Towing a horse box

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cejsmith

Yep 345bhp is enough grunt, but at weighing 1000kg it may be a little light :-)

Easy do it but you are likely to pull the towbar mounts through the fibre glass.... :-)

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cejsmith

fourtunatly my wife has now decided that she needs to tow under 2 tons, so I can get away with a xc60 or xc70.

That should save a few bob.

It comes down to how and where you will be towing... I recently towed a 600 Kg trailer with a 1,500 Kg V50 on the back of it from Edingburgh to Hull and it managed it remarkably well (total weight nearly 2,100Kg) - mine is a 2003 163 BHP 5-speed Auto XC90 with 150k on it. It was more stable and much more relaxing that with my previous tow car which was a Disco 1 300TDi. (I've also used a D2 TD5 with air suspension and that was much better).

The maximum towing weight of the old-shape XC90 is 2250 Kg. For some reason the XC60, XC70, V70 are all rated 1,800 Kg. I don't know if this is reduced due to the structural properties of the car, I did read somewhere once that the maximum tow weight was based on the car being able to set off on a 1 in 5 hill (20%) but I'm not sure if this is correct.

The other thing to bear in mind is the tongue weight - this is the weight placed on the car tow hitch by the trailer - although the old shape XC90 can tow 2,250Kg the rated maximum tongue weight is just 90Kg - the Disco is 250Kg. I'm not sure why this is, I have exceeded it several times and the Nivomats just get on with it but too heavy a tongue weight can cause serious handling and stability problems.

The other issue having a high/low ratio gearbox (like the Disco). Sometimes these are really useful - for smoothly setting off and navigating terrain and tracks with lots of undulations at a controlled, slow pace - just what you need with a horsebox with your furry overdraft on board.

With regard to overall weight, a decent Ifor box will weigh around 900Kg, so with an XC60 and one horse you should be fine. Two horses and you might need to ration their carrots...

[cejsmith]

Mate it would appear that you may be a little out of date tyre xc70 can tow 2100kg and the xc60 can tow 2000kg in the auto all wheel drive form.

Also a disco nose weight is actually 150 kg I believe.

Originally Posted by Tannaton

It comes down to how and where you will be towing... I recently towed a 600 Kg trailer with a 1,500 Kg V50 on the back of it from Edingburgh to Hull and it managed it remarkably well (total weight nearly 2,100Kg) - mine is a 2003 163 BHP 5-speed Auto XC90 with 150k on it. It was more stable and much more relaxing that with my previous tow car which was a Disco 1 300TDi. (I've also used a D2 TD5 with air suspension and that was much better).

The maximum towing weight of the old-shape XC90 is 2250 Kg. For some reason the XC60, XC70, V70 are all rated 1,800 Kg. I don't know if this is reduced due to the structural properties of the car, I did read somewhere once that the maximum tow weight was based on the car being able to set off on a 1 in 5 hill (20%) but I'm not sure if this is correct.

The other thing to bear in mind is the tongue weight - this is the weight placed on the car tow hitch by the trailer - although the old shape XC90 can tow 2,250Kg the rated maximum tongue weight is just 90Kg - the Disco is 250Kg. I'm not sure why this is, I have exceeded it several times and the Nivomats just get on with it but too heavy a tongue weight can cause serious handling and stability problems.

The other issue having a high/low ratio gearbox (like the Disco). Sometimes these are really useful - for smoothly setting off and navigating terrain and tracks with lots of undulations at a controlled, slow pace - just what you need with a horsebox with your furry overdraft on board.

With regard to overall weight, a decent Ifor box will weigh around 900Kg, so with an XC60 and one horse you should be fine. Two horses and you might need to ration their carrots...

[RoyMacDonald]

Yes, 2000 Kg for mine.

[Tannaton]

Yep I stand corrected I was looking at the P2 XC70 figures and the XC60 at launch -apologies for that - but I'm pretty sure the Disco nose weight was 250Kg, at least for the D3 can't find anything on the later model.

[cejsmith]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Yep I stand corrected I was looking at the P2 XC70 figures and the XC60 at launch -apologies for that - but I'm pretty sure the Disco nose weight was 250Kg, at least for the D3 can't find anything on the later model.

We have a disco 3 and its 150kg, in the manual.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cejsmith

We have a disco 3 and its 150kg, in the manual.

Is it not 150Kg for trailers upto 2000Kg, 250Kg for trailers 2001-3500Kg (on air suspension vehicles) ?

[cejsmith]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Is it not 150Kg for trailers upto 2000Kg, 250Kg for trailers 2001-3500Kg (on air suspension vehicles) ?

What can I say, I only own the car and for the standard fit land rover detectable tow bar it's 150Kg. But if you know better I would suggest that you ring land rover and tell them they are wrong and that they should reprint the manual.

[RoyMacDonald]

Defender is also 150Kg.

I was in touch briefly with the Land Rover tech. dept., who told me that the weight limit for my 90's towbar is 150Kg. That is, the maximum amount of weight that can be exerted on the towball & towbar by the trailer hitch

That is the max nose weight of the LR towbar but is not the whole storey as trailers have their own nose weight and that is usually lower. Typically 100 Kg for most caravans.

Permitted nose weight is always the lowest one quoted.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cejsmith

What can I say, I only own the car and for the standard fit land rover detectable tow bar it's 150Kg. But if you know better I would suggest that you ring land rover and tell them they are wrong and that they should reprint the manual.

No it's okay thank you I don't need to ring them to tell them to re-print it - they have put it on their website.

http://www.ownerinfo.landrover.com/d.../proc/G1820634

For Discovery 2,3 and 4 with air suspension the maximum nose weight is 250Kg if a fixed, multi-height towing bracket is fitted. The limit is 150Kg for detachable tow bars and non air-suspension vehicles (Disco 1, Defender).

For the record I wasn't trying to outsmart anyone, I occasionally tow heavy loads and am quite fastidious about reading and understanding the legislation and limits of the vehicle. I knew I had read it somewhere, although my knowledge of the Volvo models was a bit out of date.