budget Priced Tow Vehicle

Crashtac · Veteran Member

budget Priced Tow Vehicle

PeterInSa · Guru

Andrew,
It is my understanding that some late 90, 80 Series Landcruisers have a similar towing capacity to the 100 Series Landcruisers, so a 97/98/99, 80 series could well do the job. It is also my understanding that some of the earlier 80 cruisers (95/96)have the same specs as the late models but do not have the official loading carrying capacity or towing capacity and that some owners with the help of a certified engineer filling out the necessary paper work ( at a cost) have had their vehicles upgraded.

I looked into this sometime ago for a friend, I would look at the history ( by search) on http://www.lcool.org/forum/index.php its probably hard to find as was back about 3 years ago.

The specs for your 94 model may be similar to the later 80 series and it may be suitable for a legal upgrade by a Certified Engineer and Transport SA, I would do the research on Lcool and then ask questions.

Of course towing a 3500Kg load will require a 350/3500Kg towbar with braking facilities etc.

Note: These are my thoughts on the subject, I am not an engineer, and you need to take advice from a qualified person or someone who has been there/done that as well as confirming the GVM/Towing loads on your vehicles VIN plate.

Peter

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Thursday 11th of July 2013 03:15:48 PM

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Thursday 11th of July 2013 03:31:35 PM

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Thursday 11th of July 2013 07:09:12 PM

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Thursday 11th of July 2013 07:13:30 PM

blaze · Guru

Hi Andrew
I set off from Tassie in jan 2011 towing a heavy 16 foot van with a series 1 discovery with the 300tdi engine. It was a ever relialable vehicle. I had done about 30000km of desert and outback driving in it over a period of 5 years and never had a break down. Good service is the key for any make of vehicle. keep your eye open for rust around the alpine windows and the bottom of the A pillars. Would still have mine but rust killed it, but it did come from England as an import where they salt the roads.
I now drive a series 2 discovery with the td5 and had a few issues with it due to lack of maintance by previous owner and my oversight.
The diesel landies are a great tow vehicle but the petrol ones will be heavy on fuel, that being said it will be no heavier than any othe petrol vehicle of simular age and engine size.
They are a very comfy vehicle with a good seating postion and exelent visability. Drove my series 1 for 25 hours and 40 minutes from Melbourne to 1770 in a non stop (fuel and coffee breaks) back in 2008 and on arrival went fishing for 7 hrs.
Landrovers have no resale value, that's why I like them because people don't like them putting the prices $5000 to $10000 below the Toyota or Nissan in a simular car.
With any vehicle you buy look for a service history
cheers
blaze

blaze · Guru

Have a look in the for sale section of this site, don't know whats for sale but if not its a valuable source of info without the crap of some sites

www.aulro.com/afvb/

cheers
blaze

grae and deb · Senior Member

hi andrew just to add to what peter said
a 80 ser go diesel after august build 1996 is 3500 kg tow rate , mind though , rare as hens teeth and fetching big $ if you do find one
good luck

Crashtac · Veteran Member

I have found that through research on redbook and carpoint the only 80 series that are legal for 3500kg are the 97 40th anniversary models after them it turned to 100 series, and yes even though they have the same engine, suspension etc, I really dont understand why things changed but oh well we will see. I will let you know what I get thanks for the feed back on the land rovers as well.
Cheers Andrew

Mark · Senior Member

blaze wrote:
Hi Andrew
I set off from Tassie in jan 2011 towing a heavy 16 foot van with a series 1 discovery with the 300tdi engine. It was a ever relialable vehicle. I had done about 30000km of desert and outback driving in it over a period of 5 years and never had a break down. Good service is the key for any make of vehicle. keep your eye open for rust around the alpine windows and the bottom of the A pillars. Would still have mine but rust killed it, but it did come from England as an import where they salt the roads.
I now drive a series 2 discovery with the td5 and had a few issues with it due to lack of maintance by previous owner and my oversight.
The diesel landies are a great tow vehicle but the petrol ones will be heavy on fuel, that being said it will be no heavier than any othe petrol vehicle of simular age and engine size.
They are a very comfy vehicle with a good seating postion and exelent visability. Drove my series 1 for 25 hours and 40 minutes from Melbourne to 1770 in a non stop (fuel and coffee breaks) back in 2008 and on arrival went fishing for 7 hrs.
Landrovers have no resale value, that's why I like them because people don't like them putting the prices $5000 to $10000 below the Toyota or Nissan in a simular car.
With any vehicle you buy look for a service history
cheers
blaze

Good honest reply and experience Blaze.
Liked the bit about the salt in the UK, an absolute killer!!

Crashtac · Veteran Member

blaze wrote:
Hi Andrew
I set off from Tassie in jan 2011 towing a heavy 16 foot van with a series 1 discovery with the 300tdi engine. It was a ever relialable vehicle. I had done about 30000km of desert and outback driving in it over a period of 5 years and never had a break down. Good service is the key for any make of vehicle. keep your eye open for rust around the alpine windows and the bottom of the A pillars. Would still have mine but rust killed it, but it did come from England as an import where they salt the roads.
I now drive a series 2 discovery with the td5 and had a few issues with it due to lack of maintance by previous owner and my oversight.
The diesel landies are a great tow vehicle but the petrol ones will be heavy on fuel, that being said it will be no heavier than any othe petrol vehicle of simular age and engine size.
They are a very comfy vehicle with a good seating postion and exelent visability. Drove my series 1 for 25 hours and 40 minutes from Melbourne to 1770 in a non stop (fuel and coffee breaks) back in 2008 and on arrival went fishing for 7 hrs.
Landrovers have no resale value, that's why I like them because people don't like them putting the prices $5000 to $10000 below the Toyota or Nissan in a simular car.
With any vehicle you buy look for a service history
cheers
blaze

G'Day Blaze thanks for that, it is that kind of feed bacl I am after, we have found a few example of the Disco with service history, so when AAMI finally get around to paying me for my cruiser, it looks like we will go that way.

Thanks again Andrew

Ontos45 · Guru

Hi Andrew,
I have a '94 4TDi Discovery and have found it tops for towing.
Keep in mind that they have a problem with the timing belt wear and need replacing (by memory) every 60,000Km. Check paperwork to see if done. I had all my belts, belt rollers and water pump changed a same time as they all have to come off to change belt. Costs over a $1,000 at a Landy specialist.

Peter

PS. Rego for 12mths $516.50 private. Queensland.

-- Edited by Ontos45 on Saturday 13th of July 2013 11:34:13 AM

grae and deb · Senior Member

hi andrew hope you find something . lots of differnt stories re 80 ser and tow rate change we were told by a toyota dealer re post october 96 wasthe change .some toyota dealers didnt know what we were talking about , though seriously about a disco myself , went for a troopy simply for more storage room , she,s full mate believe me
a mates son had a disco was mad on them , said the model to look for was the td 5 with the updated headlight ,the little one in the corner of the main light ,bit of a crude way to explain it yeah i know ,but apparently he reckons there was a takeover about then and beeemer had some influence on them
cheers grae l

Keith19837 · Senior Member

A couple of my family member's hand Disco's Series II in petrol and I 'babysat one for a couple of months whilst relative was O/S (or in Jail or where ever). The Disco is one of the few vehicles that can legally tow larger vans (in Vic) by keeping within Victoria's GVM regs. From what I saw and was told, the Disco petrol V8s were very heavy on juice (apparently the diesel is pretty good). The Disco does not appear to convert to LPG very well. My relatives had no end of trouble with LPG despite being fitted through the top two LPG suppliers. I spoke to Land Rover (Vic) who told me that they don't recommend conversion to LPG (this was with series I and II and may not apply to later models). Series II also is the only vehicle I've come across that can reverse in a Police Station car park, push a police car up over the kerb, through a police station wall, and sustain only very minor damage to the Disco. Police car totally written off and Police station partially demolished. (Coppers not overly impressed). This is probably a very important consideration when purchasing any vehicle if you intend to copy this style of driving.

For what it's worth.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

@ Keith

is that why he was is jail :))

Bobt · Member

Keith, Do you do that often?