Towing with a 150 Prado
Submitted: Saturday, Aug 27, 2011 at 14:24
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danda
Hi All,
anyone out there towing a 1.5 tonne Freedom with the new Prado ? I'm trying to find out if I need to adjust the tow ball to suit the van or will turning the T/ball upside down be enough, also how do you rate the 150's pulling power any hints tips appreciated,
Cheers,
Dave
Reply By: skulldug - Saturday, Aug 27, 2011 at 16:46
Saturday, Aug 27, 2011 at 16:46
Hi Dave,
I tow a Freedom Outback 16.5 ft poptop that is a little lighter than yours with a 150 D4D. Pulling power is fine (better than my previous 4.7l Jeep V8) but I have chipped
mine which makes it better.
Tow ball height is a different matter. With standard
suspension and a HR tow bar, I needed a long tongue to get it to ride near level. I then added heavy duty TJM Gold lift kit (superb in every way) but the van was dropping badly at the back. I was unwilling to lower the tow ball height any further. I looked at under-slinging the van to bring the hitch up a bit but didn't want to decrease stability. I ended up getting Dario Caravans in
Adelaide to weld a new steel plate on top of the A-frame moving the hitch up by a bit over two inches. They charged huge dollars for what seemed like a simple job so I won't go there again. The van now rides level but I can't use my WDH as the bars don't clear the bottom of the A-frame when turning.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. I think the 150 is a great vehicle and very capable off road but only after they have been heavily modified, if you can put up with the vibration at 1,500 rpm and intermittent flat-spots.
Cheers
Skull
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