Thread: Towing Caravan with TD5 Series 2 Auto with SLS

Originally Posted by TerryO

Surely the maximum D1 tow ball weight of 150 kg is a furphy.

Terry

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

Originally Posted by garrycol

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

It gets worse!

cheers,
Terry

Originally Posted by TerryO

It gets worse!

cheers,
Terry

Actually some of the early hand books say 75kg. The Trailboss bar on my D1 is stamped 175kg however. Qld towbars (trailboss) were the mob who pushed for the ball weight laws, as he was the only bloke who could if the units were compliant at the time.

Gday Marnie I too had the same problem. I have a 2000 TD5 Auto with SLS and did have a 16 foot Roma which towed no probs behind our GQ other than being gutless. I towed it with our Disco at xmas and I have to say not much fusses me when towing but it was frightening!!!!!!!!!!. It was all over the place and going into corners well I shall we say needed a rest room, it starting swaying almost out of control. This happened whether I was doing 100 or 70 it didnt matter what speed. I too wanted to use a WDH but according to LR can not on these vehicles with SLS. I did not have the van packed any different to when it was on the back of the Patrol so it wasnt incorrect loading in my case. I sold the van because it was too dangerous and now have a 19ft tandum axle with safety tow suspention and it tows and tracks magnificently behind the TD5. I'm still not happy not using a WDH but it now feels 100 times better/safer to tow. The ST suspention possibly might be the difference I dont know but much happier now.And to think I had the problems with the smaller van was weird. I will be changing the SLS when it fails back to a normal spring set up. The SLS is great in a lot of ways but I prefer springs.

Steve

Everyone has there own reality based on their experience, it does not make everything they experience the only possible conclusion.

A statement like "I did not have the van packed any different to when it was on the back of the Patrol so it wasnt incorrect loading in my case" is Sharkies experience and now his reality however there are other possible explanations.

If a caravan does not sway behind a ten tonne high speed tractor it does not say anything about the correct or incorrect loading of the caravan. The heavy tractor will have a much greater tolerance for the weight distribution in the caravan than will a lighter vehicle or one with different geometry of wheel base to towing point distance from rear axle. The Bath University study reports that weight distribution is a contributor. Having the centre of gravity (CoG) closer to the axle/pivot of the caravan reduces the possibility of sway, but you also have to watch where the weight is even if you have balanced the load and placed the CoG in close to the axles or just forward. Having weight on the ball just means that you have placed the CoG forward of the axles/pivot. This probably assist with keeping the tow vehicle wheels in contact with the ground an less likely to scrub sideways therefore preventing that pendulum swing we all dread. CoG is just one parameter the moments of inertia become more important in a dynamic situation so it is not just ball weight or CoG but where the heavy items are located that counts (pendulum comes to mind again).

The length of drawbar or more correctly total trailer distance from towball attachment point to caravan pivot/axles will also contribute to stability as well as make the combination easier to reverse.

I am not sure that the size of tyre in terms of sidewall height contributes to stability, with the LT tyres it is more likely that the stiffness of the sidewalls contribute to stopping the sway from starting. Tyre width will increase friction and reduce the chance of sideways scrubbing.

I don't believe that the average person wants to enter into a debate over moments of inertia or develope a thesis on trailer staibility. If you want stability, heavier tow vehicle, longer wheel base, stiffer suspension including tyre stiffness, will all help. And for the same reasons you cannot turn your tandem trailer in the same space as a single axle trailer, I think that tandems are more stable.

Why LR don't want you to use a WDH on an SLS fitted vehicle?? I can only guess that they expect it to fight the SLS.

Has anyone tried to use a WDH on an SLS vehicle?

For what its worth and always good to discuss and I would also appreciate opinions.....I have a D2, I have fitted airbags in the rear coils. I tow a basestation (Jayco where the motorbikes go in the back) ...I started out with hayman reese load levelling (weight distribution bars), I just couldnot stand the inconvenience of fitting the wd system. got the airbags fitted to the rear coils and have not looked back. My vans is rated at 2700 kgs max with 204kg on the tow ball weight on the compliance plate. All fits legally and tows a treat on the road from a weight and load point of view. The airbags are the way to go. Although I am having problems with my vehicle braking all the time. It is 250,000k's now and assuming that things start to wear out I am looking at something else. Do i go for a ford f250 and suck up the fuel cost or the boys at landrover spares reckon the d3 is just the go. I would mind hearing of any experiences with pulling such a heavy load constantly and how you fair at speed and pulling up hills. Thanks

Originally Posted by garrycol

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

I just checked my handbook. 96 TDI. Max ball weight 150KG Max Trailer weight 3500.

Dave.

Another thing people don't factor in when towing, is the more weight you tow, the less weight you can carry in the vehicle and that includes passengers.

This is a legality thing, how many people out there are towing near the max tow rate and have the vehicle packed to the roof and on the roof racks.

I got talking to a bloke at Adels Grove in the Gulf, he was towing a 3.3ton van and had his D2 choker block and the roof rack choker as well he was complaining that he had gone through 3 sets of SLS bags he was on his way to Darwin to have his Disco converted to coils, to me he is a fool and just an accident waiting to happen

Baz.