GDAY I HAVE A STOCK STANDARD 2017 D MAX IM LOOKING AT GOING BACK TO A CARAVAN TO REPLACE OUR MOTORHOME. GOC HOME FRONT [WIFE] LIKES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND IF REQUIRED, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WITH THE FOLLOWING;
A. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH FACTORY SUSPENSION;
B. WHAT SIZE VAN WOULD BE SUITABLE; ONLY 2 TRAVELERS VAN NEEDS THE FOLLOWING SHOWER, TOILET;AND BE SEMI OFF ROAD
C DO I NEED A TRANSMISSION COOLER.
ANY ADVICE PROVIDED IS WELCOME PLEASE TRAVEL WIYH CARE ON THE ROADS, CHEERS
oldbloke said
11:17 PM Dec 28, 2021
Welcome to the forum..
Just a friendly tip. Caps off please. It's considered yelling.
I have a 20' van. 2500kg loaded with loo and shower. Towing with a stock Triton with a WDH. Suggest Dmax won't have a problem with that. But dmax owners may know better. Be carefull before rushing to up grade suspension as probably be ok with a WDH. FYI I'm getting under 14 litres per 100k taking it easy.
-- Edited by oldbloke on Tuesday 28th of December 2021 11:19:40 PM
yobarr said
11:44 PM Dec 28, 2021
Broken old Digger wrote:
GDAY I HAVE A STOCK STANDARD 2017 D MAX IM LOOKING AT GOING BACK TO A CARAVAN TO REPLACE OUR MOTORHOME. GOC HOME FRONT [WIFE] LIKES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND IF REQUIRED, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WITH THE FOLLOWING;
A. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH FACTORY SUSPENSION;
B. WHAT SIZE VAN WOULD BE SUITABLE; ONLY 2 TRAVELERS VAN NEEDS THE FOLLOWING SHOWER, TOILET;AND BE SEMI OFF ROAD
C DO I NEED A TRANSMISSION COOLER.
ANY ADVICE PROVIDED IS WELCOME PLEASE TRAVEL WIYH CARE ON THE ROADS, CHEERS
Hi John.The DMax is a great car and will cope well with a 3000kg ATM van.Tare is under 2 ton,so you've got a bit to play with,but rear axle is rated at only 1870kg.This will be the only thing you need to watch as 300kg towball weigh (10% of ATM) will put around 430kg onto the rear axle,having taken 130kg OFF the front axle. Without any direct experience,I would suggest that a transmission cooler would be a good investment. As far as the van goes,there are many vans that would suit,but you MUST weigh the van before you part with your gold,as the claimed tare on the compliance plate means absolutely NOTHING. Check towball weight and weight on wheels separately and together.You need to be able to carry at least 400kg in the van if you're going bush,so tare is important.If you find a van that appeals,many people on here can give advice if you provide details. Where are water tanks? How many? These things can affect the "balance" of the van,as towball weight may change as tanks are emptied.You might like to consider hiring a van to go away in for a few days to work out what you and your wife like and dislike,see how it tows and how the car feels etc etc. To answer your questions 1) If the right van is chosen you won't need a suspension upgrade. 2) If you plan to go off road,keeping under about 20' would be good, and there are many vans shorter than that that have showers and toilets. Make sure there's plenty if water storage,or room to add tanks. 3) transmission cooler would do more good than harm. Good luck with your search,but always feel free to ask questions.The only silly question is one that you don't ask! Cheers
P.S On their own suspension upgrades do NOT increase carrying capacity.It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
PPS I have assumed that your DMax is the 4wd model.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
travelyounger said
05:59 AM Dec 29, 2021
Broken old Digger wrote:
GDAY I HAVE A STOCK STANDARD 2017 D MAX IM LOOKING AT GOING BACK TO A CARAVAN TO REPLACE OUR MOTORHOME. GOC HOME FRONT [WIFE] LIKES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND IF REQUIRED, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WITH THE FOLLOWING;
A. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH FACTORY SUSPENSION;
B. WHAT SIZE VAN WOULD BE SUITABLE; ONLY 2 TRAVELERS VAN NEEDS THE FOLLOWING SHOWER, TOILET;AND BE SEMI OFF ROAD
C DO I NEED A TRANSMISSION COOLER.
ANY ADVICE PROVIDED IS WELCOME PLEASE TRAVEL WIYH CARE ON THE ROADS, CHEERS
Hi I have the same model dmax extra cab with the upgrade it depends on your tow ball weight and what you put in your Ute sometimes just adding another spring or two HD and reset springs will do the job.Oil cooler is not needed you can ask izuzu to update software when towing in manual in the auto transmission which will stop any overheating of oil.
Van size a 19.6 will semi off road with a atm around 2800 kg just look at the tare weight compared to gross weight and deduct towball weight and that will give you your approx payload which brings many caravanners overweight when they fill with water and all the goods
If you are after any info on suspension mods or other on dmax you can pm me
cheers john
Gundog said
02:02 PM Dec 29, 2021
yobarr wrote:
It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
Mike Harding said
02:34 PM Dec 29, 2021
A transmission oil cooler is, likely, not essential but it is a damn good idea if you do a lot of towing - I shall fit one to my Holden Trailblazer before much longer.
yobarr said
04:54 PM Dec 29, 2021
Gundog wrote:
yobarr wrote:
It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
And we all know WHY some manufacturers require their use,or recommend that a WDH be used,don't we? If you don't know,you have not been following my posts over the last couple of years.My statement is not "factually incorrect" at all,but simply tells it how it is.Get a better car or a lighter van. The OP said he was looking for a semi off road van,so I simply alerted him to the perils of using a WDH in that situation,as washouts and dips in the road etc put an enormous strain on both the car and the van.You should,after 40 years,understand that a WDH creates what is essentially a "stiff arm" from the car's front axle, through the hitchpoint,to the van's axle group.When you cross a deep washout,and the rear wheels of the car are carrying almost NO weight,can you imagine the stress on both the car's chassis,and that of the van? Again I will point out that a WDH is used only by those who are trying to make a car do things for which it never was designed.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 05:13:12 PM
travelyounger said
10:29 PM Dec 29, 2021
yobarr wrote:
Gundog wrote:
yobarr wrote:
It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
And we all know WHY some manufacturers require their use,or recommend that a WDH be used,don't we? If you don't know,you have not been following my posts over the last couple of years.My statement is not "factually incorrect" at all,but simply tells it how it is.Get a better car or a lighter van. The OP said he was looking for a semi off road van,so I simply alerted him to the perils of using a WDH in that situation,as washouts and dips in the road etc put an enormous strain on both the car and the van.You should,after 40 years,understand that a WDH creates what is essentially a "stiff arm" from the car's front axle, through the hitchpoint,to the van's axle group.When you cross a deep washout,and the rear wheels of the car are carrying almost NO weight,can you imagine the stress on both the car's chassis,and that of the van? Again I will point out that a WDH is used only by those who are trying to make a car do things for which it never was designed.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 05:13:12 PM
Thanks I would take off the wdh if doing river Crossing or slow going or undulating terrain they are really only suitable for the highway where they will smooth the ride on those bouncy highways and increase your braking due to the little transfer of weight they put on your front axle . Saying that that is how my vehicle handles it and every setup would handle it differently and you would have to be a genius if could work out every setup
Cheers
oldbloke said
11:33 PM Dec 29, 2021
If I'm on rougher dirt roads I just drop 1 or 2 links.
deverall11 said
09:48 AM Dec 30, 2021
PM sent
Brodie Allen said
12:16 PM Dec 31, 2021
Gundog wrote:
yobarr wrote:
It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
X2
I don't think that there's a vehicle made that doesn't benefit by equalizing the
balance of the tug. who wants their front wheels floating due to reduced weight on them?
Hard to understand the misinformation and lack of understanding in some circles
regarding WDH's and their benefits.
-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Friday 31st of December 2021 12:22:23 PM
Mike Harding said
12:30 PM Dec 31, 2021
Gundog wrote:
[Yobarr] A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed.
Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
Certainly the driver's handbook for both my Holden 2003 Jackaroo and my 2019 Trailblazer state that a WDH should be used for trailers over a specified weight. I don't use a WDH but maybe I should look into it?
yobarr said
01:23 PM Dec 31, 2021
Brodie Allen wrote:
Gundog wrote:
yobarr wrote:
It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
X2
I don't think that there's a vehicle made that doesn't benefit by equalizing the
balance of the tug. who wants their front wheels floating due to reduced weight on them?
Hard to understand the misinformation and lack of understanding in some circles
regarding WDH's and their benefits.
What ARE you on about? What does "equalizing the balance" mean? Most cars have a a transfer of weight from the front axle to the rear axle of about 45% (+/-) of the towball weight,so a 350kg towball weight takes around 150kg off the front axle of the car.A WDH will return around 70% of that weight (105kg) to the car's front axle,with the rest going on to the van's axle group,possibly putting the van over its ATM rating.Remember,a WDH DOES NOT change towball weight.If anybody really believes that running the front axle 105kg lighter is a matter of life or death,then you might like to consider that there still is 100% braking on,usually,three other axles.How do you think heavy trucks coped in Canada etc where they often had no front brakes in icy conditions to avoid losing steering when braking? As for front wheels "floating due to reduced weight on them",surely you jest? If taking 150kg off your front axle has that sort of effect,the car is not loaded correctly.Heaven forbid,if you've got two fat fellas in the front seats, they could weigh 150kg more than two petite ladies.With weight on wheels of 3650kg (GVM?),no WDH,my car has 1350kg on the front axle.How much more do you think I need? Cheers
yobarr said
01:28 PM Dec 31, 2021
Mike Harding wrote:
Gundog wrote:
[Yobarr] A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed.
Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
Certainly the driver's handbook for both my Holden 2003 Jackaroo and my 2019 Trailblazer state that a WDH should be used for trailers over a specified weight. I don't use a WDH but maybe I should look into it?
The reason for suggesting a WDH be used over a certain specified weight may be (is) that those cars have very low 1600kg rear axle ratings,and high towball weight (10%) puts too much weight on to that axle.It's called "CMA".Cheers
Are We Lost said
02:35 PM Dec 31, 2021
yobarr wrote:
What ARE you on about? ............
As for front wheels "floating due to reduced weight on them",surely you jest? If taking 150kg off your front axle has that sort of effect,the car is not loaded correctly.. ......
....
I agree that 150kg does not make a huge difference. But you are talking about measurements when you are parked in the driveway. No need for a WDH then. At rest, a WDH does very little. Its benefit comes when you are on the open road and the dynamics of road irregularities impose huge weight variances.
In the recent thread about WDH that was closed (due to insults and bickering) a video was posted showing the front wheels of the tow vehicle (BT50 I believe) becoming airborne while travelling on the highway. Anyone care to think about what that would do to the tow vehicle handling characteristics with 100% of the weight on the back wheels and 0% on the front for an instant? Perhaps not a major issue when travelling in a straight line, but rounding a bend may be a totally different story.
OK, that is an extreme case, but you only need to tow a heavy van with and without a WDH to appreciate the benefit it provides. You can put lipstick on a pig with spring conversions and upgrades, but if that does not restore weight to the front wheels, they have reduced road grip. So you are travelling with reduced handling capabilities.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Friday 31st of December 2021 02:38:46 PM
Possum3 said
03:54 PM Dec 31, 2021
Welcome to GN's Broken old Digger- Sorry I cannot offer ant constructive advice regarding you D Max's suspension, other than go to a professional such as Pedders.
A good start to vanning would be an 18ft - 19ft Full van (lighter than pop-top) see a selection at www.gumtree.com.au/s-caravans-campervans/jayco+discovery+shower+toilet/k0c18374
May I direct you to; Caravan Council of Australia ( www.caravancouncil.com.au/ ) Where you will get free and accurate purchasing information and checklists to assist, without any sales people feeding false information.
landy said
09:52 PM Dec 31, 2021
Another thing you may wish to consider B O D, and a lot of nomads find very handy is having a second battery fitted to your tug. this will allow you if you wish to run a second fridge or freezer in the back of the tug for trips away from the van, fetching the shopping, or just keeping the beer cold. Landy.
Warren-Pat_01 said
11:59 PM Dec 31, 2021
G'day John (BoD),
I have a 2019 D-Max & have just fitted a transmission cooler (Isuzu claimed I wouldn't need it, my warranty would be voided, blah, blah)! The transmission is running cooler - I have a Scan gauge so I can monitor a few things - Coolant temp, Transmission temp, Alternator voltage, Exhaust Gas temp. Note that I live in the Tropics. A good range of temperatures vs damage can be found in www.colvoss.com.au/blog/2019/12/7/automatic-transmission-operating-fluid-temperatures. I had the ransmission fluid changed at around 42,000km when the cooler was added.
I also have a catch can to protect the EGR valve, inlet manifold from gumming up. My dealer recommended this but Isuzu Ute HQ said "Blah, blah" again! They only want to see spare parts, new cars!! Consider joining the Ozisuzu Forum if you haven't already.
I'm still considering what suspension I'll fit. I do take my time sometimes. And like landy - I also have an 80AHr battery in the tub just behind the LHS wheel - fed by a CETEC DC-DC Converter just to keep the battery correctly topped up. It also has a solar input.
My van is a Jayco Discovery nearly 18' long, is adequate for the two of us, weighing just under 2T & a ball mass of around 180kg.
Derek Barnes said
09:04 AM Jan 4, 2022
We have a 13' Golf 390 Savannah Maxxi semi off road van. It has a separate toilet room and a separate shower room. It has a fold out double bed and the dining table converts to another king single size bed. It is less than 2 tonnes and is very easy to pull with our unmodified Patrol Y62. We have been through some creek crossings and river beds at National Parks and it has worked well. Even though it is very small it suits the two of us and everything is within reach from the dining table.
Izabarack said
10:06 AM Jan 4, 2022
I have pulled up to 2200Kg close to 40,000 K, with a standard DMax. No mods, no Transmission cooler, no WDH, just use D for Gee Oh and have had no issues, ever. Incidentally, the DMax left Brissy with 1500 K on the clock heading to a Simpson Desert crossing. No issues there either. Up Big Red at the end, first attempt. Travelling on the flat with the van on the back, I try to maintain 95 K and that leads into to my only suggestion - get a 80 channel UHF and constantly use it to talk to the Truckies mainly, but I have found the UHF useful for a lot of things.
-- Edited by Izabarack on Tuesday 4th of January 2022 10:07:28 AM. Spelling
-- Edited by Izabarack on Tuesday 4th of January 2022 10:08:42 AM
GDAY I HAVE A STOCK STANDARD 2017 D MAX IM LOOKING AT GOING BACK TO A CARAVAN TO REPLACE OUR MOTORHOME. GOC HOME FRONT [WIFE] LIKES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND IF REQUIRED, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME WITH THE FOLLOWING;
A. DO I NEED TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH FACTORY SUSPENSION;
B. WHAT SIZE VAN WOULD BE SUITABLE; ONLY 2 TRAVELERS VAN NEEDS THE FOLLOWING SHOWER, TOILET;AND BE SEMI OFF ROAD
C DO I NEED A TRANSMISSION COOLER.
ANY ADVICE PROVIDED IS WELCOME PLEASE TRAVEL WIYH CARE ON THE ROADS, CHEERS
Welcome to the forum..
Just a friendly tip. Caps off please. It's considered yelling.
I have a 20' van. 2500kg loaded with loo and shower. Towing with a stock Triton with a WDH. Suggest Dmax won't have a problem with that. But dmax owners may know better.
Be carefull before rushing to up grade suspension as probably be ok with a WDH.
FYI I'm getting under 14 litres per 100k taking it easy.
-- Edited by oldbloke on Tuesday 28th of December 2021 11:19:40 PM
Hi John.The DMax is a great car and will cope well with a 3000kg ATM van.Tare is under 2 ton,so you've got a bit to play with,but rear axle is rated at only 1870kg.This will be the only thing you need to watch as 300kg towball weigh (10% of ATM) will put around 430kg onto the rear axle,having taken 130kg OFF the front axle. Without any direct experience,I would suggest that a transmission cooler would be a good investment. As far as the van goes,there are many vans that would suit,but you MUST weigh the van before you part with your gold,as the claimed tare on the compliance plate means absolutely NOTHING. Check towball weight and weight on wheels separately and together.You need to be able to carry at least 400kg in the van if you're going bush,so tare is important.If you find a van that appeals,many people on here can give advice if you provide details. Where are water tanks? How many? These things can affect the "balance" of the van,as towball weight may change as tanks are emptied.You might like to consider hiring a van to go away in for a few days to work out what you and your wife like and dislike,see how it tows and how the car feels etc etc. To answer your questions 1) If the right van is chosen you won't need a suspension upgrade. 2) If you plan to go off road,keeping under about 20' would be good, and there are many vans shorter than that that have showers and toilets. Make sure there's plenty if water storage,or room to add tanks. 3) transmission cooler would do more good than harm. Good luck with your search,but always feel free to ask questions.The only silly question is one that you don't ask! Cheers
P.S On their own suspension upgrades do NOT increase carrying capacity.It also is important to remember that the universally accepted cure-all WDH cannot be used offroad,and generally causes more problems than it solves.Increased towball overhang increases the weight applied to the car's rear axle by towball weight,as well as the actual weight of the WDH unit,bars and chains etc adding around 40-45kg to that rear axle before you even start. The DMax is a capable vehicle in that it has a long wheelbase and a relatively short TBO (towball overhang,or distance from rear axle to hitchpoint) so is not as affected by towball weight as are some lesser vehicles.A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. As I said earlier,your DMax will safely tow a van that has up to around 3000kg ATM. Good luck.
PPS I have assumed that your DMax is the 4wd model.
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 04:44:41 AM
Hi I have the same model dmax extra cab with the upgrade it depends on your tow ball weight and what you put in your Ute sometimes just adding another spring or two HD and reset springs will do the job.Oil cooler is not needed you can ask izuzu to update software when towing in manual in the auto transmission which will stop any overheating of oil.
Van size a 19.6 will semi off road with a atm around 2800 kg just look at the tare weight compared to gross weight and deduct towball weight and that will give you your approx payload which brings many caravanners overweight when they fill with water and all the goods
If you are after any info on suspension mods or other on dmax you can pm me
cheers john
Yobarr sorry but what load of missinfomation and generalization about Weight Distribution Hitches.
As a user of WDH's for over 40 years and I have researched the correct use and setup of various types of WDH's and yes some are unsuitable for off road use, but not dirt road use.
A WDH is used only by people who are trying to make their car do things for which it never was designed. Your statement is factually incorrect, and can be countered by the fact that some manufactures actually require their use or highly reccomend they be used.
A transmission oil cooler is, likely, not essential but it is a damn good idea if you do a lot of towing - I shall fit one to my Holden Trailblazer before much longer.
And we all know WHY some manufacturers require their use,or recommend that a WDH be used,don't we? If you don't know,you have not been following my posts over the last couple of years.My statement is not "factually incorrect" at all,but simply tells it how it is.Get a better car or a lighter van. The OP said he was looking for a semi off road van,so I simply alerted him to the perils of using a WDH in that situation,as washouts and dips in the road etc put an enormous strain on both the car and the van.You should,after 40 years,understand that a WDH creates what is essentially a "stiff arm" from the car's front axle, through the hitchpoint,to the van's axle group.When you cross a deep washout,and the rear wheels of the car are carrying almost NO weight,can you imagine the stress on both the car's chassis,and that of the van? Again I will point out that a WDH is used only by those who are trying to make a car do things for which it never was designed.Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 29th of December 2021 05:13:12 PM
Thanks I would take off the wdh if doing river Crossing or slow going or undulating terrain they are really only suitable for the highway where they will smooth the ride on those bouncy highways and increase your braking due to the little transfer of weight they put on your front axle .
Saying that that is how my vehicle handles it and every setup would handle it differently and you would have to be a genius if could work out every setup
Cheers
X2
I don't think that there's a vehicle made that doesn't benefit by equalizing the
balance of the tug. who wants their front wheels floating due to reduced weight on them?
Hard to understand the misinformation and lack of understanding in some circles
regarding WDH's and their benefits.
-- Edited by Brodie Allen on Friday 31st of December 2021 12:22:23 PM
Certainly the driver's handbook for both my Holden 2003 Jackaroo and my 2019 Trailblazer state that a WDH should be used for trailers over a specified weight. I don't use a WDH but maybe I should look into it?
What ARE you on about? What does "equalizing the balance" mean? Most cars have a a transfer of weight from the front axle to the rear axle of about 45% (+/-) of the towball weight,so a 350kg towball weight takes around 150kg off the front axle of the car.A WDH will return around 70% of that weight (105kg) to the car's front axle,with the rest going on to the van's axle group,possibly putting the van over its ATM rating.Remember,a WDH DOES NOT change towball weight.If anybody really believes that running the front axle 105kg lighter is a matter of life or death,then you might like to consider that there still is 100% braking on,usually,three other axles.How do you think heavy trucks coped in Canada etc where they often had no front brakes in icy conditions to avoid losing steering when braking? As for front wheels "floating due to reduced weight on them",surely you jest? If taking 150kg off your front axle has that sort of effect,the car is not loaded correctly.Heaven forbid,if you've got two fat fellas in the front seats, they could weigh 150kg more than two petite ladies.With weight on wheels of 3650kg (GVM?),no WDH,my car has 1350kg on the front axle.How much more do you think I need? Cheers
The reason for suggesting a WDH be used over a certain specified weight may be (is) that those cars have very low 1600kg rear axle ratings,and high towball weight (10%) puts too much weight on to that axle.It's called "CMA".Cheers
I agree that 150kg does not make a huge difference. But you are talking about measurements when you are parked in the driveway. No need for a WDH then. At rest, a WDH does very little. Its benefit comes when you are on the open road and the dynamics of road irregularities impose huge weight variances.
In the recent thread about WDH that was closed (due to insults and bickering) a video was posted showing the front wheels of the tow vehicle (BT50 I believe) becoming airborne while travelling on the highway. Anyone care to think about what that would do to the tow vehicle handling characteristics with 100% of the weight on the back wheels and 0% on the front for an instant? Perhaps not a major issue when travelling in a straight line, but rounding a bend may be a totally different story.
OK, that is an extreme case, but you only need to tow a heavy van with and without a WDH to appreciate the benefit it provides. You can put lipstick on a pig with spring conversions and upgrades, but if that does not restore weight to the front wheels, they have reduced road grip. So you are travelling with reduced handling capabilities.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Friday 31st of December 2021 02:38:46 PM
A good start to vanning would be an 18ft - 19ft Full van (lighter than pop-top) see a selection at www.gumtree.com.au/s-caravans-campervans/jayco+discovery+shower+toilet/k0c18374
May I direct you to; Caravan Council of Australia ( www.caravancouncil.com.au/ ) Where you will get free and accurate purchasing information and checklists to assist, without any sales people feeding false information.
run a second fridge or freezer in the back of the tug for trips away from the van, fetching the shopping, or just keeping the beer cold.
Landy.
I have a 2019 D-Max & have just fitted a transmission cooler (Isuzu claimed I wouldn't need it, my warranty would be voided, blah, blah)! The transmission is running cooler - I have a Scan gauge so I can monitor a few things - Coolant temp, Transmission temp, Alternator voltage, Exhaust Gas temp. Note that I live in the Tropics. A good range of temperatures vs damage can be found in www.colvoss.com.au/blog/2019/12/7/automatic-transmission-operating-fluid-temperatures. I had the ransmission fluid changed at around 42,000km when the cooler was added.
I also have a catch can to protect the EGR valve, inlet manifold from gumming up. My dealer recommended this but Isuzu Ute HQ said "Blah, blah" again! They only want to see spare parts, new cars!! Consider joining the Ozisuzu Forum if you haven't already.
I'm still considering what suspension I'll fit. I do take my time sometimes. And like landy - I also have an 80AHr battery in the tub just behind the LHS wheel - fed by a CETEC DC-DC Converter just to keep the battery correctly topped up. It also has a solar input.
My van is a Jayco Discovery nearly 18' long, is adequate for the two of us, weighing just under 2T & a ball mass of around 180kg.
We have a 13' Golf 390 Savannah Maxxi semi off road van. It has a separate toilet room and a separate shower room. It has a fold out double bed and the dining table converts to another king single size bed. It is less than 2 tonnes and is very easy to pull with our unmodified Patrol Y62. We have been through some creek crossings and river beds at National Parks and it has worked well. Even though it is very small it suits the two of us and everything is within reach from the dining table.
I have pulled up to 2200Kg close to 40,000 K, with a standard DMax. No mods, no Transmission cooler, no WDH, just use D for Gee Oh and have had no issues, ever. Incidentally, the DMax left Brissy with 1500 K on the clock heading to a Simpson Desert crossing. No issues there either. Up Big Red at the end, first attempt. Travelling on the flat with the van on the back, I try to maintain 95 K and that leads into to my only suggestion - get a 80 channel UHF and constantly use it to talk to the Truckies mainly, but I have found the UHF useful for a lot of things.
-- Edited by Izabarack on Tuesday 4th of January 2022 10:07:28 AM. Spelling
-- Edited by Izabarack on Tuesday 4th of January 2022 10:08:42 AM