Thread: towing dilemma

cut the roof off and turn it into a pop top or buy a diesel

That is 25 litres per 100kms. Something is drastically wrong. Worst should be aroung 17/18s. I thought my Defender was bad towing a large enlosed car trailer loaded up with 2 tonne and only getting 15s-17s.

Hi my ex 86 RR , C4 auto would not pull my 17' caravan 1000kg ended up getting a 96 3.9 disco ..problem solved...the RR would pull A tandem trailer with 2ton jarrah fire wood no probs, it the air drag that's the killer Gary

Originally Posted by Gary S11

it the air drag that's the killer Gary

Exactly . When a semi coming the other way passes me it takes another 5-10 klms off my speed .

Build a rounded pod over the square front. Many delivery trucks seem to have them in plastic. Don't shorten the drawbar, it won't improve the towing. Fit a wind deflector on top of the towing vehicle. My next door neighbour where I grew up towed his 20ft caravan with a HZ Kingswood wagon. He adjusted the wind deflector and checked the reults by operating his windscreen washers (adjusted to spray over the roof) and checked the spray pattern on the front of the van (his son rode in the back, you'd do it with a reversing camera nowadays). Just no spray is where he adjusted it to.

Some ideas on aerodynamics could surely be googled for, eg : http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/t_3.html

Originally Posted by CraigE

That is 25 litres per 100kms. Something is drastically wrong. Worst should be aroung 17/18s. I thought my Defender was bad towing a large enlosed car trailer loaded up with 2 tonne and only getting 15s-17s.

Stop complaining! I'm getting around 19 to 20l/100 in my 3.9 - not towing.

Its the wind resistance that's dragging you back...

When I was sweeping, the guy had a trailer with 100% mesh ramps, and the 'tractor' -88 ~ 89 Classic 3.5 on LPG would do around 4 to 5km/l and could eventually better 110km/h... 90 was lot safer and comfortable, 100 and the trailer thought it should be steering...

Then we went to a slightly heavier, brand new trailer, shorter drawbar with solid plate ramps. It was more stable but top speed in still air was now around 90 km/h, and the slightest breeze would cause it to drop out of top gear. - more than 90, and it would be hunting gears..up, down, up/down, up...Downnn....
Fuel useage dropped to 3 to 4 km/l, from memory (fading fast!!!)

Aerodynamic drag is the killer, being exponential, with the 'knee' of the curve around 75/80 km/h where it heads UP with a vengeance.

Incidently, using a Disco I diesel we could happily exceed the WA speed limit, and keep control.

If you can afford it, flog the Rangie and go Disco Diesel. It will tow better as well.
For what it's worth.

PS, nice colour/wheels... same as mine, though my dent is above the fuel filler hatch.....

Maybe a fairing to cut the drag....

Right now it would be like pulling a Disco backwards

yep nose cone X 3
a disco will punch a bigger hole through the air so the trailer doesnt have to push as much