Thread: This will be interesting...

Be like towing a block of flats ...........

But Ballarat to Barwon /heads is downhill !


From experience ,it will be the wind resistance not the dead weight that will hurt the economy . But the 3.5 is a torquey little lump so your 80ish km an hour is achievable .

I'll open the betting @ 22l / 100 .


ps check the bearings and wheel nuts - and I'd run it over a weigh bridge as early vans were more a guess on weights .

Originally Posted by Rextheute

Be like towing a block of flats ...........

But Ballarat to Barwon /heads is downhill !


From experience ,it will be the wind resistance not the dead weight that will hurt the economy . But the 3.5 is a torquey little lump so your 80ish km an hour is achievable .

I'll open the betting @ 22l / 100 .


ps check the bearings and wheel nuts - and I'd run it over a weigh bridge as early vans were more a guess on weights .

Apparently tar is 1600kg ... the oldies are light. The storage and size means SWMBO could easily load 1ton into it without it getting crowded. The blue rangy is a 3.9. Sadly it's got a slugomatic... and doesn't have a lockup on 3rd gear. I have no intention of dragging it at speeds > 90km/h. We'll never travel main roads unless there duel carriageway. I for one don't want to **** off truckers.

It's weird though, once you towing a caravan, the size and weight of it doesn't make progress feel much different. We'll see I guess.

You want insanity. the sucker still wears it's original rock hard heavily perished cross ply tires... The place that traded it is happy to tow it to Ballarat (from hamilton) on those tires for me "She'll be right mate, we'll just sit on 60-80km/h"...

I'm expecting it to arrive on the back of a truck with 4 shreded tires, or with 4 new tires fitted It's got really weird independent coil spring suspension. So I'll pull it all down and check any bushing for deterioration and the shockers. I don't want something this size getting "excitable" behind me.

seeya,
Shane L.
PS: This is the reason I grabbed it.... What a layout!







The kids are over the moon ... the two eldest will get top bunks

She'll do 100kph on the flat no problem.

Though it'll be a slow affair going home, especially up past mt bunningyong!

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

Originally Posted by benji

She'll do 100kph on the flat no problem.

Though it'll be a slow affair going home, especially up past mt bunningyong!

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

One of the worst climbs I know of it out of Bunningyong. Your forced to start at standstll at the bottom of a long steep hill.... that speed changes from 60 -> 80 -> 100km/h as you climb. Your basically going to be doing 50km/h the entire way as you have no chance to gain momentum before climbing it.

We're hoping to travel around the east coast for a few months in it... in a couple of years. I imagine the rangy will do it easily enough if we pick our times ... travel back roads and keep speeds around 80km/h. The grey nomads that by 3.5 ton vans, v8 turbo deisel 4wds and hit the roads with cruiise control set to 100km/h scare the hell out of me. They must never have towed before and seem to have no idea how quickly bad things can happen at those speeds.

seeya,
Shane L.

Don't be too worried about holding people up by doing 80. I've just done 2,500KM in the 101 towing our van. On main roads/freeways I sat on 90 even though this hurt my fuel economy, and would use the CB to call trucks around. As soon as they pull out, I backed off or even braked slightly and they get by quickly and thank you for it. On B roads, I sat on 80 or even less if the roads were a bit ****. Again, I would call trucks around, or just get off the road when safe to do so - usually towards the top of a climb when there was room as it's easy to slow down and let people past. Cars I wouldn't worry too much about - they generally manage to get past, but if a queue formed, again, I'd just pull over. 99% of other van owners were really good and understanding and if you give them room when you can, you won't have any issues. Interestingly, with the van on, I got about 50% of all people towing a van wave at me. Some dicks out there, but mostly ok. I didn't get anyone road rage me mind you driving a big arse army truck around has that effect on people...

I was getting 25LPH at 90KPH and 23LPH at 80. The Rangie is (slightly) more streamlined than a 101, so I would expect between 20 and 22LPH but I found the biggest factor on towing speed and economy was the wind conditions. A strong cross wind was a killer in both departments.

Hope they get it to you on those tyres ok. I wouldn't tow it around the block on original runner like that, but who knows.

Looks like a interesting layout - must have been specifically made for a big family. Good seating too.

I guess that the maximum recommended load will be about and not more of 400kg so the 3.9 engine should not have any problem with it.
How much weight is on the ball?

Originally Posted by Chucaro

I guess that the maximum recommended load will be about and not more of 400kg so the 3.9 engine should not have any problem with it.
How much weight is on the ball?

I have no idea what the ball weight is, I imagine I can heavily influence it on a 'van this size if I'm not careful loading it. It should arrive in the next two weeks at some point, so I'll have more idea what needs doing. The ball weight I imagine will be around 150kg.

The point on using the CB is a good idea. The blue rangy does have a CB. I'll just need to fit an aerial to it.

seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by bacicat

Don't be too worried about holding people up by doing 80. I've just done 2,500KM in the 101 towing our van. On main roads/freeways I sat on 90 even though this hurt my fuel economy, and would use the CB to call trucks around. As soon as they pull out, I backed off or even braked slightly and they get by quickly and thank you for it. On B roads, I sat on 80 or even less if the roads were a bit ****. Again, I would call trucks around, or just get off the road when safe to do so - usually towards the top of a climb when there was room as it's easy to slow down and let people past. Cars I wouldn't worry too much about - they generally manage to get past, but if a queue formed, again, I'd just pull over. 99% of other van owners were really good and understanding and if you give them room when you can, you won't have any issues. Interestingly, with the van on, I got about 50% of all people towing a van wave at me. Some dicks out there, but mostly ok. I didn't get anyone road rage me mind you driving a big arse army truck around has that effect on people...

A good motorist you are Gav

I could not and would not lose my cool if all people driving/towing were that courteous!