Towing Vehicle Survey

To get a sensible answer it would be helpful if you posted what you are towing, the ATM weight and its ball weight.

Otherwise its like trying to thread a needle in the dark if you get what I mean

Eg I tow a 2800 kg Roadstar as per profile with a 2005 TD 100ser Croozer with mods.
I get 6kper litre towing the van It has a ball weight of 310 kg

It is the prime vehicle for most people needs.

Except for missan and landy owners ROFL.

1996 2.8l turbo diesel pajero.
tows a '4wd' camper trailer of about 800kg AGM.
fuel economy with trailer is:
in the 12s - 12l/100k sitting on 95 on highway/back roads.
13 to 14 l / 100k if sitting on 100 to 105 on highway.
11l/100 sitting on 80/85 or tracks with trailer.

2000 GU Patrol dual cab
6.5 V8 Chev diesel naturally aspirated
Towing Ultimate Off Road Camper
GCM; around 5000kg
Economy; around 16 l/100klm
The Patrol does the job easily, even with the 35" tyres and 4" lift and quite heavy weight. I guess the 6.5 V8 could possibly have something to do with that....;-)

3.2CRD Triton twin cab 2007.

Dual axle Van shower toilet ATM just on 2 Tonne.

Ball weight around 190kgs

Fuel economy 12.5 to 14.7 litres/100ks towing.

anywhere from 7.8 Litres/100ks to 9.0 litres/100ks depending on speed when not towing.

Super tow vehicle, totally relaxed driving with the van on. Does everything I ask of it on and off road, although I am not into extreme 4WD.

03 100 series TD 5spd auto with mods

07 Jayco Destiny pop top approx 1750kg

08 custom camper approx 700kg

tows the van easily 100 to 110km/h with cruise and can average 14 odd to the hundred. can't complain about that! camper makes it even easier.

2005 F250 7.3td empty 16l per 100k.Loaded around 4500kg 16l per 100k.Towing untried as of yet.


Bob.

make
Ford

model
F 250 Dual Cab 4 x 4

year
2004

engine size
7.3 liters (444Cubic Inches)

diesel/petrol/turbo)
Intercooled Turbo Diesel V8 + Diesel Gas Australia LPG Injection

how much their van weighs
Boat weighs about 4 tonnes if you include the trailer and 320 liters of fuel

the ball weight (if known)
Downweight about 400 kilo's on a 70mm Towball - with load levelers & PBR Vacuum Override Brakes

and a score of how well the vehicle handles the job asked of it (indicating if it's highway, backroads, dirt roads, bush, etc).
Loaded to the gunnels (litterally) the total rigs about 22 meters long and combined mass about 9 tonnes all up.

Gets 5 miles to the gallon with the Diesel & LPG switched on - but hauls the boat easily at 100kph all day and night up hill and down dale. Hardly know the boats on the back to drive it and it stops well when needed.

Effie the truck is well modded for her towing role tho...because these things have a reputation for eating auto transmissions when towing in our heat.



This transmission oil temp graph shows what happens to transmission life in our heat when you tow heavy loads as the F trucks are capable of doing.

Mines modeed to have a larger alloy sump that holds 3 US quarts MORE transmission oil than the standard sump and has built in air cooling fins on it.

In addition to the small factory oil cooler radiator out front - this one has a large aftermarket oil cooler radiator out front as well.

It has a in line oil filter cannister as well to keep the transmission oil squeky clean so the coolers and valve bodies in the transmission don't get blocked or scored scratched with wet clutch / torque converter wear debris.

Also installed are EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) Pyrometer, to montor how hot the alloy pistons get under load, a transmission oil temp gauge to see how hot the transmission is getting in relation to the wear graph above, lastly a turbo boost gauge to see how hard the blower and engine are working.



Lastly - theres a 200 liter stainless steel water tank in the tray out back with a 12 V marine deckwash pump hooked up to a switch on the dash - and plumbed to a common garden reticulation sprinkler sprayer behind the grill and in front of the 7 (in total) radiators.



Those gauge temps above:-

Pyro Exhaust gas temp 550 is about as hot as I've ever had her
Trans temp 70 C
Boost about 15 psi?

That was on a day when the temp was 44 degrees C - hauling te vessel into Exmouth up over Cape Range into 40 knots headwind.

As you can see - the engine was way up there in turbo boost levels and showing pretty high EGT's - yet the trans temp wasn't even at 80C...more like 75 - well below ANY signs of significant wear due to temps.

Why all the mods?

Because I can't aford not to get to where I'm going, it's my business imperative, to be there on time - when I say I'll be there for a charter booking regardless of weather temps etc.

These F trucks are designed for countrys with colder climates than outrs - snow etc - if you want to use them here towing heavy loads - it pays to do a few mods to make them more than capable.

All those gauge temps were with the water sprayer working out front - it makes a huge difference to not having it, on hot days...

One day back last monsoon - it was 48.5 degrees in the Pilbara - I'd defy any other vehicle - even the new 200 series cruiser to tow my rig in that heat and not die from heat stress trying.

Theres towing and towing, so take thios advice for what it's worth - look realistically at your worst case scenario for towing and plan / make provision for that scenario - when you meet it you won't be left caught short on the day.

Were I to buy the new 200 series cruiser today (because they put out similar RWHP to the F truck with their new twin turbo V 8), I would STILL cary out substantial mods to the 200 series along the same lines as i have to the F truck - in order to be able to tow that boat with reliability and safety.

A LOT of tow rigs/long haul trucks/boats etc are lost on our highways each year to tyre fires - specially with multiwheel rigs like tandem trailers & Dual wheel trucks etc.

It happens that occasionally a tyre will blow and the driver not be aware - straight road - rig keeps towing OK with no difference in feel thru the wheel...

The fllat tyre being run without stopping gets so hot it starts to smoke because it gets above ignition temp of the rubber.

OK someone passing or following will spot it and do something to let you know, so you pull over.

When you stop, that smouldering tyre will ignite and you have a trailer fire (happens on caravans too - not just trucks and boats).

So you have a trailer fire that quiickly spreads especially too fibreglass boats but even aluminium boats will burn when they get hot enough, same for vans.

I carry fire extinguishers (multiple) for such a scenario, but ALSO i have a snaplock plumbed to the rear bumper and a garden hose with matching snaplocks and fire nozzle behind the rear passenger seat. While I am hitting the tyre with extinguisher- my side kick uncoils the hose and snaps it into the pumbed bumper outlet, and turns on that 12V marine deckwash pump and I have 200 liters of water available to COOL the errant tyre to stop it re - igniting after the extinguisher runs out!

My boat trailer likewise is plumbed with a reticulated water supply for washing down after saltwater launches - the same water tanks and pump wash the trailer thru many sprayer nozzles, and this too can be used in a tyre fire situation to cool - douse any overhot tyre, with the flick of a switch.

Some of us tow for a hobby and some of us tow for a living - you can be as prepared or unprepared - as you like it is your choice - you just have to live with the consequences of those free will choices.

The Effie has it's known weaknesses - its not a perfect vehicle - (Far from it in fact) non are - but for my towing task it does real well - scores probably 9 outta 10.

A real world comparison...

I towed the same boat to Geraldton from Perth, with my 4.2 TD Cruiser - 7 hours, with the F truck - 4 hours!

Chalk n Cheese.

Best of luck to you with your choice!

Hope you or others gain somethimng from this post - feel free to ask questions if theres something i didn't cover.

Cheers

2002 Chevy Silverado 4x4 extended cab LS
5.3L V8 avg 14.2L per 100km (16.7mpg) - that is real world fuel economy too, not babying it at 100km/h on the freeway with cruise control on.