towing with new prado
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:04
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Jason (macca)
Hi all,
Just posting on behalf of a friend, he has just purchased a brand new (new shape) 2003 Prado 4lt V6 petrol. He towed his boat with it last week for the first time. Said that when towing the boat it was all over the place behind the Prado.
The boat weighs 1900kg and he has about 90-100kg on the ball.
I have the same boat and a 2002 Prado and mine tows perfectly. I too have 100kg of weight on the ball. Neither he nor I have modified our vehicles in anyway.
Any feed back most greatfully appreciated
Jason (macca)
Reply By: brian - Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:29
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:29
Tyre pressures ok ????
AnswerID:
34795
Reply By: enzo- Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:41
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2003 at 23:41
Could be the way he packed / load balanced the van. Also, do you use a caravan stabiliser?
enzo
bundubasher
AnswerID:
34796
Follow Up By: Member -BJ (Sydney) - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 18:22
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 18:22
Is that your Web site Enzo? if so how are things in Willem's old stamping groundRegards Bob
Where to next
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: enzo- Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 19:02
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 19:02
BJ - Willem's old stamping ground (and by that I assume that you mean the UK) is bleak - cold and bleak! Unlike Oz, here the use of a 4by for onroad protection is essential. Apart from the ever widening potholes in the roads and the increasing chance of urban floods, there are; juvenile hot hatch drivers with no insurance; the ubiquitous white van man who obviously never bothered with a driving test; arrogant BMW, Range Rover and Mercedes drivers who need to just need to back off or I will put a dent in their 60,000 pound plus vehicles, and the potential need to drive across the country side in order to escape Police pursuit.
enzo
bundubasher
FollowupID:
25194
Follow Up By: Member -BJ (Sydney) - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 19:12
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 19:12
Enzo, sounds like your roads are the same as ours. Willems from Sth Africa a long time ago. Best of luck with the white van man Regards Bob
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FollowupID:
25196
Follow Up By: enzo- Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 20:06
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 20:06
South hey? Haven't lived or worked in SA for over 5 years! Zimbabwe is my new
home by marriage and so most of my experience comes from there. Pretty dismal news at the moment but we're going out there at Xmas so I'm sure we'll be brought up to speed pretty sharpish!
FollowupID:
25204
Reply By: Mickl - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 00:04
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 00:04
Doubtful this is due to the new Prado..(though I guess it could be turbalance unsettling the boat/trailer, try towing it with your Prado??) Check boat trailer tyres, pressures,
suspension and wheel bearings first....also if the trailer has brakes check one side isn't "dragging".
AnswerID:
34799
Reply By: sean - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 20:56
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 20:56
Friend of mine recently nearly lost his car and his new boat on the way
home from the dealers. Boat trailer had the axle set too far forward and it got the sways. Nearly rolled the trailer which was damaged and subsequently replaced by the dealer. There were skid marks all over the road where it happened.
Dealer adjusted the axle location on the new trailer and now it tows perfect.
Sean
AnswerID:
34908
Reply By: Nige - Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 23:03
Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 at 23:03
Not sure how they move the axles after the traileris built but you should be able to move the winch post and that will enable you to move the boat forward or back to adjust balance of the boat on the trailer. Nige
AnswerID:
34928
Reply By: ajax - Friday, Oct 24, 2003 at 08:19
Friday, Oct 24, 2003 at 08:19
Hi everyone,
I'm the poor btd with this lemon trailer.
Recently did tests by adding 50kg lead to bow of boat. This plus using the firmest setting on the
suspension control made a considerable difference to the way the rig towed on a straight line. The boat/trailer weighs about 1800kg. I weighed the original ball wght to be 85kg, which the manufacturer said should be ok, but obviously they were wrong. They are sending me a new winch post so i can move the boat fwd - cant move it any more fwd at the moment.
The unit still got the sways up going around a gentle sweeping bend at 100k on the last test. It was a left hander, and just into the bend i hit a minor undulation in the road surface, thats when it started.
It just doesnt feel like the trailer wants to follow the tow vehicle - more like inching its way around the bend.
I ran a tape measure (accurately) over the entire trailer. Trailer seems square to the tow point and front axles measure square to that.
The rear axles however, are not. Hub- Hub on LHS measures 720mm as it should, RHS measures 735mm.
Anyone out there who could confirm that this could be my sole problem??
Any comments greatly appreciated.
-Alex.
AnswerID:
34940
Reply By: Les from Lovells Springs Central - Friday, Oct 24, 2003 at 15:39
Friday, Oct 24, 2003 at 15:39
G'Day..
How does the tow vehicle sit in relation to the boat and trailer when attached to the vehicle? If the vehicle sits down in the rear you must start here plus if the track is out by 15mm on the trailer wheels then you will need to look at if the centre bolt on the leaf sping is centred on the axle or sitting in front of the hole.
What is the vehicle rated at for towing and what is the towbar rated at for towing is one quick place also to start.
You may need a heaver pair of springs in the rear to support the weight of the boat and trailer...
AnswerID:
34987