 | Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > Towing with a 90 TDCi |
 
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2295   
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Hello rockster57...sound advice so far, you really should't have a problem with a Defender - Caravan combination. The Defender will pull almost anything, you will hang on to lower gears (3rd-4th) for longer on long inclines but she will make good progress all day long when towing with anything 'normal' out the back. As has been said when underway you can forget that you have it attached sometimes....maintaining momentum becomes your preoccupation, timing your arrival into and out of junctions, to avoid as much stopping or use of the lower gears as possible is the aim. But from stand still she pulls away with 'intent'. Ours Eriba is a 1200kg Van, 1500kgs or so when loaded, so under half what the Defender will tow there is no drama at all at any speed, usual Defender 'best practice' driving techniques apply, slow steering movements, particularity at speed to prevent 'throwing' the weight of the vehicle too quickly to one side. The Eriba Caravan is also ideally 'matched' to a Defender being essentially the same width and height, this together with its 'bullet shaped' front means it tows exceptionally well. 110 will probably be more stable at Speed than a 90 and carry more, but the 90 is probably better on the twisty bits especially if the wheel locking has (can) be adjusted to improve the turning circle. Our 90 when checked returns between 26-29mpg (best 31 typical 28-29) when towing she is 23 -26mpg (typical 24-25) I have been surprised that the difference when fully loaded is not more. It shows me that the inherent 'poor' aerodynamics of the Defender wins out over the use to which it is subjected. The elevated views, slab sided nature of a Defender also is in its favor, I have also found that it rides slightly better when towing, as the extra weight has a kind of dampening effect on the overall set up. I'd say you should have very few concerns regarding 'unsuitable/unstable combinations' even when reaching the near maximum advised towing weights...your progress will just be slower.  Click image to enlarge Good Luck SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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18th Apr 2017 9:21am |
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| rockster57 Member Since: 15 Nov 2014 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 937 
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Once again, thank you to all for your helpful advice and suggestions. Lots of great information received. No problems re driving licence categories. All covered there. Skip, your Eriba looks very cool and practical. Thanks for the driving tips. Good advice and not just for when towing.
Let the search begin! |
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18th Apr 2017 1:52pm |
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| Sammyboy Member Since: 28 Feb 2017 Location: Hampshire Posts: 121 
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Agree with all previous comments. Just make sure your tow ball will go low enough to ensure Caravan is at least level, preferably slightly nose down when hitched up. Some LR tow bar combinations don't go low enough.
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2nd May 2017 10:10am |
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| Sammyboy Member Since: 28 Feb 2017 Location: Hampshire Posts: 121
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 Last edited by Sammyboy on 2nd May 2017 10:14am. Edited 1 time in total |
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2nd May 2017 10:12am |
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| Sammyboy Member Since: 28 Feb 2017 Location: Hampshire Posts: 121
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2nd May 2017 10:12am |
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| rockster57 Member Since: 15 Nov 2014 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 937
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Yup, will take that advice, thank sammyboy. I'm reckoning a DB adjustable tow bracket will need to be on my shopping list.
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3rd May 2017 1:47pm |
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| Sammyboy Member Since: 28 Feb 2017 Location: Hampshire Posts: 121
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A DB adjustable is probably the one for you. However as every suspension configuration and tyre size effect the height of your tow bar it is worth measuring yours before you buy. The centre of the towball needs to be between 380mm and 440 mm above the ground. Each Caravan manufacturer quotes the ideal height for their caravans. Discovery 4 HSE
Defender 2.2 110 USW XS Ford Kuga AWD Discovery 3 Range Rover P38 Discovery - 300 TDI Discovery - 200TDI |
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5th May 2017 7:29pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17466 
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Just don't do it like this fellow!
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5th May 2017 9:38pm |
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| Naks Member Since: 27 Jan 2009 Location: Stellenbosch, ZA Posts: 2645  
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this should convince you
-- 2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged
Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9 Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ |
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8th May 2017 11:02am |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1764 
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Don't suppose you know what happened there? I've seen some truly scary trailer setups wagging down the motorway over time. Never yet had an issue, or even a wobble myself though, even when towing with a smaller hatchback, or a fairly tall & heavy box trailer behind the 110. The trailer assist on the D4 (and I assume other models now) is incredible the way it can counter snaking. |
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8th May 2017 11:16am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17466
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My impression from the film is that the trailer had little or no noseweight (there is a fairly long heavy-looking think sticking out of the back of the trailer) and that was enough to make it uncontrollable. So my impression is that it was operator error through failing to load correctly. I drive that section of the M5 regularly and although that section has been resurfaced since 2015 I don't remember it as being excessively rutted. The Landrover and trailer has just joined the motorway (you see it come off the J5 slip road) so it may be the first time the drive has got up to any sort of speed.
It's hard to make out the payload, but it looks almost like a large engine block central on the trailer, and the sticking-out thing looks quite substantial. Possible a heavy trailer with little noseweight was all it took. As a person who tows an IW LM146 with a 110 extensively (the trailer in the clip appears to be the LM186) I can honestly say that the trailer is so good that it is almost impossible to make it aggressive unless you load it like an idiot! I think that the trucker with the dashcam did well to avoid hitting the spun-out Defender and trailer. I also suspect that the Defender's occupants must have had a major adrenaline shot and been hyped up for some time after that. Maybe even a laundry bill was involved! |
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8th May 2017 11:23am |
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| scotsstag Member Since: 17 Jun 2012 Location: D+G Posts: 535  
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Thought the maximum body length allowed by law was 7m unless the towing vehicle has a gvw exceeding 3.5 tonnes. 04' 90 Td5 CSW.. |
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31st May 2017 10:23pm |
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| Iggle piggle Member Since: 10 Sep 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 378 
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"Thought the maximum body length allowed by law was 7m unless the towing vehicle has a gvw exceeding 3.5 tonnes"
It is 7m body length, PJ will be quoting the shipping length, i.e. Including the A frame |
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1st Jun 2017 6:19am |
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| ChrisCM Member Since: 10 Jun 2013 Location: Cornwall uk Posts: 572 
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I too tow an Eriba, a Triton 420 with a GW of 1200 Kg, normally with my 110 Puma, I have a Shocklink fitted to an adjustable Dixon-Bate towbar. I feel that the Shocklink definitely adds to the smoothness of the drive. Remember that as standard a caravan's drawbar damping system only works laterally, not vertically which is where the Shocklink comes in.
SWMBO has a soft top 90 Puma which has a lot harsher ride than the 110. Though we haven't tried towing the Eriba with it there is no way I would without the Shocklink otherwise I'm sure we would be forever tightening the screws in locker hinges etc. I have fitted a DB adjustable coupling to it so if we do decide to use it it's a 2 minute job to swap them over. 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black. |
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4th Jun 2017 12:00pm |
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