Thread: Towing with a Defender?

Originally Posted by tolemac

Understood and I agree, but the Bushtracker caravan and I would presume all other caravans are designed in such a way that the load distribution will put 10% of it's weight on the ball. The only way to partially counteract this would be to distribute the contents of the caravan to the rear.

Have you weighed the caravan and it's ballweight?
There aren't many vehicles which can legally take 350kg on the ball, so designing a van for that would restrict the market a lot.

This post on the bushtracker forums says a standard empty 20" van has 150kg ballweight. The rest is up to how you load them.
http://www.bushtrackerforum.com/view...084e7e834848ce

Originally Posted by tolemac

Understood and I agree, but the Bushtracker caravan and I would presume all other caravans are designed in such a way that the load distribution will put 10% of it's weight on the ball. The only way to partially counteract this would be to distribute the contents of the caravan to the rear.

Is the van on tandem axles (should be for that weight) if so then I don't belive that you need to worry about the 10% rule of thumb which is something that is more applicable to a single axle trailer. By putting weight on the ball you are trying to ensure the vehicle trailer combination does not start to sway. Yes I have had both single axle and tandem axles trailers sway behind the tow vehicle. This can be remedied by placing more load onto the ball however I have never weighed what the load was but I doubt that it was ever as much as 10% of the load.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Have you weighed the caravan and it's ballweight?
There aren't many vehicles which can legally take 350kg on the ball, so designing a van for that would restrict the market a lot.

This post on the bushtracker forums says a standard empty 20" van has 150kg ballweight. The rest is up to how you load them.
Bushtracker Forum :: View topic - LANDCRUISER/NISSAN SUSPENSION UPGRADES

I intend to live in this van and that means a full van of cargo in the cargo hold which is in the front, which will bring the ball weight up to the 350kg mark.

Originally Posted by slug_burner

Is the van on tandem axles (should be for that weight) if so then I don't belive that you need to worry about the 10% rule of thumb which is something that is more applicable to a single axle trailer. By putting weight on the ball you are trying to ensure the vehicle trailer combination does not start to sway. Yes I have had both single axle and tandem axles trailers sway behind the tow vehicle. This can be remedied by placing more load onto the ball however I have never weighed what the load was but I doubt that it was ever as much as 10% of the load.

It's a tandem

Originally Posted by tolemac

I intend to live in this van and that means a full van of cargo in the cargo hold which is in the front, which will bring the ball weight up to the 350kg mark.

You're going to have to pack the van differently. Because 350kg ball weight is just silly.

Originally Posted by Dougal

You're going to have to pack the van differently. Because 350kg ball weight is just silly.

I agree, but don't know how to achieve this sensibly, as the cargo hold is in the front. I have not purchased it yet, but really cannot see how any other quality van would be that much different.

Irrespective of the tow bar ball weight, you cannot go greater than the designed ball weight of the chassis. As you have indicated this is 175kg (recommended or not it is still 175kg). You have an accident with a ball weight greater than that ,your insurance will not be worth a lot.

You said the dealer said the ballweight is 175 but what does the handbook say?

Also if you want to tow 3500kg you are at the margins for most of the larger 4wds - yes they will pull but awfully slowly - if you are going to tow 3500kg regularly I would be looking at something bigger than one of the mainstream large 4wds.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

Irrespective of the tow bar ball weight, you cannot go greater than the designed ball weight of the chassis. As you have indicated this is 175kg (recommended or not it is still 175kg). You have an accident with a ball weight greater than that ,your insurance will not be worth a lot.

You said the dealer said the ballweight is 175 but what does the handbook say?

Also if you want to tow 3500kg you are at the margins for most of the larger 4wds - yes they will pull but awfully slowly - if you are going to tow 3500kg regularly I would be looking at something bigger than one of the mainstream large 4wds.

Garry

Hi Garry. Will be towing only to get to the next town, or place to set up, no hurry to get or be anywhere, ie, not expecting to do 110 km per hr everywhere all day regardless of condition. I expect to travel both sealed & unsealed roads, and wherever the urge takes me, but have no need to prove anything by going boldy or stupidly where other 4X4'ers have plastered their ego. This is the vehicle I purchased and I have to make it work for me, cannot afford to change it now.

The 175 kg ballweight is what is on the compliance plate of the current towbar.

The 150 kg ballweight is what is stated to be the standard for this vehicle by searching online, and is apparently only a recommendation, not a rule, (Hayman Reese's bar for this vehicle is rated 3500/250) but my owner's manual only states the 3500kg towing limit, and nothing about ball weight.

If ARB sells a towbar with 3500/350 specs and fits it to this vehicle, then I can only "trust" that this covers me legally.

Man, what an effin nightmare this all is!