towing with the 120 D4D

[wilko76 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wilko76]

Hi All

Looking to upgrade to a caravan(21ft 6) and wondeing if any prado pointer s have similar size vans. Interested in how the prado tows and how it has held up in the long term

My lease runs out in july next year and i am considering re leasing or possibly upgrading to a 200 series or a 79 series 4 door for the towing.

I know i can chip it and put a bigger exhaust but the end of the day it is still a 4cyl and wondering if it will come to a premature death with all the towing i will be doing.

Cheers

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

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

I have a 2004 TD so it is not a D4D. I tow a 17' Jayco pop top and a Tvan. The Prado tows well however It doesn't like towing uphill at all. The D4D with it's extra power would likely be better. However last year we did the Canning and one of our group hired a D4D V8 troopy and we loaded it up with all the heavy stuff. The V8 performed extremely well and the economy was amazing, considering the work it was doing. Wasn't towing but the V8 would be my choice if I was looking for a powerfull tug.
Prado only has a 2500kg towing limit also, although from recent observations, many Prado owners don't seem to worry about that.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

I have a D4D and when I went from towing the Tambo (800kg) to the Goldstream (1300kg) I noticed a difference. I really couldn't tell them Tambo was on the back however I know the Goldstream is on the back. If I was going to tow anything bigger I'd probably get a 200.

[bygrave Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close bygrave]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

we have a 2009 d4d and tow a galaxy 17'6 duel wheel van
with little effort
we tow between 90/100 kph did a south australia trip of some 8000km not a problem
love the prado with great fuel range also

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

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

How about towing up hills bygrave? Does it struggle like my 4sp auto? Wondering if your D4D is a manual or 5sp auto? If D4D is ok towing a tandem van, then I may need to trade up
Cheers

[bygrave Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close bygrave]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

mine is 5sp auto trans last of the 120 series
has no problem with the roads and hills in tassie
thats where we live and travel to and from
cheers

[KJA Member Find all posts View Profile Close KJA]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

Surely its not the size of the van that counts but the weight. You can have 17ft offroad vans with heavy suspension and build that have a large Tare and then you sack everything it and it can be a real issue. Or you can have a 21ft road van with a samller Tare weight and it will tow well. I have towed our 6m coromal capri (1750kg + 300 to 400KG of stuff) with the 90 series Prado (3.4L petrol 4 sp auto) and it really struggled up the hills. Pick up my new 150 series D4D on Monday and my research indicates that it will be fine. Maybe a little underpowered on the big hills but otherwise OK. I will try it out in a couple of weeks and post a reply
Ken

[wilko76 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wilko76]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

thanks for the feedback. I am currently towing a goldstream which ia about 1350 fully loaded. tows good but you know it is on their. Recently too it around qld and just felt is lacked the top end grunt.

I suppose the best thing is to take them for a drive as they will both need to double as the main family car also.

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

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

I have a D4D and when I went from towing the Tambo (800kg) to the Goldstream (1300kg) I noticed a difference. I really couldn't tell them Tambo was on the back however I know the Goldstream is on the back. If I was going to tow anything bigger I'd probably get a 200.

I to have been towing a goldstream around half of OZ for the last 3 months a little heavier than D4D,s (probably around 1450 as it is our home for a while) i have the old diesel and we have definitly decided it will be going soon for a 100 or 200 series good on the flats but hills or a headwind for the day think 85kph with constant gear hunting

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

We've recently been towing a 1500kg tare full height van around.
I think the 120 D4-D is a great tug for that sized van. We tow at 90-95kph, with plenty in reserve if needed.
I would recommend a suspension upgrade on a 120 for any van towing. A van's towball weight would cause front end lift and instability with standard suspension.
If you want a big heavy van with all the mod cons that people seem to need these days, then get bigger tug.

[bdaearth Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdaearth]

Re: towing with the 120 D4D

I tow a mates 5.2m cat to 1770 a couple of times a year and it would be around 2000 with all our gear in it and much higher than a van and just as square. I find it a dream to tow with but you know its there but I think you would feel it with most 4x4's??? Yes I am down to 85-90km on some of the bigger hills but over all I think they make a very good tow rig. In saying that if I were about to set off on a around oz trip for 2 years I may think about a upgrade to a 200 but I think that type of money could be put to better use ie 3 years not 2