Seems like we might be in line for a flood, or perhaps trickle, of big yank tanks if Nissan go ahead & offer their Titan on the Australian market. I wonder if the potential market would be large enough to justify the expense.
Tow capacity 5.2 ton.
Edit ... I saw one at the last Brissy caravan show ... It was an impressive beast. Sure to gather a crowd at your next camp.
-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 11th of November 2017 10:21:08 AM
I've been over there. Chevvy and Ford would be the pick. With my choice. Ford F150.
Ideal size for here. DO NOT bring in bigger. Half the old fart, Idiots on the road nowadays. Haven't been brought up on these sized vehicles. They'd kill half the populace. (Exaggeration of course.) But you know what I mean. Although. On second thoughts. Certain areas, Wouldn't be a bad thing hey.
VEHICLES that size. need a truck licence. Heavy goods. and hrs behind the wheel. Just for the brains to comprehend the physical sizes. They ARE...... BIG.
Compare the two pickies. 2 BIG people leaning against front bar. With both of them INSIDE it's front profile.
and then second. Profile shot. Imagine that or multiples of. in any shopping centre park. or town streets.
This country's roads are NOT designed for that size "general sized vehicles".
THAT is why we have truck licences with so many hrs training. b4 testing. Just to Get your brains round it. and why the 150\1500 ford\Chevvy, would do a great job here. Last think we needing. Is BIGGER caravans. I believe NOBODY. Without truck driving hrs, experience. should be allowed to tow more than, say 2.5 ton trailers. 3ton at most.
Make the roads a LOT safer.
-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 11th of November 2017 12:02:50 PM
Depends what you have done previously .? An office worker who goes surfing in spare time compared to a tradey who went 4 Wheel driving towing his bikes or a family who towed their boat fishing . But your right I have seen manywithnew rigs having driven from Vic to NT and cannot park their van in parking spot if they have to reverse !! Ok even if you need 10 shots at it ! But some just donāt even try . Not that reverse parking has anything to do with safety driving on roads ? But itās an indication of driving experaince . Another thing I wander ? As we where you in country we would test our skills on extreme driving .These days in cities this behaviour is frowned upon big time . Not that I condone hoon behaviour ! Itās the same with children learning boundaries fallen off things etc . We learn from hopefully small mistakes . To much political correctness.
Obviously I meant (as I said.) Open. clear roads.. NOBODY else around..
Start at 20\25 km Swerve wheel. Get to 35km. Swerve wheel. 45km same. etc. FEEL you rig out. Checking it's reactions at differing speeds. Also Braking. With veh brakes. THEN.. using just trailer electric hand controller.
See how far you roll to a stop, at differing speeds.
The more YOU know. The more YOU are in control and know what to do in differing situations. A person who's practiced\ing. compared to one that never tried NOR knows their reactions.
I know which car I'd rather be a passenger in.
We SHOULD ALL practice to our comfort zone. THEN maybe a little past it. depending on the person. just to KNOW...
I've taken mine out to it dragging my bum a fraction.
BUT... I've done a lot of towing. truck work. and Rallying (for fun only)
I wouldn't nowadays. Slower reactions, less nerves.and I KNOW IT.
Coupla Piccies.
Di and I.
View fron front drive b4 Carport added along front.
the rig I used last for my handling testing. Super stable. then some.
Niagara falle one winter. frozen spray on safety hand rails
View from closer over the water itself. On Canadian side.
OH. and a decent Jewie (Black Jew.) best one of 5. for 3 of us
in 2 hrs. Left them biting. Just after turn at Corio bay Cod hole.
Big Barbie next day for fishing club. (200plus people)
Heaven on a stick. this place.
-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 11th of November 2017 01:45:40 PM
-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 11th of November 2017 01:52:18 PM
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 12th of November 2017 12:03:59 PM
Yep the old saying . The older Iām getting the faster I was . Like the old Ford side valve / flat head .. lol . Yes get to KNOW vehicles limits . Strange thing is when you go to vehicle driving course this is exactly what they do ., So you can swerve around a pedestrian at reasonable speed !!
Nice looking tow vehicle for sure G but I noticed it only has 900kg payload? Not a lot really. IMO.
As for the other topic about licence and or training (again) I was not getting involved with talking about all that as I have my opinion as does everyone else here and out there probably so I am not getting into it, I don't feel like getting shot in the foot today thankyou very much, only to say, IMO, I reckon with a Heavy Licence and two Advanced Driving Courses, one in a Toyota Coaster passenger vehicle and one in a 60 seat coach (that was interesting but fun). With many many years of experience with the licence (since 22) and driver training courses I reckon I am OK to tow my Aluminium Tent.
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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)
A course with hrs done After, then a label to stick on back of licence.
or carry WITH licence would be fine I reckon.
I handed all mine but HT in. Yrs ago.
That just collects a medical every yr to keep valid.
Go MACKA 17 You have hit the nail on the head just like I said in a previous post get the same skills as most heavy vehicle drivers to drive a vehicle over a certain weight,and that weight can be set by the relevant authority,as they can do it to truckies with log books and all the other rules .mike g
Just to add to my last post some years back the government decided that if I want to continue driving coaches I had to get a driver authority,and if I went to the snow a snow license so they can change the rules if they want,maybe more as a revenue getter ,maybe but still even though I had held a trailer license for years I still had to go get a authority,do a police check,mediacl with is every year etc,so maybe a van license is not to hard to put in place and if it makes for safer roads and fewer accidents,then go for it.And if you have a problem then maybe you shoulnt be out there towing a very heavy large vehicle.
Hey Mike.
Do they still have number of seats grading on licences?.
IN UK they had High decker and Lo Decker (double deck) buses\Licenses to suit.
. with differing routes to cover bridges.
and Bus.Which covered ALL lengths, seating. Single deck.
The next bloke to change routes\buses, on a mixed shift. Forgets.
and try to take a Hi Deck under a lo deck bridge. WON'T be the first either.
Luckily I wasn;t one of 'em.
It was a good WARM. (Heated cabin) Frozen ground job, in winter.
You can't dig trenches 6 ft deep for pipelines
when ground frozen for first coupla feet. Not economical
My 2-bob's worth re- these yank tank Utes is "No Thanks" - we have enough perfectly okay Utes already here without having these bluddy great gaz-guzzlers and parking space hoggers here as well
As long as they REDUCE the SIZE of their vans too.
the 2.5 ton MAX. for 90% of our tow vehicles to keep them both safe and legal. Restricts most vans to MAYBE 20ft.
My 6.5mtr (19ft 6in INside) Roadstar was. at 2.5 + 350 ball weight ton gross. (I normally ran it around 2.5ish't to 3.2 (water) on average..
Only legal behind a GU Patrol or Landcruiser from Late model 100 up. NOT earlier models.
There's NO WAY I'd have put it behind any Ute, Prado.Mitzi, etc.
Unfortunately. A lot are. and it WILL come back to bite them very shortly. When the Scalies get it together and get serious with us as well as trucks. It's coming.
That's one reason I scaled down. Smaller, later model car.
(Patrol to D-Max 2010 mod) equates to smaller, lighter van. (3.2 to 1,85t van weight. Still comfortable inside. and a LOT less busy,Heavy with all the crap people drag round with them.
BUY Hire 10\20\40ft container. Put on "????'s" block. Fuel cost savings alone, will more than cover it. Specially if downsizing to more sensible size.
They LOOOVE me when I remind them of that. To keep legal.
For people "interested in consequences and way things are "legally" going.
Right click and go to following page I put on Google..
"Insurance when caravans\trailer Overweight. Valid?"
Do a bit of "what's coming" reading.
-- Edited by macka17 on Wednesday 15th of November 2017 12:04:21 PM
If you are pulled up on road. and your rig weight is OVER. It's plated limits. AXLE. tug or tow,combined weights.
YOUR INSURANCE co, has an out on paying any claims while on that trip Anywhere.
Unless you can Prove. you unloaded some to suit. (Not very likely).
If accident. and police. Whoever, collect the majority of bits.
which Combined go OVER your limits. You ded meat.
MAJOR Accident. They could. Probably would to find cause.
SOME ARE a lot over.
And again.
IF you have a police\weights and measures issue you with a ticket as being OVER weights. and you have accident. anywhere AFTER that point.
I think you may have an Insurance problem too.
Kill. Injure somebody. Major damage to others.
You could lose everything. House. the lot.
Is it worth it.
Just to have a big van and carry lots of crap.??.
There's only 2 of you.
Bin ther. Dun that.
Nowadays. everybody is informed on the why's and wherefores.
You don't NEED to try it first..
It's been dun. With all it's possible consequences.
Have fun. And a deep think.
Responsibilities, and consequences. Are far reaching, sometimes.
The price is listed as....are ya sitting down? $225,000.00 and I believe that is for a petrol engine.
My first thought was "tell 'em the're jokin"
Dougwe, I have noticed the specs on most of those big monster utes is around 900 to 1000 kilo carrying capacity / payload.
I think the Ram from memory is in the low 900's and I think the Cheve Silverado is the highest.
Without actually phoning or contacting a dealer / importer it is difficult to get any accurate information re price or capacities and specifications.
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