Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 18:14
Good on you bantam. Great reply. I remember those days well being towed first in an XP Falcon wagon with a 170 pursuit motor, a 16' viscount in tow. I remember when the car failed to go around a corner because of too much tow ball weight and no load distribution bars fitted.
Your comments about caravan size and weight brings me back to the point I was making.
I'm a second generation caravaner and camper. I lived in a tent for twelves months when we had the landie, so you new chums should be a bit more careful with your assumptions.
As far as the
suspension article is concerned, the point I think I'd like to make is why don't/can't you buy a factory vehicle to do the job? Probably because the engineers do not think the vehicle is suitable for what you people intend to use it for.
So many times I see people driving without weight distribution, with massive tow all weights, too old to be taking on such a difficult task ( when did you last get medical clearance to do what you intend to do) driving along in rigs that would probably require a hefty mortgaging of the family home. Why?
So you can see the country? I really doubt whether too many of these Toorak tractors get stretched too much in the off road department, while those who do, often have a blatant disregard for the environment, tearing up mountain tracks, and digging their way through the bush with no idea of the destruction they are reaping on the Eco-system.
Bantam, you should know better. Citroen, peugeots and renaults were renowned in reliability trucks in this country EVEN when they were assembled here in West Heidelberg, Vic. Yes, the old Aussie vehicles,articulately the Fords were ever reliable and very easy to work on.
Those days are gone. Yes, things have changed heaps since the LWB land rover days (thank Christ!) and some of the Jap vehicles are great hybrid on and off roaders a la the Range Rover. It did have variable rear
suspension fitted from memory, but the maintenance costs?you have to royalty to own one.
I get concerned when people modify complex machines. Perhaps that us because of my heAvily technical background. Mods need a lot of nouse to apply successfully. The best mods generally get taken up by the factory. Note here, the iPhone.
So, oki doki, the article looks sound and well written. The mods are even feasible, but I question why you want to haul such big rigs. Is it pressure from the wife, over compensating for lower testosterone levels, or just a desire to destroy the environment/spend your children's inheritance?
What was wrong when times were simpler. When people did the right thing and learnt from their mistakes? Dad eventually upgraded to a cortina 250. He was scary when he drove that thing. He towed the same old van though, the 16' viscount with mum in the
seat beside him. When he retired he and mum worked in a
caravan park for a while at Zumsteins. He must gave towed at least the equivalent of
Melbourne to
cairns three times.
I tow 17'6" viscount. It has a tare weight of 1000kgs so that I never exceed the manufacturers towing recommendation of 1600kgs. I've had to change the rig slightly to get the tow ball weight down to 80kgs. I doubt whether many people on the road would even understand what I've just written but they would still fork out a small fortune to have their vehicles (il)legally modified? And you call that safety?
We are happy with our rig. It's warm and comfortable and can go anywhere I'm preorder to drive with a van in tow. 175hp/380nm mostly below 2000 rpm. Nothing strange about that. No wonder many manufacturers are getting Peugeot to make motors for them (ranger rover incl)
I don't care if people don't want to listen. I've gad many French cars over the years and never been let down once(touch wood). Actually, good luck to you all and I hope your modified vehicles are as safe as possible.
FollowupID:
815998