Towing Vehicle

[turbo-ww]

I may be asked (By OH - Asked??) to tow a horse box in the nearish future. I've been looking at Landie TD5's but they seem to be expensive or have travelled a few squillion miles.

Any thoughts or opinions?

Or this?

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1402235.htm


Thanks.

[OllieWinchester]

Are you towing it off road then? You don't need four wheel drive if you're not.

It's a bit like all the parents with one kid and one on the way I used to flog 7 seaters to, complete overkill.

If you are planning on going off road then fair enough, I think the caravan club are the most knowledgeable group when it comes to tow cars, and I think they might have an online forum.

[turbo-ww]

OllieWinchester said:

Are you towing it off road then? You don't need four wheel drive if you're not.

It's a bit like all the parents with one kid and one on the way I used to flog 7 seaters to, complete overkill.

If you are planning on going off road then fair enough, I think the caravan club are the most knowledgeable group when it comes to tow cars, and I think they might have an online forum.

With box and horse it will spend a fair amount of time in a field - So 4wd is top of the list.

There will be no children unless one needs to be placed under a wheel to assist with traction... Then I will give it back

[mwy1964]

Ifor Williams horse boxes weigh just under 1000KG (HB505) and just over (HB510), the newer models being slightly lighter... Add a couple of horses into the mix - 550 - 700KG and your RAV4 would be over its towing weight of 1500KGS...

The Gross weight for the new Ifor trailers is 2700KG so I would be looking for soemthing with a towing weight in excess of this to allow a margin for safety... Your are really looking for something with a towing weight around or in excess of 3000KGs...

Then again you could be transporting Shetlands... :-)

[West4x4]

Its landrovers patrols showguns Landcruisers and Jeeps if you want to tow a heavy load. The Rav 4's and smaller motrors just wont be up to the job

[jagracer]

turbo-ww said:

I may be asked (By OH - Asked??) to tow a horse box in the nearish future. I've been looking at Landie TD5's but they seem to be expensive or have travelled a few squillion miles.

Any thoughts or opinions?

Or this?

http://pistonheads.com/sales/1402235.htm


Thanks.

That wont tow the weight legally or even safely and it seems very expensive. You could probably get a similar year or newer TD5 Landy or decent LandCruiser for that money

[West4x4]

if you want something just for towing on the odd occasion then an older V8 110 or rangerover would be a good bet you can pick em up cheaply tidy ones dont look a shed and parts insurance is cheap especially on limited miles. And if you dont use it often then theres no reason to worry about the petrol cost

[FamilyGuy]

If you'll be towing out of muddy yards/fields then you'll also want decent all-terrain tyres. They make a huge difference. That can easily add over 400 pounds to your costs if it's fitted with road tyres when you get it.

[turbo-ww]

That's great info guys, many thanks.

[West4x4]

http://www.carandclassic.com/car/C136974/ get this and have £4500 left over for petrol!

[loafer123]

West4x4 said:

http://www.carandclassic.com/car/C136974/ get this and have £4500 left over for petrol!

That looks tidy for the money, even if the air suspension would give you an adrenaline rush every time you start it...!

[300bhp/ton]

TD5 Disco? Very similar to a Defender under the skin. Longer wheelbase will be better than a 90 for towing. Also more comfy, better spec and a lot cheaper to buy.

[West4x4]

Air suspension is great as long as you look after it. Bags can perrish and split causing that sinking feeling and making the compressor run more and knackerer itself out also there is an air filter to the compressor this often gets blocked and knackeres the compresser or both happens and kills it faster. Keep the air sus well maintained and you'll have no trouble. For the price i'd chuck on a set of new bags all round just to be sure unless thats what was done in the £900 worth of work

[Incredible Sulk]

Have a shufti at a Jeep Grand Cherokee (of whatever vintage fits in your budget). Personally, I prefer the GC to the Disco I had, on the road at any rate, which sounds like where most of your miles are going to be done. Both have got/get me into and out of muddy fields with no dramas.

[Chrisgr31]

You often see Volvos or other large cars towing horse boxes, I am fairly sure that at some point in the past one of the BiBs on here posted that he had done research on this and there were few, if any, standard (none 4x4s) which could legally tow a horse box.

Mainly for the reasons above, a horse box plus horse is heavy!