Big 3.5t caravan Towing

https://weighpro.com.au/2020/11/06/towing-that-big-3-5t-caravan/
Towing that huge 3.5t caravan
These days practically all of the Ute producers offer 3.5t (3500kg) towing with their vehicles. But how shut can we get to that realistically?

Let’s look at just few:

Vehicle Year Tow ATM TBM Kerb Mass GVM GCM
Ford Ranger 2.0L 20 3500 350 2197 3200 6000
Ford Ranger three.2L 20 3500 350 2230 3200 6000
Holden Colorado 20 3500 350 2163 3150 6000
Isuzu D Max 20 3500 350 2130 3100 5950
Mazda BT50 20 3500 350 2174 3200 6000
Mitsubishi Triton 20 3100 310 1990 2900 5885
Nissan Navara 20 3500 350 2186 2910 5910
VW Amarok V6 20 3500 300 2147 3080 6000
Toyota Hilux 20 3200 320 2045 3000 5650
The big hitters:

Toyota 70 collection V8 Diesel Ute 20 3500 350 2175 3300 6800
RAM V8 Petrol 20 4500 450 2650 3450 7237
RAM Eco Diesel 20 3500 350 2715 3450 6692
RAM V8 Petrol quotes different GCM figures primarily based on the Diff axle ratio. With the 3.2 Diff axle ratio fitted GCM is 6261kg, but when fitted with the Diff axle ratio of three.ninety two than GCM is increased to 7237kg. Also, to tow four.5t the tow ball dimension must be increased from 50mm to 70mm.

So, lets look at those figures in more detail. Let’s look at the Ford Ranger first. To tow three.5t we now have a most GCM of 6t that then implies that the utmost the car can weigh is 2.5t.

Isuzu D Max again to tow 3.5t the automobile should weigh a most of 2.45t.

VW Amarok to tow three.5t should be under 2.5t as properly however maximum TBM (Tow Ball Mass) is simply 300kg.

Now once we look at the Kerb Mass of the Ford Ranger being 2230kg for the three.2L that leaves solely 270kg of payload.

Kerb Mass is measured with a full tank of fuel and the driving force. Kerb Mass does not include anybody else in the car, the towbar, luggage or any other accessories that you may match on the car like bull bars, canopies etc.

Now I’m not picking on the Ford Ranger right here as they're all in the identical boat.

The Nissan Navara would have a maximum payload of 224kg.

The Isuzu D Max would have a maximum payload of 320kg.

The Mazda BT50 would have a maximum payload of 326kg.

The Mitsubishi Triton and Toyota Hilux are being much more practical here. The Triton can tow 3.1t and still have a payload of 795kg. The Toyota Hilux can tow 3.2t and that offers a payload of 405kg. As an example, if we take a look at the 2017 VW Amarok that has a maximum allowable tow weight of 3t this gives a whopping 853kg of payload.

So, as you probably can see from these results, they would all be much better suited to towing a most of 3t.

But I hear you say my caravan is three.5t.

Let’s have a look at the heavy hitters. If you are happy to vary gears manually and also you don’t mind the 1980’s feel and appear on both the inside and outside of the Toyota Landcruiser 70 sequence V8 Diesel then this can be a genuine 3.5t tow automobile. Now this can tow three.5t and nonetheless leave you with a large payload in the vehicle of 1,125kg. This car at its maximum GVM can still tow 3.5t to its maximum GCM of 6800kg. Canopy on the again and a bull bar up front will scale back that figure.

<img width="494" src="https://weighpro.com.au/storage/2020/11/C89B0BD2B9074CB2AD944FD5FF9FF114.png">

The Dodge RAM – the Ute we have been waiting for…. nicely virtually. That is dependent upon a few things. Firstly, what engine you choose. The Eco Diesel for instance has a maximum tow weight of 3.5t which after looking at the hefty Kerb Mass will only give you a most payload within the automobile of 477kg… not too unhealthy. But when you choose the V8 Petrol with the 3.92 Diff ratio then whilst towing three.5t you will have the maximum GVM payload within the car of 800kg. If you select the V8 with the Diff ratio of three.2 (for economy) then the obtainable payload in the vehicle drops to 111kg, not so good… so select correctly.

If your caravan is three.5t and you must have a Ute then the pickings are slim. The selections enhance if we start to take a glance at Wagons, as that opens up a whole completely different choice of automobiles to select from. Their GCM weights are typically higher and their energy in the type of Nm may be significantly better as properly.

To identify a few:

Vehicle Year Tow ATM TBM Kerb / Tare GVM GCM
Audi Q7 V8 Diesel 20 3500 350 2240 T 2940 6740
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 Diesel 20 3500 350 2327 T 2949 6099
Land Rover Discovery
D6 Diesel

20 3500 350 2236 T 3050 6550
Range Rover DV8 20 3500 350 2658 T 3340 6740
Lexus LX570 20 3500 350 2740 K 3350 6850
Toyota Landcruiser 200 V8 Diesel 20 3500 350 2740 K 3350 6850
Let’s look closer at a quantity of:

Audi Q7 V8 Diesel – we can nonetheless carry maximum payload while towing three.5t. We additionally don’t see too many with plenty of aftermarket accessories like bull bars etc.… towbar is about it on these.

Land Rover Discovery D6 Diesel – once again maximum allowable payload up to GVM whereas towing three.5t.

Toyota Landcruiser 200 V8 Diesel – up to maximum GVM obtainable while towing three.5t. The drawback right here is so many Landcruiser’s are fitted with a load of aftermarket equipment like bull bars, roof bars, draw systems, fridges, 2nd batteries simply to name a few. This tremendously reduces the vehicles ability to tow that magic 3.5t tow weight so many want to do.

The draw back of Wagons are their costs as they are significantly more expensive.

Hopefully this doesn’t scare you away from towing a big caravan but quite gives you some data and knowledge so you can get it proper. Remember when you don’t get your weights proper you could receive an infringement discover and demerit factors, or worst still be concerned in an accident.

Book a weigh with us at present, absolutely loaded able to go and have the confidence to do it safely and legally.

Safe travels

Craig

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Pub: 12 Jul 2023 11:08 UTC
Views: 151