towing a caravan

hey doug i have been told that my 3lt turbo hi lux wont do ittowing an 18 ft van is it wind resistance or weight that is t issue herergds phil

That is because Toyota have rated their Hilux with a low rating, Same as the Triton. Probably the best of the twin cabs is the Navara.

For comparisons of the twin cab utes see Site Link

PeterD

And yours wasnt biased ?

Cheers,

Cruiser

Cruiser,

To tell the truth, I was hoping to hook DIO. LOL

Cheers

Doug

Doug,

I think he can do that himself without anyone using bait.

Cheers,

Cruiser

hi Doug thanks for ur info,everything seemed strait forward enough until i started asking questions on explore oz forum and to vehicle dealers.yes my hi lux is o7 D4D and i have seen a few vans for sale in the 1600/1800 kg tare range.there is 2 of us to carry and our gear.not having a lot of experience in caravans i didnt want to end up with a rig to big or awkward as we are hoping t be on the road hopefully for many months regards Phil

Dodger

have a look at his first post 61240....I replied to that post with first hand knowledge..........did you with your statement? ...."then it will with ease"

what you see happening with others and what might be the best choice of combinations is all very subjective

in this case Phil was seeking advice and getting experiences first hand would seem better value for him than others stating what they have seen happening by others

I didint say it wouldnt do it...I stated what my experiences were and what i thought would be best.....Phil is in the fortunate position of not having purchased his van yet and therefore he is being very wise in seeking knowledge before hand

I am sure your post was in good faith but does not appear to be coming from personal experience of that vehicle in a towing situation.......rather from observations of what others appear to be doing........I think Phil needs to be careful in committing too soon without a test tow

regards

The previous post didn't identify it as a D4D even though the question was asked as to what model hilux it was.
May have changed the answers somewhat.

Further to the above,
I have driven a D4D Hilux however not towing a van.
Toyota figures are for SR5
Tow Capacity 2250kg
Combined Mass 4600kg
Tare 1880
Loaded Max 2780
So if one had the vehicle loaded to the max then the Max towable would be 1820kg
This being so then Phil would be restricted to around a 16ft off road van. Similar to mine.
This the vehicle with the normal load should be able to handle as the vehicle is 126kw and 343nm.
Bungarra if your vehicle was the same IE D4D SR5 then you would be wise to advise us further. This sort of feedback would be beneficial to all.
I have re read Phil's post and yours and if his ex cab is not a D4D then yes a smaller van of less weight would be the way to go.

yea well one of the vans that i have looked at is a royal flair discovery tare weight on the compliance plate says 1584 kg ball weight 200 kg length 4.9 m width 2.3m.now in theory sounds o.k but in practical terms what will it be like towing such a van like against headwinds and what sort of speed would it be safe to travel at?how many kilos of water and personal gear should i expect to be carrying.I have also seen a supreme getaway one at 16 ft x1800 kg and the same in a 13 ft x1300 kg pretty small rig though.appreciate ur feedback

Phil,
The Royal Flair van you mention seems to be about the right size for your vehicle. Fully loaded and with water it would come in around 1800kg if it is not overloaded. Single axle vans are usually only allowed 300kg load and dual vans 400kg. Some vans differ from this but not many.
As for speed, Around Australia most vans seem to travel between 90 and 100kph as this is usually in their comfort zone and fuel consumption area. I travel @ 95kph and this usually keeps the trucks off my back plus I have the added advantage of 2 way and rear camera.
As for wind resistance, Caravans by design are a bulky item and all have wind resistance going forward and one gets used to this it is the side winds that cause some concern however a well set up rig with weight distribution gear and loaded correctly there is no real problem. One must drive within their capabilities.
If you are in any doubt I strongly suggest that you take one of the many caravan towing courses that are offered. Yes they may cost a couple of hundred dollars but it is really worth it.
As you already have the lux I would ask the dealer can you have a trial tow and that would help in your decision.