Who Tows What at the 2500kg Limit?

[ABD Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ABD]

Should have the GXL D4D next week.
Next big decision is the caravan/ poptop to do some serious travelling.
My question:
How many PPs tow long distances with a van or similar ... close to the 2500kg limit?
What is your experience?
Considering the D4D has improved horsepower and torque over the previous engine why haven't Toyota increased the towing capacity?

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

Hi,

We tow a 2.4 tonne caravan with an auto GXL D4D. It quickly loses speed on hills and there is no way I would want to tow anything heavier. The vehicle is also on the light side for towing anything heavier.

Because the Prado has a fairly small footprint as far as tugs are concerned, we felt at times the rig was on the brink of instability. As a result we have fitted a Reese dual cam anti-sway device. Toyota recommend that an anti-sway device be fitted when the weight of the vehicle is less than the caravan/trailer weight. From experience I believe that they are spot on with their assessment.

The Prado is a reasonable compromise when you have a sole vehicle which is a city car for most of its life but is also called on to tow a large heavy van for part of its life.

In summary forget about towing anything heavier than what Toyota specify - it's not up to the task.

Regards
Glenn

[ABD Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ABD]

Glenn,
Your 2.4 tonne van is that tare weight or when fully loaded?
I am hoping to find a suitable poptop with a tare weight of around 1.8 tonne.
Cheers
Chris

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

Hi ABD,

We have had our caravan to a weighbridge twice. Once the aggregate weight was 2,350 kg and the second time it was 2,380 kg; the manufacturers ATM is 2,390 kg.

Regards
Glenn

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

I was always of the belief that the maximum allowed tow weight was all to do with breaking.
Is this true or have I been thinking wrong all these years.

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

ABD,
I tow a Jayco Poptop that weights in fully loaded at 1.7t and it towed it with ease, over 9000kms trip to South Australia a few months ago.

Would personally baulk at towing much over 2t , though Glenn is getting up to the 2.5t with his van.

[Brissy4me Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brissy4me]

I was of the belief that it had to do with the towing vehicles weight. :? :?:

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

I just found this link that you all might find interesting in relation to towing weights and GVM/GCM.

http://www.watchyourweight.com.au/weights.php

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

I was always of the belief that the maximum allowed tow weight was all to do with breaking.
Is this true or have I been thinking wrong all these years.

I think it has more to do with the chassis as a nissan navara can tow 3 tonne and it brakes would not be any better than the prado. Gearbox or transmission has some effect too as some vehicles tow different weights if man or auto.

ABD,

You are right in that the new motor has more power and torque but still the same chassis and brakes.

[mrfpv Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mrfpv]

Re: Who Tows What at the 2500kg Limit?

Should have the GXL D4D next week.
Next big decision is the caravan/ poptop to do some serious travelling.
My question:
How many PPs tow long distances with a van or similar ... close to the 2500kg limit?
What is your experience?
Considering the D4D has improved horsepower and torque over the previous engine why haven't Toyota increased the towing capacity?

hey mate,

just regarding your question, we have a 2008 offroad jayco expanda 23ft (that includes the tow hitch etc) tandem axle. it just scrapes 2tonne unpacked and fully packed, its limit is approx 2475kgs (475kgs is the reccomended weight that the axles can hold). we also have the D4D grande. pulls the van like a dream but you do have to pull it back a gear or two to pull up steep hills. apart from that, we have had no problems so far.
happy camping
Jared

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Who Tows What at the 2500kg Limit?

Should have the GXL D4D next week.
Next big decision is the caravan/ poptop to do some serious travelling.
My question:
How many PPs tow long distances with a van or similar ... close to the 2500kg limit?
What is your experience?
Considering the D4D has improved horsepower and torque over the previous engine why haven't Toyota increased the towing capacity?

hey mate,

just regarding your question, we have a 2008 offroad jayco expanda 23ft (that includes the tow hitch etc) tandem axle. it just scrapes 2tonne unpacked and fully packed, its limit is approx 2475kgs (475kgs is the reccomended weight that the axles can hold). we also have the D4D grande. pulls the van like a dream but you do have to pull it back a gear or two to pull up steep hills. apart from that, we have had no problems so far.
happy camping
Jared

Been thinking of getting a secondhand Expanda instead of a camper trailer. Good to know that the Prado can tow it with ease.

[mrfpv Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mrfpv]

Re: Who Tows What at the 2500kg Limit?

Should have the GXL D4D next week.
Next big decision is the caravan/ poptop to do some serious travelling.
My question:
How many PPs tow long distances with a van or similar ... close to the 2500kg limit?
What is your experience?
Considering the D4D has improved horsepower and torque over the previous engine why haven't Toyota increased the towing capacity?

hey mate,

just regarding your question, we have a 2008 offroad jayco expanda 23ft (that includes the tow hitch etc) tandem axle. it just scrapes 2tonne unpacked and fully packed, its limit is approx 2475kgs (475kgs is the reccomended weight that the axles can hold). we also have the D4D grande. pulls the van like a dream but you do have to pull it back a gear or two to pull up steep hills. apart from that, we have had no problems so far.
happy camping
Jared

Been thinking of getting a secondhand Expanda instead of a camper trailer. Good to know that the Prado can tow it with ease.

hey mate. yea you will be fine. i wouldnt go any bigger though cause ofcourse you will go over the limit but yea mate, they are great caravans! very practical! you will be right mate!

[210man Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 210man]

Hi

We tow a 2300kg loaded, 18' full height van. The prado seems to tow it fine.

Am looking at the D4D as the petrol is using around 23L/100km towing the van.

[johna Member Find all posts View Profile Close johna]

Had a 2003 diesel from new, now has done 125,000 k's , and 74,000k's of that were with a 2400 + kg 22ft full van in tow, been right around Aus, and just returned from Tassie.
If the van and prado are set up >correctly<, with Hayman Reece you will have no problems.
Tows thew van at speed limit everywhere except for steep hills, but that is what the gearbox is there for.
The only time the tail wagged the dog was when I towed the van 1klm from vanpark to repairers to have fridge work done.
Have NEVER towed ANYWHERE again without tow hitch in place !!!

Lesson, do it right first time every time and forget the cost......

John

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

D4D Towing 2.5 tonnes

Hi
First time post.
I just had to register and tell you about my D4D experience.
I tow a Kedron off road caravan that must be right on the 2.5 tonne limit (if not over).
Last year we towed around Australia and the D4D only struggled up the Moonbi hills outside of Tamworth. The rest of the time it towed beautifully and used 14.5 l/100km (20mpg) over 12,000km.
I used a Hayman Reese weight distribution hitch and that's all. No aftermarket suspension or Polyairs.
I must admit that the suspension had sagged a little when we got home and so I put Kings springs and Bilsteins in. Raised the vehicle about 45mm and reduced the boulevard ride a little.
IMHO you can't get a better all round vehicle!
Cheers - John