Few Newbie Questions Prado / Caravan

[Peter H Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Peter H]

Hi,

New to group, new to Prado, new to caravans. We have a 2020 GXL only additions are the Toyota towbar and bits for towing i.e redarc electric brakes and plugs (12pin + Anderson).

We picked up our new caravan 19ft newage bunk van with extended draw bar (6 inch) as had toolbox and bike racks. The plate indicated 2.3t tare and 180kg towball. Thus far have only towed the van as-is not loaded up, so should have been close to these numbers. The van did have both water tanks filled when we picked it up so slightly more. The only change we did was to flip the tongue to raise the ball height. The back went down a fair bit when hitched up but towed well getting the van home. Mix of urban driving and freeway, at 95km/h in S4. However our actual weights will have to wait until we load up.

A few questions popped up, and wondering what others have done:

1. We got a safety dave reversing camera on the van. We are looking at positions to put the actual monitor. Due to the flat nature of the dash (and us being short), it blocks a fair chunk of view when mounted anywhere on the top or on the screen. The best place we could locate would be to place the base partly over the driver side window demisting air vents (not the moveable one). This placed the monitor where it is easy to see but low enough not to block vision. However not a fan or partially blocking the vent with the base or having hot air going over the monitor. Anyone else have a similiar issue and where did you end up putting the monitor

2. I am getting a WDH, wanted to get the van first to see what would suit best. As we have a toyota towbar, I am leaning towards the toyota LDH. This is mainly given that toyota now have 5 year warranty and its a new car keeps everything simplier should anything go wrong. The price given is similiar to other brands, so pricing is not an issue. I haven't been able to get much from Toyota regarding it apart from it is for the Prado 3t / 300kg. I know HR have different levels depending on ball weight and A-frame size. Does anyone have any experience with the toyota LDH? Thoughts on going toyota "in-case" of warranty or still better going for a different brand?

Looking forward to the new adventures

Cheers
Pete

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

Fitted my monitor above drivers side vent. Its a 120 but maybe similar to a 150.
https://www.pradopoint.com.au/forum/...era-from-repco

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

My Prado is the 2016 GX, which doesn't come with a built in SatNav. I mounted a Navman above the driver's vent. Due to the distance to the windscreen, I bought an extension adapter for the Navman and then found I had to make an adjustable leg to support it when the going gets rough. Not the clearest picture but you should get the idea. Despite the angle of the photo it doesn't obstruct the view.

I also have a reversing camera on my camper trailer but I've connected that into the Prado's reversing camera circuit. That puts the trailer's reversing camera view onto the Prado's main screen, so I just have the two screens.

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

Hi Peter H,

Welcome to Pradopoint. Lots of useful Prado information here.
For caravan information, I have been referring to Caravaners Forum as well. Plenty of useful information about vans there. Though sometimes, I find some of the members postings to become a bit circular in their discussions but, nonetheless, mostly very helpful. I seem pretty new to caravans after reading some of the caravaners stories about the lenght of time they have had with caravans.
My vehicle is 2019 GXL and my van is a tandem axle, Jayco Outback. On its compliance plate, the Tare is ~2.1t with a ball weight ~165kg. The compliance plate states ATM is 2,704kg. With full gas bottles, 160L of water, provisions and gear inside the caravan, the full weight of the van including the ball weight, is ~2,600kg. The ball weight is ~240kg. I have mentioned my van's loading numbers as an example of how loading in van can impact to tow weighting and the ball weight compare to the compliance plate's Tare and empty ball weight.

Probably your Prado came with a Toyota supplied, small towing guide with its other handbooks. Mine did. I found that guide gave helpful and well balanced information about the terms ATM, GVM, and GCM for what they mean, how they can adjusted by the load placement in your caravan and how the loading effects the vehicle-caravan combination. You said your van was a bunk van so I am assuming that you will have more than two people in your Prado and likely to need gear and "stuff" for them. As a warning, l find it is easy to get weight overloaded for one's vehicle GVM if one is not careful about how much is carried and where it is carried. Public weighbridges are helpful to get the respective weights after the vehicle and caravan are loaded.

I use a Hayman Reese WDH. It came with the van as part of a secondhand purchase deal, so I was not interested in a Toyota WDH. My Prado and van feel quite stable without any bad "porpoising" or sway of the van. I have previously towed that van with much less load using a Series 90 Prado. Also occasionally towed a 21ft alumium boat with the Series 90. My new arrangement travels well. I am satisfied with the power, but I would like better economy with fuel usage.

Sorry, I cannot really comment about the Toyota WDH.

Though, one point for you. My Toyota towing guide handbook says that turning the towbar insert upside down as you have done, can reduce the tow capacity, in some circumstances. Please check the handbook if you have one. Also, you will have to look at the compliance labelling information on your vehicle and towbar pieces.

[Peter H Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Peter H]

Cheers. Thanks for all the info. I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet regards the weights, and will be weighing the van / car once we have all the bits

[jstirl Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jstirl]

Hi Peter H, Can I ask what it cost you for the the Toyota Towbar and Redarc electric brake set up? I've just purchased a 2011 Kakadu and it's the first thing on my list so we can tow our Van. Was the install done through Toyota?

Cheers

[Peter H Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Peter H]

Hi, sorry just checked the sale documents and it doesn't list individual prices. It was a plate run-out and was all in the package of the car. It was all done through Toyota. FYI we have been quoted $700 from a different dealer for their LDH.

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

Hi jstirl,

In July 2019, my vehicle came with Toyota towbar and 7 pin plug as part of the deal. But maybe, this may help.
I had priced a fitted Hayman Reese towbar at ~$800-850, sorry I can't remember the exact cost. Dealer wanted $390 to fit a12 pin plug instead of the 7 pin plug. I declined and had my autoelectrician fit 12 pin plug, an Anderson plug, battery voltage power cutoff, wiring in my supplied van rear camera cabling, and installing my supplied redarc brake controller for $500. Some folk do that stuff themselves but I certainly did not have the time.

[jstirl Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jstirl]

Thanks for the info, popped into ARB yesterday and got a quote for a Hayman Reese Heavy Duty Tow Bar, Redarc Tow Pro Elite brake controller, 7 pin plug as well as Anderson Plug fully installed for $2100. Sound a bit steep?

[watsea Member Find all posts View Profile Close watsea]

I think a bit steep.
A quick web search for Brisbane:
towbar $679
fitting $299
redarc controller $299 ebay
7 pin plug. $9
Anderson plug $8
henceTotal $1294 without electrical fitting

I suggest you could do better with a bit more shopping.

[jstirl Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jstirl]

Cheers for that, here is the breakdown if anyone is interested, they really get you with the labour.

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

My local 4WD place in Melbourne did a lot of my accessories. The breakdown for Supplied and Fitted:

HAYMAN REESE HD 3223RW w/ 04826 ECU 7 PIN FLAT PLUG - $895
REDARC TOW PRO ELITE $395

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

….they really get you with the labour.

I have done my own wiring for the brake controller and Anderson socket on two vehicles now (Kluger and now Prado). Running, terminating and securing the cables take a lot of time. I have to admit that I'm slower and, as the owner, much more fastidious than the auto electrician's lacky. I'd expect the wiring job the take around 5 hours to complete (it took me 8). If you include wages, admin and other workshop overheads, $370 seems quite cheap.