight and perform? On the Kedron dvds, all the vehicles are toyota's but we don't like the landcruiser. Thanks Henrie

Most "Off Road" vans are simply caravans with a higher stance and a slightly beefed up suspension and sometimes, chassis.
I have a 535 Coromal pop top (highway job) that is about 15 or more years old now and when we go out camping I took it wherever my mate took his Kedron Off Roader (also about a 17'6" vehicle) and neither have fallen to bits so far, and they have both been to some pretty weird places in their time.
The biggest problem you will probably have with any vans when you venture off the bitumen (which is what most manufacturers class as Off Road) apart from clearance and departure angles, is not so much chassis and body problems, but more so with the internal fittings. Cupboard doors, TVs, fridges, Microwaves and the likes tend to fall off any brand of van if the corrugations get too tough and the driver gets a bit lackadaisical. I usually have a bit of a giggle when I see these vans with the great big cut away section at the rear to indicate a great departure angle, but no one ever thinks how pathetic the arrival angle is, being limited by the drawbar and A frame!! A full width roller at the rear is a better idea provided the van chassis can handle the strain.
Toilets, showers and washing machines seem to be the craze at the moment and if you are under pressure to have all these little luxuries fitted then you probably won't go too far off road as you won't be able to carry enough water to use these luxuries!
If you are seriously contemplating going really off road, then I would suggest you find the lightest strongest chassised van around, opt for a minimum of tandem (independent) suspension chassis and stay around the 17' mark.
Don't carry too much on the drawbar (outboards etc.,) and try hard not to carry anything on the rear of the van that extends past the body. (I have run over a couple of pushbikes and also picked up a few jerry cans and spares that have broken away from vans in my coach driving days).
Remember that whilst selecting the van, the weight mentioned is the manufacturers assessment of what the van should weigh dry, that is, with no food, clothes, water, gas, air conditioner, batteries, solar panels and other extras fitted. If you aim for a van round about the 1900kg tare weight mark you will probably end up towing about 2.5-2.8 tonnes.
Land Rovers were rated by the manufacturer in reality to tow 4.tonnes but the laws in Australia limit any tow vehicle to 3.5 unless it is fitted with air brakes. Sort of makes a mockery of those who spend a fortune to purchase some monster Yank truck with an advertised 6 ton tow capacity when, unless it is fitted with an air braking system, it can still only tow 3.5 legally.
Enjoy your travels
Glen