We did it a couple of years ago in a 9m bus - first time we took it out in over 18 months. His 2nd time driving it - total. Roads are good, and inclines not too steep. We saw a lot of vans.
__________________
The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
I'm not familiar with the route that you are talking about but I'm certain that a 4.8L Patrol will have absolutely no trouble pulling an 18' pop top up any range.
My old 4.2 EFI Patrol has done the job with ease pulling a 22'6" caravan up most ranges in Australia over the last 20 years or so & still going well.
Just take it easy & use the gears going down the ranges. I just get behind the semitrailers & wind it down just rarely using the breaks.
As others have already said, it will be very doable with your rig
I went along the same route but in the opposite direction, at the end of 2013 Pulling a 17 foot pop-top, with an old Ford Falcon 6 cylinder 4 litre car
I had no problems, and as far as mountains go, I would probably give it at most 5 out of 10, compared to other steep hill I drove along, in other parts of my lap
I actually did it early 2015 with unbeknown to me at the time, faulty van breaks so the Colorado was actually doing all the work. All got fixed at Uladulla NSW. I also had the wrong brake control fitted to the Collie. Now changed as well.
Just take your time and keep safe on the roads and out there.
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
KB,you will have no problems from Eden to Lakes Entrance.We go at least 4 times a yrs.to Eden from Bairnsdale towing a van.About 23kms. before Cann River is where you find it the windiest and steepest,you will be down to about 50 km.for about 6kms .But it is no problem.
-- Edited by Plain Truth on Thursday 1st of September 2016 07:30:18 PM
I am hoping to tow an 18' pop-top to Lakes Entrance in Vic, going down thru Bega / Eden, NSW.
From where? Are you coming down through Wollongong/Nowra or through Canberra? If you come down through Wollongong then you will be descending Mount Ousley. This will tax your brakes if you don't use steep hill descent techniques. If you come through Canberra you will come down Brown or Clyde mountain. Both of these definitely need steep hill descent techniques. I see you are from Sydney, the Clyde and the Brown Mountains have similar gradients to the Bells Line of Road or Mt Victoria Pass. When descending these you need to slow down and change down gears (auto or manual.) You should slow down and use a gear low enough so you don't have to use your brakes much
The roads I have mentioned are a full 2 lanes wide (wide enough to have edge lines painted on them.) They are used by semi-trailers so you should be able to use them. Just learn to drive them and you will be perfectly safe using them.
__________________
PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
