Thread: How well does your Isuzu tow??

Adslandies, shout if you want to take mine for a spin for motivation

Originally Posted by AdsLandies

Really? Suppose keeping it in 4th would mean it would hardly put any strain on the box when cruising , so should last a long time??

I have done over 150k km now with a turbo and an LT85. I use 5th on the highway, including when towing. I run Syntrans in the box and have not noticed any deterioration of the box over time. The syntrans is still clean and bright at ~40k km.

Originally Posted by garrycol

Adam - you should be hard at work not surfin AULRO - remember it is my tax dollars that pay your salary and I expect to get value for money.

Not true Gaz. Very little of your tax pays my salary, and anyway what's more important!

My 1982 Stage One with 4bd1 non-turbo pulls like a schoolboy with his first playboy mag! on flats and down hill that is, up hill it tows the boat or my off road trailer slow but that's ok as I have helped lots of guys on the side of the road who only a short time before went speeding passed me in their turbo sleds "**** turbo blew" is a statement I often here from them. I live in Tassie it's all BMFH's here (Big Mother Fuggin Hills) , Land Rovers are not ment to be fast, sit back take it easy and enjoy the drive. TTFN

Lt85 = Don't tow in 5th gear even without a turbo.

Brian

Originally Posted by goanna_shire

...Lt85 = Don't tow in 5th gear even without a turbo.

...

Not another one!!!

I am sick of all these LT85 experts - most of whom have never owned one! (or who bought a landie with an LT85 which failed due to LT230 lubrication problems, not LT85 problems).

As I posted elsewhere, I towed a 5.5m boat all the way from Brisbane-Perth with a 4BD1T and LT85. I was in 5th 99.5% of the way.

I have done over 150k km now with a turbo and an LT85, most of it either towing or loaded to GVM.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Not another one!!! I am sick of all these LT85 experts - most of whom have never owned one! (or who bought a landie with an LT85 which failed due to LT230 lubrication problems, not LT85 problems). As I posted elsewhere, I towed a 5.5m boat all the way from Brisbane-Perth with a 4BD1T and LT85. I was in 5th 99.5% of the way. I have done over 150k km now with a turbo and an LT85, most of it either towing or loaded to GVM.

Your's is the beefed up rebuild MD version. So probably more forgiving than the factory version.

I previously owned an LT85 Isuzu and quite liked it. I didn't do any towing with it. And yes absence of LT230 lubrication mod resulted in wear.

I've had nothing to do with LT85's.

Generally speaking the direct drive ratio is going to be strongest, and more efficient because no power is transmitted through the gearing, direct simply couples the pinion shaft (input) to the main shaft.

The most likely problems with 4BD1's, or 4BD1-T's and LT85's are:

1) Torsional vibration at low engine speed.
2) Transmitting too much torque.

Now when towing:

(1) is a choice the owner and driver make. The owner can increase idle speed, which helps. The driver can use a low enough gear when starting off, and change gears to keep revs up and most importantly don't make it lug. at low rpm.

(2) When climbing a hill with a heavy load on, there has to be enough torque at the wheels or progress will cease. The torque at the wheels is the product of engine torque and gear ratio. Select direct drive if possible or else change down so the gearing is appropriate.

I would like to think drivers could sense the difference between when the engine and transmission are coping easily, or working hard. If they are working hard, slowing a little and selecting another gear will do good for all.

IMHO, the conditions appropriate for driving in an overdrive ratio are:

a) Cruising (not accelerating) with engine and transmission coping easily.
b) Right foot is well up.
c) Engine speed is up.