Towbars

[BillsGU]

My towbar has a maximum towing weight (3500kg - which is more than I can legally tow) and a maximum ball weight (350kg). I don't know if they are all like this - but I am guessing they are.

[dom14]

I don't have a total weight of the camper, but empty from factory they are supposed to be about 700kg's. I did a bit of basic math on it (70L water tank, 25kg fridge+ 10-15kg food, 40L jerry can's, dual batteries, plus roughly 100-200kg of camping gear). So thinking roughly 1000kg for the camper. I try to keep around 100kg on the towball (so under the 120kg ball limit, but at the 10% downball weight). I just get an axle stand and put it at the tip of the trailer, on a set of home scales to measure (obviously taking the weight off the jockey wheel). When I come home without water, I move a couple of things forward to keep the weight on the towball.

I think I should be fine for now. The ATM for the trailer is 1500kg anyway so I'm not too keen on carrying much more gear. If I do I'll have to look at changing the towbar anyway.

Campers heavier than that aren't ideal for RB30 Patrol, especially when going uphill.

[Throbbinhood]

Campers heavier than that aren't ideal for RB30 Patrol, especially when going uphill.

Haha uphill and rb30 isn't ideal unless you're in low range anyway. That said, it does do alright. I towed a mates Paj home from the bush on a car trailer the other night. Sat on 95kph no worries. Didn't bother going faster as any faster I could practically see the fuel gauge moving down.

[dom14]

Haha uphill and rb30 isn't ideal unless you're in low range anyway. That said, it does do alright. I towed a mates Paj home from the bush on a car trailer the other night. Sat on 95kph no worries. Didn't bother going faster as any faster I could practically see the fuel gauge moving down.

Yeah, of course.
You can engage the transfer box by shifting to low range & deal with the steeper hills that way.
But, how fast can you go that way?
I meant, RB30 trolls tend to slow down drastically on slight uphills as well. A good NA performance upgrades like finely carby/ignition dyno tuned extractors might be a good thing.
I find on flat roads, RB30 respond pretty well, on par with TB42s.(or is it even better?)

Mine's pretty gutless on uphills(especially when once the engine's warmed up) on LPG.
I think one of the reason is the wrong ignition timing on LPG.
Once warmed up, on LPG, ignition timing need bit of retardng I think.
Dual curve ignition unit is the only answer.

[mudnut]

I am looking for the official maximum towball weight for a GQ Patrol. The genuine Nissan towbar on the Old Trol has a compliance plate stamped with the maximum tow weight at 2270 kilos, but has no towball weight value. i have spent a bit of time searching, to no avail.

I can buy a Hayman Reese bar that has a maximum tow ballweight of 350 kilos but that is useless if the Patrol is limited to a paltry 120 kilos (as stated in earlier posts).

Every van I have looked at have a 130-180 k rating. Are there suspension kits that an be fitted to raise the allowable towball weight?

[Plasnart]

I am looking for the official maximum towball weight for a GQ Patrol. The genuine Nissan towbar on the Old Trol has a compliance plate stamped with the maximum tow weight at 2270 kilos, but has no towball weight value. i have spent a bit of time searching, to no avail.

I can buy a Hayman Reese bar that has a maximum tow ballweight of 350 kilos but that is useless if the Patrol is limited to a paltry 120 kilos (as stated in earlier posts).

Every van I have looked at have a 130-180 k rating. Are there suspension kits that an be fitted to raise the allowable towball weight?

I suppose there would be mate (suspension kits), but ultimately it comes down to the load capacity of the cantilevered chassis (unmodified). Suppose rear tower bracing increases that capacity but I don't know of any tested upgrade specs. Have any tower braces been engineered? I don't know.

[mudnut]

I have fitted the Superior Engineering bolt-on Tower brace, so that is a start.

[Plasnart]

I have fitted the Superior Engineering bolt-on Tower brace, so that is a start.

As have I (but different brand), only because they're supposed to protect against chassis cracks from heavy loads. But I took that as a given. Is there any impericle evidence or test results to back this up? Don't get me wrong I'm happy I spent my $$$ but would be interested to see if there's any testing data to back this up. Where is the proof? It has to be out there somewhere. Hopefully?

[mudnut]

I had to reset both towers. They had stretched and were nearly hitting the floor. They haven't moved since fitting the braces.

[nipagu7]

superior engineering tower braces are engineered and come with paper work to have them certified , whitch might also give you a gvm upgrade for a GU . not sure about a GQ