67HR wrote:

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Bicyclecamper wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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Bicyclecamper wrote:

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Well, I am guess ing weight of the van, it is 22 foot long, an Avan Jensen./ Massive thing, nice looking he bought it 10 years ago new. But his current Jeep is only 18 months old. It is not here at the moment, so when he comes home will, find out what model it is.

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 Thanks Ric. The reason I ask is that a quick bit of research shows that late model Jeeps seem to have low GVMs, so therefore they have limited towing capacity, but I look forward to any extra information that you can supply. Cheers

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 The vehicle is a Jeep Grand  Cherokee, but the top of the line model. Looks fairly fancy and modern shape. It has the Mercedes engine and gearbox. 3500kg  towing cap. And his van weighs 2700kg fully loaded. The car cost $86000.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Friday 27th of May 2022 03:46:39 PM

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 Ok, the Grand Cherokee (WK2) top of the line is the Overland. It also has a 3.0lt V6 VM Motori diesel engine (italian) with a ZF 8 sp transmission. This engine transmission combo has been std in diesel GC's since mid 2013 to 2021. Previous to mid 2013 they had the Merc engine and 5sp trans. 

Mine is a 2014 Laredo (poverty pack) rated for 3500kg towing.

Hope this helps

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Thanks for these details. Jeeps are nice cars but out of their depth for towing heavy loads. Putting it bluntly, if safety is of any concern there is no way known you'd even think about towing more than 3000kg with this car as GVM is less than 2950kg and wheelbase is short at 2915mm. Good car to tow up to about 3000kg maximum as a PIG trailer. Must say that at 2700kg your caravan is well suited to your car, so you should be applauded for being so responsible. Happy and safe travels! Cheers

gold dandelion wrote:

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Just get a Ford Ranger, put a bit of gear in the back and drive carefully, don't worry about any one else's opinion, it's all about driving careful and having you weight distributed evenly. It's ok showing photos of pranged up cars and not knowing the circumstances, this proves nothing. Remember it's all about the weight distribution and the driving antics nothing else, haven't been on here for a fair while. I see/read nothing has changed they are still letting kids on here.

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 OP sought advice on car to tow "2800-3500kg". Ford Ranger is indeed a nice car, indeed one of the better lightweight twin-cabs, but the chances of one safely towing 3500kg as a PIG trailer are zip, zero, zilch, nil, nada. Good for around 3100kg TOPS. The 1850kg rear axle capacity is the limiting factor, and no matter whether you "drive careful" you're overloaded, unsafe and uninsured. Cheers

read the second verse mate., and maybe the last.

gold dandelion wrote:

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read the second verse mate., and maybe the last.

---

 Sorry, but I can't even find the poem? Please explain. Cheers

I am thinking trading the Triton in on this

Looks good Ivan, but you'll need to get a few extras. Low profile tyres will cause you grief off road, no bullbar, no spotlights and no 4wd could all be a worry too. But at least it's not a Triton! Cheers. 

yobarr wrote:

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Looks good Ivan, but you'll need to get a few extras. Low profile tyres will cause you grief off road, no bullbar, no spotlights and no 4wd could all be a worry too. But at least it's not a Triton! Cheers. 

---

 Aawww Yobarr,

I love my Triton  

Ivan 01 wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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Looks good Ivan, but you'll need to get a few extras. Low profile tyres will cause you grief off road, no bullbar, no spotlights and no 4wd could all be a worry too. But at least it's not a Triton! Cheers. 

---

 Aawww Yobarr,

I love my Triton  

  

---

 Have a couple of friends who have Tritons, both admitting that they know nothing about 4wds and weights etc, and both saying that they bought on price alone. However, they both are exceedingly happy with their choice, saying that as a family car with the capacity to carry the kids bikes and a couple of cartons of beer they're excellent. Indeed, when I chainsawed an acre of tall trees to clear an area to sink a dam we used the mighty Triton to tow the full length logs off site, and I was quite impressed with what we made it do. Horses for courses, maybe, but there's no way known I'd tow much more than 2700kg as a PIG trailer. Too light, and the one I drove in Cairns for a week handled terribly, spending a lot of its time sideways at the first hint of a wet road. Driving sideways is of no concern to me, but I certainly wouldn't like to see an unskilled driver at the wheel, with a load of children, in wet conditions. Probably good as a Tradies ute too? Glad that you're happy with yours! Cheers

Craig1 wrote:

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"most LC200s seem to be around 3000kg with fuel (110kg) and two occupants (150kg). Remember that we then need a towbar (30kg?) " quoted Yobarr.

LC 200 tow bar is built in, as part of the chassis. The expensive towbar "kit " from Toyota is a wiring harness and a drop shank with 50mm tow ball, so maybe 7kg or so.

---

 Thanks Craig, for that advice, but we're splitting hairs here, are we not? With 3000kg car we see that 30kg is 1%. To keep things simple there are many other things that I did not include in my weights, such as the obligatory WDH (25-35kg) and the popular McHitch which also increases TBO and multiplies weight added to rear axle. ALL my weights are done conservatively, thus masking the problem of overloading. Cheers

aastek wrote:

---

You have to look at either a Ram or Ivelco. Both have the clear capacity to tow the van with plenty of spare capacity for all those extras

---

 Kurt, there is little doubt that the Iveco could do the job if you're happy to go that way, but if a Ram is chosen, it MUST be a Ram 2500 or bigger. A Ram 1500 CANNOT safely  tow much more than about 3000kg ATM as a PIG trailer. (Caravan) There is NO chance of safely towing anything close to 4500kg as a PIG trailer. None. Cheers 

P.S This was covered in September 2019, and I explained my figures after being in correspondence with the Ram distributors. That correspondence is probably still somewhere in my files? Cheers

A very amusing discussion of personal anecdotes and theories above, if not tragic in the fact that so many people have such different versions of reality. 

Three years ago, prior to buying  my 2.9 t (tare) caravan,  I knew virtually nothing (and some might say I still don't ha ha) so I started the investigative process re what I could tow my caravan with (when I bought it).  I'll give Yobarr a plug here and say that he was very supportive in providing what I now know to be accurate information re tow vehicles and caravan weights. 

Just for the record I don't tow with a Landcruiser Prado as my nickname might suggest, but a Y62 TIL, 5.6 V8 which is a dream vehicle to tow with.  If it was a piece of S---T then I would gladly say so.

My Retreat Fraser caravan is a piece of S__T and has been falling apart and failing literally since the day I took delivery (hope this shows some honesty!)

Personal bias and patriotism aside, the weights and laws as they apply to towing a caravan are plainly there for all to see.

Sure there are more Landcruisers towing caravans around than just about any other legal vehicle (and yep they are great vehicles and most of my caravan mates have them), sure the poms are always going to say that Landdrovers rock and are the best and sure the ute brigade are going to say that their Nissan Navara is rated to tow 3.5 t!!!!!!!!!

My research and now personal experiences, show that IT IS A FACT that most of the tow vehicles towing over loaded caravans currently on the roads are towing illegally.  Pity that their insurance company will remind them of this when they refuse their first accident claim. (My son in law is an insurance company executive and he laughs at the caravan overloading stories I tell him as in his view, his company is receiving premiums on caravans and tow vehicles they will hardly ever pay claims on !!!!!!!!!!) 

Research also shows that if you are wanting to tow a caravan upwards of 3t (gross) then you are very limited with what can LEGALLY do this with.

As a bare minimum, being completely realistic, Landcruisers, Y62's and some Yank tanks are the only tow vehicles that will legally and commonsensibly (not a real word I know but seemed to fit the rhythm of the sentence) fit the bill and tow anywhere near  3t-3.5t. Of course the equation changes the more accessories you add to the tow vehicle. 

I think we need to seriously consider what Yobbar is saying and investigate his statement of facts if we wish to be safe. 

Personally, my view is that any personal opinion, although worthy, needs to be backed up with facts and evidence like weights, weigh bridge certificates  etc. 

Fortunately, I have found that Yobbar does this but still seems to offend those of us who prefer to not accept his logic, as it probably means their towing is illegal!

So what did I do when choosing my vehicle and what issues did I encounter $210,000 later?????????? This is a personal journey only and not to be taken too seriously (ha ha).

1. I was aware that the Y62 could tow a legal 3.5 t and had a legal 3.5t GVM and a legal 7t GCM but of course it is never this simple (Thanks again to Yobarr for pointing this out). The Landcruiser with all the gear I wanted to add to the tow vehicle was never going to be legal to tow my fully loaded caravan, albeit it a very nice vehicle (I nearly bought a Sahara but ---------  something about the Patrol being better value for money). Just listen to John Codogan on You Tube or do what most people do and ignore the facts. PS: I used to own a Landcruiser. 

2. I had to factor in that the Y62, although having a 350kg TBW, suffers an axle related penalty once the TBW is over 300kg (you have to reduce the Patrol's GVM by 70kg  once you exceeded the 300KG TBW.  130kg must be deducted from GVM if TBW is over 350kg (wonder how Many Y62 owners actually know or stick to this!!!!!)

4. I had to be very careful in managing these realities including having the caravan engineered at the factory so I could achieve a TBW of less than 300kg. The engineers at the factory were very good in resolving this issue. Repositioning the caravan axles slightly forward and shifting one of the water tanks slightly to the rear achieved this.  I still have to be very careful when loading the caravan. Because the caravan has Alco Enduro Outback Off road suspension as well as Alco ESC, this all helped.  End result, caravan will tow effortlessly and easily above the speed limit (just love passing those pissy little utes going up passing lanes!!!!)  without a fuss in the world (note usually sit on 95klms/ hour which seems to be the best fuel efficient speed limit on the open road (but it will easily do 160klms per hour towing - tested this not on the open road). 

5. I still had to be very conscious of the Y62's weight as even with such a mammoth beast, I still had to be very careful what I loaded into it so as not to exceed its GVM of 3500kg including TBW. Tare weight is 3200kg! I took the rear seats out to save about 55kgs but with the caravan on the back, with all accessories considered and with a real weigh bridge weight, I only just get under the 3500GVM. 

So for the beginners out there, take care, seek advice, listen to everyone but interrogate the advice they give you, as parochialism often obscures reality. 

Several of my mates have a 200 series which are great vehicles but they could not legally tow what I tow at maximum caravan GVM given their standard GVM is 3350kgs and given the accessories on my Patrol.

In discussions with my mates (who we all know usually lie through their teeth - especially with wives or other mates in tow - they don't get much better fuel consumption than I do at the same speeds. 

They too have to limit what they can legally add to their cars and some of them have had to upgrade their vehicle GVM to do this (ignorant of the fact this did not always increase the GCM!)

Speak to Justin on TRIP IN A VAN" (YOU TUBE) as he has done this correctly albeit at huge cost. His GCM on his new, cut 200 series is 8 tonne.

Some facts about the Y62 for those contemplating purchase.

1. They are fantastic tow vehicles. You have a heavy, wide footprint on the ground for added safety. 

2. Yep they suck on that juice but as DAVE DASH (YOU TUBE ) says, if you want ponies you have to feed them! I can drag most cars off in mine and any 4x4 (Read 4x4 not SUV).  

3. At 298kws standard factory the engine is beyond comparison and it only takes a blink to get it well over 300kws. 

4. There is a sweet spot that the engine will tow at around 95kls per hour to maximise fuel consumption. I have got 18l/100kls in freeway mode at 100ks/hour, 20l/100ks at 95klms per hour  on the open road at 95 ks/hour with hills and overtaking but 25/L100ks once I drive at 100ks per hour and maintain this speed up and down hills which is effortless to achieve. 

5. The TIL model's standard equipment beats everything out there.

6. I would not buy any second hand 4 wheel drive including a Y62 as some people have had torque converter failures (probably not unusual given the power on tap).

7. Yep they only come in petrol motors which I prefer anyway as I love revving the glorious V8 motor.

8. Obviously less torque that an equivalent 200 series but @ +500nm, who's counting anyway?

Potential Y62 owners, feel free to message me any serious questions you may have.

See disclaimer below.

DISCLAIMER: I AM TYPING THIS IN A HOSPITAL BED FOLLOWING A KNEE OPERATION THIS MORNING SO GIVEN THE DRUGS I AM ON AND THE CONSTANT DISTRACTION OF THE NURSES, THE BLUR BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION MAY BE A SEAMLESS REALITY!!!!!!!!!!

A very amusing discussion of personal anecdotes and theories above, if not tragic in the fact that so many people have such different versions of reality. 

Three years ago, prior to buying  my 2.9 t (tare) caravan,  I knew virtually nothing (and some might say I still don't ha ha) so I started the investigative process re what I could tow my caravan with (when I bought it).  I'll give Yobarr a plug here and say that he was very supportive in providing what I now know to be accurate information re tow vehicles and caravan weights. 

Just for the record I don't tow with a Landcruiser Prado as my nickname might suggest, but a Y62 TIL, 5.6 V8 which is a dream vehicle to tow with.  If it was a piece of S---T then I would gladly say so.

My Retreat Fraser caravan is a piece of S__T and has been falling apart and failing literally since the day I took delivery (hope this shows some honesty!)

Personal bias and patriotism aside, the weights and laws as they apply to towing a caravan are plainly there for all to see.

Sure there are more Landcruisers towing caravans around than just about any other legal vehicle (and yep they are great vehicles and most of my caravan mates have them), sure the poms are always going to say that Landdrovers rock and are the best and sure the ute brigade are going to say that their Nissan Navara is rated to tow 3.5 t!!!!!!!!!

My research and now personal experiences, show that IT IS A FACT that most of the tow vehicles towing over loaded caravans currently on the roads are towing illegally.  Pity that their insurance company will remind them of this when they refuse their first accident claim. (My son in law is an insurance company executive and he laughs at the caravan overloading stories I tell him as in his view, his company is receiving premiums on caravans and tow vehicles they will hardly ever pay claims on !!!!!!!!!!) 

Research also shows that if you are wanting to tow a caravan upwards of 3t (gross) then you are very limited with what can LEGALLY do this with.

As a bare minimum, being completely realistic, Landcruisers, Y62's and some Yank tanks are the only tow vehicles that will legally and commonsensibly (not a real word I know but seemed to fit the rhythm of the sentence) fit the bill and tow anywhere near  3t-3.5t. Of course the equation changes the more accessories you add to the tow vehicle. 

I think we need to seriously consider what Yobbar is saying and investigate his statement of facts if we wish to be safe. 

Personally, my view is that any personal opinion, although worthy, needs to be backed up with facts and evidence like weights, weigh bridge certificates  etc. 

Fortunately, I have found that Yobbar does this but still seems to offend those of us who prefer to not accept his logic, as it probably means their towing is illegal!

So what did I do when choosing my vehicle and what issues did I encounter $210,000 later?????????? This is a personal journey only and not to be taken too seriously (ha ha).

1. I was aware that the Y62 could tow a legal 3.5 t and had a legal 3.5t GVM and a legal 7t GCM but of course it is never this simple (Thanks again to Yobarr for pointing this out). The Landcruiser with all the gear I wanted to add to the tow vehicle was never going to be legal to tow my fully loaded caravan, albeit it a very nice vehicle (I nearly bought a Sahara but ---------  something about the Patrol being better value for money). Just listen to John Codogan on You Tube or do what most people do and ignore the facts. PS: I used to own a Landcruiser. 

2. I had to factor in that the Y62, although having a 350kg TBW, suffers an axle related penalty once the TBW is over 300kg (you have to reduce the Patrol's GVM by 70kg  once you exceeded the 300KG TBW.  130kg must be deducted from GVM if TBW is over 350kg (wonder how Many Y62 owners actually know or stick to this!!!!!)

4. I had to be very careful in managing these realities including having the caravan engineered at the factory so I could achieve a TBW of less than 300kg. The engineers at the factory were very good in resolving this issue. Repositioning the caravan axles slightly forward and shifting one of the water tanks slightly to the rear achieved this.  I still have to be very careful when loading the caravan. Because the caravan has Alco Enduro Outback Off road suspension as well as Alco ESC, this all helped.  End result, caravan will tow effortlessly and easily above the speed limit (just love passing those pissy little utes going up passing lanes!!!!)  without a fuss in the world (note usually sit on 95klms/ hour which seems to be the best fuel efficient speed limit on the open road (but it will easily do 160klms per hour towing - tested this not on the open road). 

5. I still had to be very conscious of the Y62's weight as even with such a mammoth beast, I still had to be very careful what I loaded into it so as not to exceed its GVM of 3500kg including TBW. Tare weight is 3200kg! I took the rear seats out to save about 55kgs but with the caravan on the back, with all accessories considered and with a real weigh bridge weight, I only just get under the 3500GVM. 

So for the beginners out there, take care, seek advice, listen to everyone but interrogate the advice they give you, as parochialism often obscures reality. 

Several of my mates have a 200 series which are great vehicles but they could not legally tow what I tow at maximum caravan GVM given their standard GVM is 3350kgs and given the accessories on my Patrol.

In discussions with my mates (who we all know usually lie through their teeth - especially with wives or other mates in tow - they don't get much better fuel consumption than I do at the same speeds. 

They too have to limit what they can legally add to their cars and some of them have had to upgrade their vehicle GVM to do this (ignorant of the fact this did not always increase the GCM!)

Speak to Justin on TRIP IN A VAN" (YOU TUBE) as he has done this correctly albeit at huge cost. His GCM on his new, cut 200 series is 8 tonne.

Some facts about the Y62 for those contemplating purchase.

1. They are fantastic tow vehicles. You have a heavy, wide footprint on the ground for added safety. 

2. Yep they suck on that juice but as DAVE DASH (YOU TUBE ) says, if you want ponies you have to feed them! I can drag most cars off in mine and any 4x4 (Read 4x4 not SUV).  

3. At 298kws standard factory the engine is beyond comparison and it only takes a blink to get it well over 300kws. 

4. There is a sweet spot that the engine will tow at around 95kls per hour to maximise fuel consumption. I have got 18l/100kls in freeway mode at 100ks/hour, 20l/100ks at 95klms per hour  on the open road at 95 ks/hour with hills and overtaking but 25/L100ks once I drive at 100ks per hour and maintain this speed up and down hills which is effortless to achieve. 

5. The TIL model's standard equipment beats everything out there.

6. I would not buy any second hand 4 wheel drive including a Y62 as some people have had torque converter failures (probably not unusual given the power on tap).

7. Yep they only come in petrol motors which I prefer anyway as I love revving the glorious V8 motor.

8. Obviously less torque that an equivalent 200 series but @ +500nm, who's counting anyway?

Potential Y62 owners, feel free to message me any serious questions you may have.

See disclaimer below.

DISCLAIMER: I AM TYPING THIS IN A HOSPITAL BED FOLLOWING A KNEE OPERATION THIS MORNING SO GIVEN THE DRUGS I AM ON AND THE CONSTANT DISTRACTION OF THE NURSES, THE BLUR BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION MAY BE A SEAMLESS REALITY!!!!!!!!!!

aastek wrote:

---

You have to look at either a Ram or Ivelco. Both have the clear capacity to tow the van with plenty of spare capacity for all those extras

---

 Or Isuzu  NPR/NPS            KB

Pradokakadudavid wrote:

---

DISCLAIMER: I AM TYPING THIS IN A HOSPITAL BED FOLLOWING A KNEE OPERATION THIS MORNING SO GIVEN THE DRUGS I AM ON AND THE CONSTANT DISTRACTION OF THE NURSES, THE BLUR BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION MAY BE A SEAMLESS REALITY!!!!!!!!!!

---

 Is that heaven or hell?

Pradokakadudavid wrote:

---

A very amusing discussion of personal anecdotes and theories above, if not tragic in the fact that so many people have such different versions of reality. 

Three years ago, prior to buying  my 2.9 t (tare) caravan,  I knew virtually nothing (and some might say I still don't ha ha) so I started the investigative process re what I could tow my caravan with (when I bought it).  I'll give Yobarr a plug here and say that he was very supportive in providing what I now know to be accurate information re tow vehicles and caravan weights. 

Just for the record I don't tow with a Landcruiser Prado as my nickname might suggest, but a Y62 TIL, 5.6 V8 which is a dream vehicle to tow with.  If it was a piece of S---T then I would gladly say so.

My Retreat Fraser caravan is a piece of S__T and has been falling apart and failing literally since the day I took delivery (hope this shows some honesty!)

Personal bias and patriotism aside, the weights and laws as they apply to towing a caravan are plainly there for all to see.

Sure there are more Landcruisers towing caravans around than just about any other legal vehicle (and yep they are great vehicles and most of my caravan mates have them), sure the poms are always going to say that Landdrovers rock and are the best and sure the ute brigade are going to say that their Nissan Navara is rated to tow 3.5 t!!!!!!!!!

My research and now personal experiences, show that IT IS A FACT that most of the tow vehicles towing over loaded caravans currently on the roads are towing illegally.  Pity that their insurance company will remind them of this when they refuse their first accident claim. (My son in law is an insurance company executive and he laughs at the caravan overloading stories I tell him as in his view, his company is receiving premiums on caravans and tow vehicles they will hardly ever pay claims on !!!!!!!!!!) 

Research also shows that if you are wanting to tow a caravan upwards of 3t (gross) then you are very limited with what can LEGALLY do this with.

As a bare minimum, being completely realistic, Landcruisers, Y62's and some Yank tanks are the only tow vehicles that will legally and commonsensibly (not a real word I know but seemed to fit the rhythm of the sentence) fit the bill and tow anywhere near  3t-3.5t. Of course the equation changes the more accessories you add to the tow vehicle. 

I think we need to seriously consider what Yobbar is saying and investigate his statement of facts if we wish to be safe. 

Personally, my view is that any personal opinion, although worthy, needs to be backed up with facts and evidence like weights, weigh bridge certificates  etc. 

Fortunately, I have found that Yobbar does this but still seems to offend those of us who prefer to not accept his logic, as it probably means their towing is illegal!

So what did I do when choosing my vehicle and what issues did I encounter $210,000 later?????????? This is a personal journey only and not to be taken too seriously (ha ha).

1. I was aware that the Y62 could tow a legal 3.5 t and had a legal 3.5t GVM and a legal 7t GCM but of course it is never this simple (Thanks again to Yobarr for pointing this out). The Landcruiser with all the gear I wanted to add to the tow vehicle was never going to be legal to tow my fully loaded caravan, albeit it a very nice vehicle (I nearly bought a Sahara but ---------  something about the Patrol being better value for money). Just listen to John Codogan on You Tube or do what most people do and ignore the facts. PS: I used to own a Landcruiser. 

2. I had to factor in that the Y62, although having a 350kg TBW, suffers an axle related penalty once the TBW is over 300kg (you have to reduce the Patrol's GVM by 70kg  once you exceeded the 300KG TBW.  130kg must be deducted from GVM if TBW is over 350kg (wonder how Many Y62 owners actually know or stick to this!!!!!)

4. I had to be very careful in managing these realities including having the caravan engineered at the factory so I could achieve a TBW of less than 300kg. The engineers at the factory were very good in resolving this issue. Repositioning the caravan axles slightly forward and shifting one of the water tanks slightly to the rear achieved this.  I still have to be very careful when loading the caravan. Because the caravan has Alco Enduro Outback Off road suspension as well as Alco ESC, this all helped.  End result, caravan will tow effortlessly and easily above the speed limit (just love passing those pissy little utes going up passing lanes!!!!)  without a fuss in the world (note usually sit on 95klms/ hour which seems to be the best fuel efficient speed limit on the open road (but it will easily do 160klms per hour towing - tested this not on the open road). 

5. I still had to be very conscious of the Y62's weight as even with such a mammoth beast, I still had to be very careful what I loaded into it so as not to exceed its GVM of 3500kg including TBW. Tare weight is 3200kg! I took the rear seats out to save about 55kgs but with the caravan on the back, with all accessories considered and with a real weigh bridge weight, I only just get under the 3500GVM. 

So for the beginners out there, take care, seek advice, listen to everyone but interrogate the advice they give you, as parochialism often obscures reality. 

Several of my mates have a 200 series which are great vehicles but they could not legally tow what I tow at maximum caravan GVM given their standard GVM is 3350kgs and given the accessories on my Patrol.

In discussions with my mates (who we all know usually lie through their teeth - especially with wives or other mates in tow - they don't get much better fuel consumption than I do at the same speeds. 

They too have to limit what they can legally add to their cars and some of them have had to upgrade their vehicle GVM to do this (ignorant of the fact this did not always increase the GCM!)

Speak to Justin on TRIP IN A VAN" (YOU TUBE) as he has done this correctly albeit at huge cost. His GCM on his new, cut 200 series is 8 tonne.

Some facts about the Y62 for those contemplating purchase.

1. They are fantastic tow vehicles. You have a heavy, wide footprint on the ground for added safety. 

2. Yep they suck on that juice but as DAVE DASH (YOU TUBE ) says, if you want ponies you have to feed them! I can drag most cars off in mine and any 4x4 (Read 4x4 not SUV).  

3. At 298kws standard factory the engine is beyond comparison and it only takes a blink to get it well over 300kws. 

4. There is a sweet spot that the engine will tow at around 95kls per hour to maximise fuel consumption. I have got 18l/100kls in freeway mode at 100ks/hour, 20l/100ks at 95klms per hour  on the open road at 95 ks/hour with hills and overtaking but 25/L100ks once I drive at 100ks per hour and maintain this speed up and down hills which is effortless to achieve. 

5. The TIL model's standard equipment beats everything out there.

6. I would not buy any second hand 4 wheel drive including a Y62 as some people have had torque converter failures (probably not unusual given the power on tap).

7. Yep they only come in petrol motors which I prefer anyway as I love revving the glorious V8 motor.

8. Obviously less torque that an equivalent 200 series but @ +500nm, who's counting anyway?

Potential Y62 owners, feel free to message me any serious questions you may have.

See disclaimer below.

 

DISCLAIMER: I AM TYPING THIS IN A HOSPITAL BED FOLLOWING A KNEE OPERATION THIS MORNING SO GIVEN THE DRUGS I AM ON AND THE CONSTANT DISTRACTION OF THE NURSES, THE BLUR BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION MAY BE A SEAMLESS REALITY!!!!!!!!!!

---

 Thanks for relaying you personal "Tow vehicle/Caravan Weights Experience".

I just shows that, it is possible, but costs money to be able to have everything you want in caravanning  - and be Legal . "Legal" comes first, so that in lots of cases if money is a limiting factor (generally is) a caravanner has a much wider range of Tow vehicles and Caravans to choose from by looking at lighter vans and taking less "stuff" - but critically, understand the Rules and do the sums first........

Yobarr must think he is banging his head against a brick wall at times but it now seems that at least someone has listened !    Great. 

The Weight Rules  are there for all  but so many caravanners  do not or cannot understand them or just want to ignore them or have been mislead by vehicle and/or caravan sales people   ---    but whether they like it or not, they are still bound by these Rules. 

The Transport Industry has been operating under these Laws for many many years and no one in their right mind would begin to set up a new Rig without firstly consulting the requirements of these Laws and optioning the Prime mover/Trailer/s  etc. to abide by them.      KB

Pradokakadudavid , 7 ton at 160 kmh, that's a serious weapon at that speed. hope you have good brakes. $210k and not happy with the Retreat, not a good outcome.

As Boab stated, Yobarr could come across a bit more friendly and not so condescending, then we would all take a bit more notice of what he's saying.

Cheers Bob

Pradokakadudavid wrote:

---

A very amusing discussion of personal anecdotes and theories above, if not tragic in the fact that so many people have such different versions of reality. 

Three years ago, prior to buying  my 2.9 t (tare) caravan,  I knew virtually nothing (and some might say I still don't ha ha) so I started the investigative process re what I could tow my caravan with (when I bought it). I'll give Yobarr a plug here and say that he was very supportive in providing what I now know to be accurate information  re tow vehicles and caravan weights.

Just for the record I don't tow with a Landcruiser Prado as my nickname might suggest, but a Y62 TIL, 5.6 V8 which is a dream vehicle to tow with.  If it was a piece of S---T then I would gladly say so.

My Retreat Fraser caravan is a piece of S__T and has been falling apart and failing literally since the day I took delivery (hope this shows some honesty!)

Personal bias and patriotism aside, the weights and laws as they apply to towing a caravan are plainly there for all to see.

Sure there are more Landcruisers towing caravans around than just about any other legal vehicle (and yep they are great vehicles and most of my caravan mates have them), sure the poms are always going to say that Landdrovers rock and are the best and sure the ute brigade are going to say that their Nissan Navara is rated to tow 3.5 t!!!!!!!!!

My research and now personal experiences, show that IT IS A FACT that most of the tow vehicles towing over loaded caravans currently on the roads are towing illegally.  Pity that their insurance company will remind them of this when they refuse their first accident claim. (My son in law is an insurance company executive and he laughs at the caravan overloading stories I tell him as in his view, his company is receiving premiums on caravans and tow vehicles they will hardly ever pay claims on !!!!!!!!!!) 

Research also shows that if you are wanting to tow a caravan upwards of 3t (gross) then  you are very limited with what can LEGALLY do this with.

As a bare minimum, being completely realistic, Landcruisers, Y62s and SOME Yank tanks  are the only tow vehicles that will legally  and commonsensibly (not a real word I know but seemed to fit the rhythm of the sentence) fit the bill and tow anywhere near 3t-3.5t. Of course the equation changes the more accessories you add to the tow vehicle. 

I think we need to seriously consider what Yobarr is saying and investigate his statement of facts if we wish to be safe. 

Personally, my view is that any personal opinion, although worthy, needs to be backed up with facts and evidence like weights, weigh bridge certificates  etc. 

Fortunately, I have found that Yobarr does this but still seems to offend those of us who prefer not to accept his logic,as it probably means their towing is illegal! 

So what did I do when choosing my vehicle and what issues did I encounter $210,000 later?????????? This is a personal journey only and not to be taken too seriously (ha ha).

1. I was aware that the Y62 could tow a legal 3.5 t and had a legal 3.5t GVM and a legal 7t GCM but of course it is never this simple (Thanks again to Yobarr for pointing this out). The Landcruiser with all the gear I wanted to add to the tow vehicle was never going to be legal to tow my fully loaded caravan, albeit it a very nice vehicle (I nearly bought a Sahara but ---------  something about the Patrol being better value for money). Just listen to John Cadogan on You Tube or do what most people do and ignore the facts. PS: I used to own a Landcruiser. 

 

Thankyou David for your kind acknowledgement of the help I offered when you were researching suitable cars to tow your van. As I have done with so many others, often by PM,  I simply offered indesputable advice, leaving you to do due diligence, carry out your own investigations and evaluate that advice, and to then act accordingly. Congratulations on purchasing your Y62 after discovering that it is superior to the LC200 as a towing vehicle, albeit petrol powered. However, interesting to see that your figures show that there is little difference in actual running costs although your car has an engine that is more than 50% more powerful than that in an LC200. As you suggest many seem to reject my logical explanation of the simple physics involved in towing, backed up by facts and evidence, as it probably means that their towing is illegal. And don't they scream, jump up and down and stamp their feet when this is proven to be true! Anyway, enough for now. Once again I would like to thank you for your kind words of endorsement of my advice. Cheers

HandyWalter wrote:

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KJB I would question point 5. If you sat in a Range Rover Sport HSE with v8 it would leave your Patrol for dead in speed comfort, features and quietness. Sure they cost a bit but they can tow and do it in a style, that the mainstream Asian manufacturers can only dream about.

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 At $260,000 second hand there probably are few caravanners happy to part with that sort of money for a Land Rover? Cheers

KJB wrote:

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 Thanks for relaying you personal "Tow vehicle/Caravan Weights Experience".

I just shows that, it is possible, but costs money to be able to have everything you want in caravanning  - and be Legal . "Legal" comes first, so that in lots of cases if money is a limiting factor (generally is) a caravanner has a much wider range of Tow vehicles and Caravans to choose from by looking at lighter vans and taking less "stuff" - but critically, understand the Rules and do the sums first........

Yobarr must think he is banging his head against a brick wall at times but it now seems that at least someone has listened !    Great. 

The Weight Rules  are there for all  but so many caravanners  do not or cannot understand them or just want to ignore them or have been mislead by vehicle and/or caravan sales people   ---    but whether they like it or not, they are still bound by these Rules. 

The Transport Industry has been operating under these Laws for many many years and no one in their right mind would begin to set up a new Rig without firstly consulting the requirements of these Laws and optioning the Prime mover/Trailer/s  etc. to abide by them.      KB 

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 Thanks Kerry for your kind words regarding my seemingly endless quest to help those who appear to be in permanent denial regarding their weights. "Banging his head against a brick wall" is a great analogy of how I sometimes feel, but I peresevere simply because if I can help save only one more person from making a very expensive mistake it will have been worthwhile. Much of my work is done by PM because my advice is often challenged by some who know little, understand less and have no apparent interest in learning. As you suggest, many have been "mislead" (lied to?) by car or caravan sales people whose primary objective is to flog their product to anyone who'll listen to their spiel. Undoubtedly there are reputable retailers around, our resident RV dealer Montie being one, but there are many who are not. Buying privately to save $5 only exacerbates the problem. When I once bought a van that had ATM of 3180kg I arrived in my runabout, a Mazda Tribute, and was asked what vehicle I proposed to tow the van with. When I smiled and nodded to the Mazda the only reaction I got was "It'll probably struggle". Cheers

boab wrote:

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KB what i find so annoying about Yobarr is the fact that he assumes everyone who has a lc 200 thinks they can tow a 3.5 ton van. in reality you dont have to be very smart to do your own simple math to work out what you can drag around. My tug is rated to 3.5 ton just like most others and yobarr can tell me till he is purple in the face that i cant tow anywhere near the rated tow weight. I dont care less as my van weighs 1.5 ton like many others. he pointed out on an earlier post a couple of vans that weighed 3.5 ton after i pointed out not many vans weigh in the 3.5 ton range. He even went to the trouble of putting little red circles or arrows in the appropriate place to highlight his successful proving me wrong, what he failed to point out in 2 of his examples was they had a tare weight of less than 2.4 ton and a towbar weight way under his 10%,not many people need to carry over 1000 kg around in there van .Before he starts talking to people like they are common morons he could enquire what van they expect to tow with there particular tug and offer an opinion he is no more qualified to give advise than you or me thats just how i see him and if he tries to give me advise i just ignore it as everyone else should unless he can show he has some type of training which qualifies him to give advise.

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 Gary, as I have explained previously, it would be impossible on an open forum for me to give advice on every sized van for every car, so I simply point out what is the maximum that can be safely towed by any particular vehicle, and the reasons for that limitation. If anyone seeks advice on any particular setup, I am more than happy to advise them if they provide relevant details. Much time is spent by me researching various cars etc, and my representations on weights are unbiased but indisputable, so if you disagree with my advice all I can advise is "Don't shoot the messenger". However, I must thank you for at least acknowledging that your claim that you were unable to find a van with an ATM of 3500kg was rubbish, after the first 3 vans I located at dealers ALL were 3500kg ATM vans. Cheers. 

Bobdown wrote:

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Pradokakadudavid , 7 ton at 160 kmh, that's a serious weapon at that speed. hope you have good brakes. $210k and not happy with the Retreat, not a good outcome.

As Boab stated, Yobarr could come across a bit more friendly and not so condescending, then we would all take a bit more notice of what he's saying.

Cheers Bob

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 Bob, when I offer advice always I try to be "friendly", but when my good advice is constantly challenged by the same few who know little, understand less and have no apparent interest in learning it must be easy for my responses to appear to be "condescending". For this I offer my deepest apologies, but if your feathers still are ruffled all I can suggest is "Don't shoot the messenger". Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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KJB wrote:

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 Thanks for relaying you personal "Tow vehicle/Caravan Weights Experience".

I just shows that, it is possible, but costs money to be able to have everything you want in caravanning  - and be Legal . "Legal" comes first, so that in lots of cases if money is a limiting factor (generally is) a caravanner has a much wider range of Tow vehicles and Caravans to choose from by looking at lighter vans and taking less "stuff" - but critically, understand the Rules and do the sums first........

Yobarr must think he is banging his head against a brick wall at times but it now seems that at least someone has listened !    Great. 

The Weight Rules  are there for all  but so many caravanners  do not or cannot understand them or just want to ignore them or have been mislead by vehicle and/or caravan sales people   ---    but whether they like it or not, they are still bound by these Rules. 

The Transport Industry has been operating under these Laws for many many years and no one in their right mind would begin to set up a new Rig without firstly consulting the requirements of these Laws and optioning the Prime mover/Trailer/s  etc. to abide by them.      KB 

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 Thanks Kerry for your kind words regarding my seemingly endless quest to help those who appear to be in permanent denial regarding their weights. "Banging his head against a brick wall" is a great analogy of how I sometimes feel, but I peresevere simply because if I can help save only one more person from making a very expensive mistake it will have been worthwhile. Much of my work is done by PM because my advice is often challenged by some who know little, understand less and have no apparent interest in learning. As you suggest, many have been "mislead" (lied to?) by car or caravan sales people whose primary objective is to flog their product to anyone who'll listen to their spiel. Undoubtedly there are reputable retailers around, our resident RV dealer Montie being one, but there are many who are not. Buying privately to save $5 only exacerbates the problem. When I once bought a van that had ATM of 3180kg I arrived in my runabout, a Mazda Tribute, and was asked what vehicle I proposed to tow the van with. When I smiled and nodded to the Mazda the only reaction I got was "It'll probably struggle". Cheers

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 B

yobarr wrote:

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HandyWalter wrote:

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KJB I would question point 5. If you sat in a Range Rover Sport HSE with v8 it would leave your Patrol for dead in speed comfort, features and quietness. Sure they cost a bit but they can tow and do it in a style, that the mainstream Asian manufacturers can only dream about.

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 At $260,000 second hand there probably are few caravanners happy to part with that sort of money for a Land Rover? Cheers

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 But Yobarr he said bar NONE. I just pointed out there is a far more powerful, faster, more comfortable and more capable 4WD straight off the showroom floor than a Nissan. He made the claim with no qualifiers. And some Grey Nomads can afford them. New, yes expensive but a 2017/18 model would be better and they are way less than $260K.

HandyWalter wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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HandyWalter wrote:

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KJB I would question point 5. If you sat in a Range Rover Sport HSE with v8 it would leave your Patrol for dead in speed comfort, features and quietness. Sure they cost a bit but they can tow and do it in a style, that the mainstream Asian manufacturers can only dream about.

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 At $260,000 second hand there probably are few caravanners happy to part with that sort of money for a Land Rover? Cheers

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 But Yobarr he said bar NONE. I just pointed out there is a far more powerful, faster, more comfortable and more capable 4WD straight off the showroom floor than a Nissan. He made the claim with no qualifiers. And some Grey Nomads can afford them. New, yes expensive but a 2017/18 model would be better and they are way less than $260K.

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 Hope that you feel better for pointing that out Walter, but I suspect that anyone silly enough to fork out $1/4 million for a Landrover would be more interested in impressing  the neighbours than towing with the real 4wds in the bush where it could get mud and scratches on its pretty paint work?  Cheers