caravan towing

[sacred cow Member Find all posts View Profile Close sacred cow]

John,

I would be interested to know what the ATM of your 22ft caravan is please? When towing how many litres per 100km do you average? Do you feel the rig is stable? Have you gone up steep ranges without difficulty? Why I am asking we have a fairly similar rig but have yet to test it extensively.

Regards
Glenn

[Steve & Sandra Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve & Sandra]

Any drivers tow with manual boxes?

Cheers

Steve

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Hi Steve and Sandra,
I tow my 1500kg boat, and a 6x4 box trailer, if on the flat I tow in 6th gear. On hilly country I normally tow in 5th gear or a gear to keep the Engine RPM around 1800-1900RPM.
No problems using cruise control in open country when towing.

[johna Member Find all posts View Profile Close johna]

Hi Glenn, sorry about delay in answering, (have been away)
The van weighs 2500kg with full tanks etc.
I have never had any problem towing up any hill or range.
Have been up some very steep mountains around Tassie, (Elephant Pass and Queenstown etc) and only went down to 2nd gear and that is with the 3 speed auto + overdrive.
The later D4D common rail with extra gears would be great, but this one will do me for another ????????? k's as it has done the job so far.
John

[lawrance Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lawrance]

Re: caravan towing

So just to clarify what I've learnt from this thread - the 5 speed auto in the D4D Prado has lock up facility on both 4th and 5th gears, is this right :?:

Thanks,

Lawrance

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Re: caravan towing

Hi all

Just did a run from Brisbane down the New England Highway to Glenn Innes. Then back up to Tenterfield (the Gwydir Highway is closed), across the winding Bruxner Highway to Ballina and back to Brisbane. I travelled on every type of road from super smooth highway to steep and winding chopped up roads. All this towing my 2500kg + dual axle caravan.
I carefully watched my Scangauge for fuel consumption and my tacho for revs. Apart from the obvious times when 4th (or even 3rd) was required, I couldn't tell any difference between towing in D or 4 (apart from the revs). The Scangauge sample rate would need a very long flat road to display any tiny changes in fuel consumption between D or 4.
My opinion is that, for most driving, leave it in D. I can't see any change in fuel consumption, nothing overheated, there was no hunting between gears. Toyota have built a great product and I am happy to use it as intended. Of course, I keep a good sympathetic eye and ear out for what the car is doing but it just runs so sweetly.
Whilst towing at around 95 km/hr, the Scangauge averaged about 20 l/100km (14 mpg). With towing and local running combined, I used 15 l/100km (19 mpg). This is consistent with my round Australia trip last year when I averaged 14 l/100km (20 mpg).

Cheers - John

[Steve & Sandra Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve & Sandra]

Re: caravan towing

i know its an old topic, buuuutttt do many of you tow caravans and have manual gearboxes. If yes how do you drive and how do you find the vehicle responds. And how is your economy? reason i ask is we have purchased a caravan (Jayco Expanda) and intend to head away as often as possible. We have taken camper trailers away in the past and i was reluctant to use 6th too often unless on flat or downhill. 5th gear seems way too high a gear unless you want to sit around 90kmh. We recently went to kalbarri and i estimated the economy to be around the 13litres 100km. This was with a jayco camper flamingo, roofrack and engel and esky chockers and 4 bikes on the bike rack. i would have thought it might have done a bit better economy wise. Your thoughts/stories/ideas would be most appreciated. Also peoples thoughts on weight distribution hitches and which brake controller you use.
Thanks
Steve

[fishfinder Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close fishfinder]

Re: caravan towing

i know its an old topic, buuuutttt do many of you tow caravans and have manual gearboxes. If yes how do you drive and how do you find the vehicle responds. And how is your economy? reason i ask is we have purchased a caravan (Jayco Expanda) and intend to head away as often as possible. We have taken camper trailers away in the past and i was reluctant to use 6th too often unless on flat or downhill. 5th gear seems way too high a gear unless you want to sit around 90kmh. We recently went to kalbarri and i estimated the economy to be around the 13litres 100km. This was with a jayco camper flamingo, roofrack and engel and esky chockers and 4 bikes on the bike rack. i would have thought it might have done a bit better economy wise. Your thoughts/stories/ideas would be most appreciated. Also peoples thoughts on weight distribution hitches and which brake controller you use.
Thanks
Steve

I have done the trip many of times Perth to Kalbarri with a Jayco camper behind me ( early Jayco with steel chasis ) approx 1700-1800kg with a pod on the roof of car and on the flats fifth gear and cruise on as soon as I hit some incline I drop it in 4th and no probs at all , average approx 15 / 100km 95 series petrol . Gero - Kalbarri lifts the economy up .