towing and fuel consumption
Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:06
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Steve
Just following on from another thread (offroad/Golf/Kedron vans) I thought this deserved a thread of it's own. I'd be interested to see how different vehicles fare when pulling a van/camper. From my experience over the years, going up through Buladelah/
Taree along those l-o-n-g steep climbs, I've found a V8 Disco/6cyl LC100 and now my Fred Flintstone-inspired Defender all perform very similar, in that, I just about make it to the top in third gear with speed dropping to around 60kph as I reach the top. I have occasionally dropped into 2nd. This is pulling around 1500kgs, never mind a Bushtracker. Now I thought that was slow going, but further along the track, I went past a Patrol 3.0 pulling a Bushtracker and felt like I was in a Ferrari. The ute (Def130) is always loaded to the gunwhales with chef, and two teenagers, and two kayaks on the roofrack. I suppose you just have to grit your teeth and crawl up at 20kph with some of these big vans. I'm sure an LC turbo-diesel would get up a bit sprightlier but what are others' experiences?
btw, with the said load, I get 12.9/100 @ 85kph and 14.9/100 @105kph and 10/100 locally when not towing. That's in a '96 300tdi Defender 130 dual-cab. Economical, but slow to pick up speed.
Look forward to tales of LC diesels skipping up at 120kph pulling 2500 kgs ;-))
Reply By: Notso - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:13
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:13
Triton 3.2 CRD
Best not towing was 7.8 litres/100 from Lismore to Forbes, must have had a tail wind.
Normal seems to be around 8.5/100 on the highway.
Town around 9/100
Towing two tonne full van around 14 to 16/100 depending on winds etc.
AnswerID:
288324
Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:25
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:25
Steve
You purchased the wrong Disco didn't you. My Td5 climbed all the highway hills north of Buladelah in 3rd (auto) at nothing less than 80km/h (2 tonne loaded pop-top.) Fuel not towing - 10-11L/100 - towing generally under 15L/100
PeterD
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Steve - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:30
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 18:30
I'm sure the more modern diesels will perform better - part of the reason for the thread. I'd be interested about how the Troopies go.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - George (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:11
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:11
2006 T/D automatic L/C, Travelled 1220 km, Average fuel consumption 16L/100km. Towing 3000kg, 21'6" full height caravan.
Some hilly areas, strong, 20 knt, head and side wind most of the time.
Best consumption 15.4L/100km, worst 17.2L/100km. Hope this helps
Cheers
AnswerID:
288332
Follow Up By: Member - George (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:17
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:17
Should also mention, speed varied between 70 - 85 km/hr. Very seldom exceeded 90 km/hr. On purpose to save fuel and we were not in a hurry
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Steve - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:52
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 19:52
not bad that, George, considering the weight.
Is that the Supreme Getaway?
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Follow Up By: Member - George (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:00
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:00
Supreme Territory
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Follow Up By: Member - Derek L (QLD) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:31
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:31
Well Steve just what you asked for a LC 100 TD punching it up through
Cunninghams Gap in SEQ having to slow up on the corners going up
the Gap towing 2.5t compact excavator. Also drove back from
Airlie Beach last year towing my outlaws van best part of 3t and alot of truckies wanted to know if I would open up a caravan towing school, they were radioing ahead to watch for the cruiser towing the van let him go around he won't hold you up. Couldn't do that with 3.0ltr patrol. Don't work at driving, enjoy your drive get a T/D 100 series auto
Derek L
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Steve - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:50
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 20:50
show off
When I've got my darling little parasites off my hands I'll probably get around to it.
;))
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 21:35
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 21:35
I agree with Derek all the way
My van is 2.6 tonne and it goes really
well.
Much better than the Nissan time bomb I used to have and get to the end of a trip tired out with having to really drive it all the way.
The Cruiser is much less tiring to drive when towing and its quite enjoyable to get there and not feel rung out
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 23:34
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008 at 23:34
On the way back from picking my Trakmaster up in Vic, my TDV8 trayback towed the 2500kg van up
Madura Pass on the Nullarbor at 120ks slowing to 90 at the top.
On another road out of
Canberra I passed other cars in the passing lane up a
hill.
Very self indulgent but satisfying.
AnswerID:
288385
Follow Up By: A J - Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 13:21
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 13:21
Gone Bush - just as a matter of interest - what was the fuel consumption on your trip
home from picking up the new trakmaster. I know that you did not go directly to WA and were travelling fairly fast on the roads in western Qld. I am thinking about purchasing a TDv8 to tow the new trakmaster that I have on order - weight about 1750kg.
A J
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 16:05
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 16:05
Hullo AJ,
look up Thread 49124. It should have all the info you need.
cheers
FollowupID:
553782
Reply By: Member - Ian M (QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 17:01
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 17:01
Towing a 2.5 tonne tare Bushtracker I use 16l / 100 cruising around 90-95 and not backing off much for hills. Don't use 6th gear when towing!
Not towing I use less than 10l/100 (best 9.3) with average spped almost 100 but around the city is not too good circa 13l/100.
Hard to do that in anything but the mighty V10 Touareg (750Nm from the 5l twin turbo). Do I love it - you bet!
IAN
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 17:21
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008 at 17:21
Towing figures
Weight,,,, Navara + Camper trailer, 3.9 tonne
Loaded up, on Bitumen, 7-8 km/lt (not sure how it goes, lts/100km)
Trye Pressures 34 front, 34 rear, camper 32
Gravel roads/corrugations, (generally 4th gear ) 6.5 km/ Lt,
Tyre pressures 24 front, 24 rear, camper 26
Heavy going, 5km/lt ( sandy desert roads, hard uphill climbs ect)
Tyre pressures 15 front, 15 rear, camper 18-20
Last Outback trip, 6500 km, all conditions above 1000 lts
Cheers
Bucky
AnswerID:
288465
Reply By: Steve - Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 at 17:04
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 at 17:04
Looks like there's not a lot between most of these other than the diesel Landcruiser and probably TD5 Disco.
Loads do vary a bit - whereas my camper is a relatively modest 1.5 tonne weight, two kayaks and other stuff on the roofrack, 4 people in the car and large ute tray full to the brim add up a fair bit.
what's the main diff betwen the two Pootrols? 4.2 and 3.0 - I know one is turbo and the other naturally asp. but in terms of performance?
AnswerID:
288639