Thread: Can a Disco 4 tow a van with 350kg ball weight... I think not fit for purpose..

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I'm NOT an expert at this, and my Defender is way under the limits when towing our camper, and I don't own a D4, so tell me if this is wrong, but the way I read the D4 information was:
It includes a 75kg driver and fuel
It includes 150kg towball weight
That can be increased to 350kg, but the amount above 150 has to be taken off the vehicle
Is that correct?
I also think in one of the links above it said the D4 was better for towing than everything except a Troopy.

Yep, apparently fuel usage doesn't count whilst being on tour. It seems ok for Toyota to need a fuel truck travelling with it.

Originally Posted by Chops

Yep, apparently fuel usage doesn't count whilst being on tour. It seems ok for Toyota to need a fuel truck travelling with it.

IF driven wisely a 79 series V8 will return 15l/100kim, Mine does even when fully loaded and towing a 2.5t van

Originally Posted by trout1105

IF driven wisely a 79 series V8 will return 15l/100kim, Mine does even when fully loaded and towing a 2.5t van

I had a brand new Tojo 76 wagon with auto, so higher gearing than the manual, and towing my 2.5t caravan I could NEVER get less than 18lph unless I was prepared to sit on 80kph. It was not economical at all AND more expensive to service than my D4 hence I gave it to my son!.

Originally Posted by dirvine

I had a brand new Tojo 76 wagon with auto, so higher gearing than the manual, and towing my 2.5t caravan I could NEVER get less than 18lph unless I was prepared to sit on 80kph. It was not economical at all AND more expensive to service than my D4 hence I gave it to my son!.

An auto will always use more fuel than a manual box and I did say driven wisely will get you 15l/100klm, I sit on 85kph-90kph on a long trip which saves a Lot of fuel and is much safer than travelling at 100kph.
Travelling slower is also easier on the vehicles and trailers so less damage, /wear and tear, and tyre damage occurs on a long or remote trip which not only saves you money it also helps to prevent breakdowns in the middle of nowhere.

Bugger , i shot into town to get some popcorn for the next episode and all is quite .

I looked up my Defender 110's handbook on towing to see if the same method was used as for a D4.
It says if the vehicle is loaded to maximum Gross Vehicle Weight the nose weight is limited to 150kg.
"If it is necessary to increase the nose weight, up to a maximum of 250kg (550 lbs) the vehicle load should be reduced accordingly. This ensures that the GVW and maximum rear axle load are not exceeded."
So if the towball was on 250kg the GVW would have to be reduced by 100kg.
GVWs for Defenders vary depending on the model and if the vehicle is standard or heavy duty. Max GVW for a HD is 3500kg and max rear axle weight is 2200kg.
So I think that's similar to the method for a D4, but no mention of a 75kg driver or fuel.

Page 75 of the Defender manual. Is the D4 manual similar?

Originally Posted by trout1105

An auto will always use more fuel than a manual box and I did say driven wisely will get you 15l/100klm, I sit on 85kph-90kph on a long trip which saves a Lot of fuel and is much safer than travelling at 100kph.
Travelling slower is also easier on the vehicles and trailers so less damage, /wear and tear, and tyre damage occurs on a long or remote trip which not only saves you money it also helps to prevent breakdowns in the middle of nowhere.

I know this is a LR site but the 76 with manual transmission revs its guts out in top gear. With an auto (from a LC 200) the gearing drops quite considerably (about 900rpm I think at 100kph)) and the torque converter could be locked up or unlocked manually, so there was little to no loss of power. Also the lower revs would probably equate to a manual driving at 80kph. Besides the comfort factor of the D4, the extra fuel used by the LC was also a serious consideration in deciding not to use it as our touring the outback tug. I would rather drive at closer to the legal speed limits on the highways and not cause traffic jams behind me because of the snails pace of some on the road.