Issues Towing large van

[White D4]

Hi All

We have just picked up or new caravan, comes in at 3450kg totally loaded with a ball weight of 290kg the van is 9.8mtr long from hitch to spare wheel. I have fitted a McHitch 4.5t coupling.

Have had the D4 since jan 2010 and never had a problem towing our last van which was 20ft and weighed in at 2.7t

Just came back from a weekend away and this is the first time I didn't like the experience from the D4 in its towing manner, it seemed light in the front end and seemed to wallow around with the van on, even my wife noticed it and she started to feel uncomfortable with the feeling we stopped and moved things around but didn't make a difference.

It was fine in speeds under 70km but when we cruised on the freeway at between 80 & 90km it didn't feel good.

Can anyone with experience towing large heavy caravans give me some advise on this as I want to ensure my family are safe while we are towing and today we didn't feel that safe with the feel of the car.

To note, I put the car and van over a weigh bridge on Friday so the weights are correct and I also pack the van carefully taking note where I put heavy and light objects.

I have had people in the van park telling me to get a WDH but I know we cannot use them but several people with large vans said their rigs are stable with there landcruisers and WDH right up to 3.5t and 26ft long and don't wallow around and the braking and steering is firm and precise.

Help...........I love my D4 and was going to upgrade to the 3lt next year but my wife is now talking about looking at an LC200

[DiscoDavey]

Probably not the issue, but what was your luggage weight like in the D4? Fridges, passengers etc? Were you overloaded there?

[discotwinturbo]

G'day whited4,

We tow a heavy horse float weighing in at 3402 kgs at last weigh, and 345 on the tow ball.

Our Touareg with springs and wdh is more comfortable then our D4 3l. Virtually no wallowing in the veedub, that does occur in the D4. Steering is better in the veedub, whereas the D4 is noticeably lighter than unhitched. D4 is much easier to hitch up and has many more advantages of course, but for us towing the heavy weights is not as good as our 450kg lighter car with a wdh. But we live with it as the veedub has been towing this heavy weight for 3 1/2 years before the D4 took over, so time to give her a rest.

With our 2.5 tonne offroad trailer, the wallowing is still there but not as much.

Most people on this forum have great experiences towing heavy weight, but I have towed back to back with each of my cars, and find wdh superior in ride. Even the wife makes comment about the D4 not being as nice to tow the horse float with.

Brett....

[Graeme]

I consider that a WDH can be used with air suspension but you have to be careful not to transfer excessive weight to the front because there is not the ususal indication of the change in vehicle stance. The vehicle will stay level almost regardless of the amount of weight transferred, so try little increments until the steering feels right and perhaps checking the axle weights. A few years ago a magazime (Overlander IIRC) did a tow comparison where they fitted a WDH to every vehicle, including a D3. Initially too much weight was transferred but with a few adjustments they reported that it towed the heavy test van beautifully.

The fitting of a WDH might possibly reduce to some degree the D4's ability to detect trailer/van sway although a WDH primarily operates in a different plane to sway.

Whilst LR state that a WDH should not be used, they also state that speed should not exceed 100 kph but in the same paragraph state that high speed lowering (160 kph) will be disabled with the trailer/van electrical plug connected.

I would fit a WDH and do some experimenting. However I tend to do things that others wouldn't.

[White D4]

Hi Discodavey

All we had in the car was myself, my wife and 2 kids 18months and 3.5years old and in the back as a load was our buggy & a kids bike. So definitely not over weight.

We weighed the car while we weighed the van on Friday and and it came in at 2738kg with us in it.

Cheers

[Tombie]

You say you fitted the MC hitch...

How level is your van now sitting in relation to the vehicle?

I ask this because there was another member, whose van sat slightly nose up on the MC Hitch.

He fitted a slightly lower tongue which put the van down a little, sharing the load on the 2 axles better.

This solved his swaying problems.

Have you got a pic of yours hooked up?

[gghaggis]

Yes, as Tombie indicated, playing with slightly different tongue drops can help stabilize your rig - I assume the D4 is recognising your van, ie the little trailer icon comes on when you indicate?

Cheers,

Gordon

[White D4]

Hi guys

My van is dead level to the car as I run a Rapid Hitch with the McHitch as In the pictures.

The little trailer light doesn't come on when I indicate and has never with any van or trailer I have towed, I questioned my dealer about this and they said its correct that only comes on when trailer stability assist is fitted and my 2.7 doesn't.

I don't have a sway problem the van tracks nicely behind the car, it's the light steering and the wallow in the suspension that I find of concern.

[White D4]

Now for the picture of the D4 & caravan, couldn't figure out how to attach 2 pictures at the same time

[Tombie]

All D4s have trailer stability.

I'm thinking maybe you would benefit with firmer (aftermarket) shocks fitted (something any Cruiser would need as well)