What is the max you should tow with an unmodified 3 ltr.

I ask because my family and I have recently returned from our first ever caravan holiday. We didn't use the patrol but had an absolute ball, and in the middle of winter!. My wife and I have always camped but with three young daughters we found it so much more relaxing as well as opening up traveling in the cooler months. My beloved is talking about getting a caravan, so can the patrol handle it. Or am I on a dead end road to wrecking the patrol or getting a new car. I love my car and would rather try to keep it. Thanks in advance for your advise!

What year is your Patrol mate? Is the engine a common Rail?

The Patrol has a 3.5ton Braked Towing capacity and will handle the van without too much trouble. In fact better than most.

Do the NADS modifications and your set.

happy Days, have a great time.

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Originally Posted by MudRunnerTD

What year is your Patrol mate? Is the engine a common Rail?

The Patrol has a (up to) 3.5ton Braked Towing capacity (depending on model and spec) and will handle the van without too much trouble. In fact better than most.

Do the NADS modifications and your set.

happy Days, have a great time.

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Highly recommend large transmission cooler for automatic vehicles.

A 3lt Auto/man braked is 3.2 .but These figures are from a manual[after market]
I thought much lower than that but will check as it differs from auto to manual

Edit;;;; just as I thought my manual was wrong the 3lt TD auto is 2.5 t braked
and 3.2t for a manual
The big petrol is 3.5t braked as well. These stats are from rear of 4x4 Aust mag
Ball weight varies from but can't find it ATM
Older 4.2 TD manuals would assume to be 3.5t braked as well

Summing up all 3lt TD Autos are 2.5t braked
all 3lt TD manual are 3.2t braked
and big 4.8 is 3.5t braked

Don't fall for the trap of buying the biggest, heaviest caravan you can tow,
remember you need clothes for 5 food etc, etc, and soon you will exceed your GVM
Buy the lightest van that best suits your needs easier on fuel ,easier on the Patrol.

need to know the year model but im of the belief that the auto is 2.5t prior to 2008 and 2.8 after and the manual is 3.2 have a look inside the rear barn door but let us know what year you have.

Thanks 07 my manual not very model specific. All I know for certain is my '04 3lt auto is 2500kg braked

the rear barn door reveals all the the bad news im looking at getting mine engineered to probably 2.8 I have big towbar for 3.5 ton and 350 ball weight got airbags in the springs I will add a big oil cooler and I cant see any other problems really as the rest is same as a manual

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Originally Posted by Newiereef

I ask because my family and I have recently returned from our first ever caravan holiday. We didn't use the patrol but had an absolute ball, and in the middle of winter!. My wife and I have always camped but with three young daughters we found it so much more relaxing as well as opening up traveling in the cooler months. My beloved is talking about getting a caravan, so can the patrol handle it. Or am I on a dead end road to wrecking the patrol or getting a new car. I love my car and would rather try to keep it. Thanks in advance for your advise!

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Look at doing the NADS mods. Seriously. I did most but left out the gauge bits due to cost. Also make sure you include a snorkle as the air filter get shit in from the wheel well and clogs up.

Also since most have not mentioned it since your vehicle is a 2004 gu3 with 90000kms suggest you look at new springs if you want to hook on a van. I went for standard height King springs, but i have a height issue in my carport. Suggest you look at a 2" lift with heavy springs for towing the van. In my case the new springs helped but a 2" lift would have been better.

As for van only hint is make sure it has solar and a decient set of batteries. In my case the whole van is 12 volts and any 240 volt input just charges the battery, (also runs microwave). Though now fixed as it is also linked into the 12 to 240 volt inverter.

Added extra, an external, vehicle mounted fridge/ freezer as the ones in vans are never big enough.

Cheers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by outback

Look at doing the NADS mods. Seriously. I did most but left out the gauge bits due to cost. Also make sure you include a snorkle as the air filter get shit in from the wheel well and clogs up.

Also since most have not mentioned it since your vehicle is a 2004 gu3 with 90000kms suggest you look at new springs if you want to hook on a van. I went for standard height King springs, but i have a height issue in my carport. Suggest you look at a 2" lift with heavy springs for towing the van. In my case the new springs helped but a 2" lift would have been better.

As for van only hint is make sure it has solar and a decient set of batteries. In my case the whole van is 12 volts and any 240 volt input just charges the battery, (also runs microwave). Though now fixed as it is also linked into the 12 to 240 volt inverter.

Added extra, an external, vehicle mounted fridge/ freezer as the ones in vans are never big enough.

Cheers

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Speaking of springs, check the rear spring perches on the chassis, they have a habit of cracking of the chassis. Even if they haven't cracked getting them reinforced is inexpensive insurance against a major failure later.

As well as getting the good oil on Patrols here http://caravanersforum.com would be a good source of caravan & towing info.

Cuppa

Thanks guys, as usual all excellent advise with plenty to think about. Yes I am compiling the things I need for the nads mod. Will let you know!

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Originally Posted by Cuppa

As well as getting the good oil on Patrols here http://caravanersforum.com would be a good source of caravan & towing info.

Cuppa

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That is a good reference for anyone looking at towing a van.