Towing Caravan with TD5 Series 2 Auto with SLS

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Originally Posted by Marnie

Thanks for your comments. I am not clear tho as to your D2 towing experience, is it a D2 with SLS?

I am yet to have explained the reason for the warning by LR re using WDH.

Do you know if the 250kg ball weight is because of the SLH or the Towbar capacity?

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Hi Marnie,

My D2 was a coiler: no SLS. (It has since been sold and goes to a forum member in the NT probably next week)

When I was evaluating the D4 as a potential replacement, I wrote to LRA who confirmed that for the D4, the reason was two-fold: the structure of the vehicle had not been designed for the stresses imposed by a WDH and it could confuse the SLS. I assume that the same reasons could possibly apply to the D2 with SLS.

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Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

The report mentioned above is quite long and a boring read,,

and not really indicative of Ozzy conditions(vehicles/tow weight)

I am happy you are still on the road Grum;).
any pics of the new combo?:wasntme:

and I agree it has a lot to do with wheelbase---

LC=2850
D2=2540

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Hi Peter,

Thanks. Will post a pic once I get the new rig on the road.

Sharkee, dagz and Brian.
Do you use the standard L/R tow bar?
Regards
Robbo

Yes, standard tow bar. 3500Kg.

I tink this is the link to LR WDH.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-...ge-raa527.html

cheers

Gday Robbo yeah standard LR bar. SB I do understand what your saying about variables between makes/models, wheel base, wheeltrack etc etc but in regards to a trol being heavier they weighed pretty much the same (I have weighed both vehicles on a weighbridge). Forgive me if I've missread your post. I also towed that 16ft van with a 97 TD pajero with and with out WDH without any issues so I'm convinced it was the SLS and no WDH causing the problem. I would have loved to have tried that 16fter (I no longer have it) on my d2 after it was converted to springs. Would have been interesting to see if there was any or how much difference. Might be just me but I feel more in control using a WDH. SLS, just my opinion has its advantages but I'm not a real big fan of it. It is a great ride though!

Steve

robbo yep i use the standard tow bar with drop tongue insert.

For D1 owners... I had a Hayman Reece tow hitch that was plated as 120/4000. I took it to a HR dealer and they happily replated it to 150/3500 to match LR recommended limit of 150kg tow ball weight. Charged $10.

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Originally Posted by garrycol

Yes it is - the tow ball weight of a D1 is actually 120kg.

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Originally Posted by Marnie

I've read the handbook about no load levelling devices to be used and took off on first trip with 2575kg GTM (25 feet 10 inches) van. Wow! FRIGHTENING! Ok till a semi wanted to pass and then un- controllable tail wagging when he was in passing mode even tho I was driving on the road shoulder to give maximum space between us - as I had always done in the past.

Pulled in to trailer expert, he was appalled when I showed him the handbook directive! A telephone call to Hayman Reece and a friction sway control was fitted with big improvement but the rig is still uncertain on the road.
We can't get enough weight onto the Disco front wheels ball weight is 230kg; incidentally pulled this van for thousands of kms with the old series 80 4.5 litre Cruiser...no worries like we now experience; the 30 to 35 litres per 100 was getting me down is why we went to a TD5 which gave us 15 litres per 100kms over 3,500 kms on the recent trip! Be interesting to do the figures next trip as I have removed the EGR valve now.
Can anyone tell me why L/Rover is so adamantly against LLH's; I believe that the new Patrols also ban LLH's.

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Received this advice from owner of dealership ( van owner ) in 2000. His advice was replace standard multi piece bolted tow hitch with the L/R recommended and approved option P/N RAA 527 tow hitch made by Hayman Reese, refer owners hand book for use with a Weight Distribution device . I have used this device for 13 years & no problems with SLS have replaced only 2 airbags in that time, normal wear & tear towing a 6.2m 2.8 tonne van .Only issue have is van sway due to passing Trucks turbulence To help over come this have increase the ball weight to 300 Kg. plus using WDH.This helped along with running increased tyre pressures to 48 psi on rear L/R & Vans x 4 BF Goodrich AT All- Terrian .But the simple fact is IMO the L/R is too light in vehicle mass/Ball weight & too short in wheel base to tow a heavy van of 2.8 3.0 tonne at 90- 95 Klms without van sway correction becoming a safety issue

I'm not sure if everyone realises just how heavy 250kg is.....its 550lb in old terms.....if you just put that much in the back of your disco you'd really know it, let alone have it forward of another set of axles swinging on a towball. In fact that 250 is on a lever arm of 3mtrs or more (axle to towball) which can so easily swing the vehicle around. I'm amazed its that high.

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Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

I'm not sure if everyone realises just how heavy 250kg is.....its 550lb in old terms.....if you just put that much in the back of your disco you'd really know it, let alone have it forward of another set of axles swinging on a towball. In fact that 250 is on a lever arm of 3mtrs or more (axle to towball) which can so easily swing the vehicle around. I'm amazed its that high.

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If I was pulling a 3 ton van I would rather 250Kg swinging the back of my car, than the one and a quarter tons of van rear of the van axles swinging it. The less weight that you have on the tow bar the higher the probability of this happening.

And that would also be 6 metres of leverage as well.

My vechicle/ tow bar is rated to 250kg. I would not tow anything weighing more than 2500kg without 250 kg on the ball.