towing a heavy caravan

Sang, I tow a 20' 2200kg van with a petrol 4500 80 series and I am very pleased with the rig. I met a bloke who was towing a 22' Coromal (probably about 23-2400kg) with a 100 series non turbo. He had just set up the rig upon retirement and intended to tour. He was most unhappy with the setup. He said that the 100 series was a 'dog' when dragging the van. I know this is second hand info, and maybe someone else on this forum has first hand experience. But I can say that when I ungrade the 80 to 100, I won't even consider a non turbo diesel.

Sang you will certainly need to be patient on hills! You will have no problems with the actual towing in that it is well within the weight capability of the vehicle. The non turbo is very slow by today's standards without a van behind - check out the power and torque figures on the toyota.com.au and you'll see that it's not going to be a great performer. I regularly tow 2.2 tonnes on a tandem trailer with a petrol Prado. I know it's there even with my power and torque so with the cruise you'll be very slow. Good luck with it and you'll go wherever you wish as long as you're patient ...

Thanks Goodsy,
What if I were to downgrade my van to say 1600 Kg tare and 2000 Kg gross, do you think I can tow it without a turbo ? I am worried about reliability with an aftermarket turbo.
Regards

Like a lot of things - depends on money ... if you can afford it , do it , also where do you plan to tow ? Most of Westerrn/Southern/Northern Australia is flat , so once you get up to speed the Troopie should hold it okay .... on the hilly stuff it will just have to work hard & you may have to pull over to allow traffic past , so what - you lose a little time - no hurry eh ? I had a GQ 4.2 diesel which has relatively similar outputs - towed much lighter weight okay , heavier would slow it on hills etc , but really don't think would be that much of a problem ....

Sang, Happy new year to you. We did quite a bit of travelling in the early '80's, towing a 27' van, well loaded, with a HJ45 trayback. Did numerous trips around the Barkly Tablelands, mostly on dirt, but often on Highway. It was a slug but we always got there.

The turbo's these days seem to be more reliable than years back, but have you thought of extractors and free flowing exhaust, 2.5 or 3". Has been mentioned lately here, and some said they were pleased with result. About 25% cost of turbo, but not the grunt of course.

if you were to have a drive of turbo'd version, feel you would be rapt. We're on our 2nd turbo 80 series, and wouldn't have anything else now.
Safe travels...