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Ambitious towbars


sdkrc

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4 hours ago, bunglebus said:

How about an ambitious roof rack?

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pretty sure I can win/kill this one right away! LOL

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and its worse then it looks because its a *Villiers* machine, 197cc, 8.6Hp, single Jingle 2 stroke, just what you want for moving a triple settee up the welsh hills (which is where the shot was taken!)

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I was going to put this in the caravan thread. Might still do it. But this is what happens when no one is taught how to do it correctly. 

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edit: According to the facebook police, the panda wasnt the tow car. But still looks ambitious. Turns out it was towed by an X5 that the towbar fell off.

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18 minutes ago, Barry Cade said:

Just had to abort a job to fit a towbar to a 2022 Rav 4 hybrid. Chap has just bought a swift 530, at 1400kg.. the Rav maximum towing capacity is 800kg..

WTF?

Seeing this more and more.  I am sure I have read that one of the considerations vehicle manufacturers have to take into account is the weight a vehicle can tow up a 1-in-6 hill (which is bloody steep actually).  WIth the direct-drive fixed ratio of motor-to-wheels, they just cannot tow 2+tonnes up such an incline.

This is also why vehicles have GTW weights rather than "towing" weights.  You can trade weight between the trailer and vehicle within certain limits, as the overall limit is based on how much weight can actually be dragged up an incline.  On the flat-and-level, a fiat panda could probably pull 10 tonnes (slowly).  Up an incline though?  not likely.

It's part of the reason that anything with a low-box often has such a high towing capacity.  Shove it in low-box 1st, and you have enough gear reduction to be able to pull said weight up a hill.  Electric drive just doesn't have this ability.

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2 hours ago, Talbot said:

Seeing this more and more.  I am sure I have read that one of the considerations vehicle manufacturers have to take into account is the weight a vehicle can tow up a 1-in-6 hill (which is bloody steep actually).  WIth the direct-drive fixed ratio of motor-to-wheels, they just cannot tow 2+tonnes up such an incline.

This is also why vehicles have GTW weights rather than "towing" weights.  You can trade weight between the trailer and vehicle within certain limits, as the overall limit is based on how much weight can actually be dragged up an incline.  On the flat-and-level, a fiat panda could probably pull 10 tonnes (slowly).  Up an incline though?  not likely.

It's part of the reason that anything with a low-box often has such a high towing capacity.  Shove it in low-box 1st, and you have enough gear reduction to be able to pull said weight up a hill.  Electric drive just doesn't have this ability.

Old fashioned 4x4s generally had a rigid chassis so could tow 3.5 tons without distorting the body work which most monocoques can’t.

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4 hours ago, Talbot said:

Seeing this more and more.  I am sure I have read that one of the considerations vehicle manufacturers have to take into account is the weight a vehicle can tow up a 1-in-6 hill (which is bloody steep actually).  WIth the direct-drive fixed ratio of motor-to-wheels, they just cannot tow 2+tonnes up such an incline.

This is also why vehicles have GTW weights rather than "towing" weights.  You can trade weight between the trailer and vehicle within certain limits, as the overall limit is based on how much weight can actually be dragged up an incline.  On the flat-and-level, a fiat panda could probably pull 10 tonnes (slowly).  Up an incline though?  not likely.

It's part of the reason that anything with a low-box often has such a high towing capacity.  Shove it in low-box 1st, and you have enough gear reduction to be able to pull said weight up a hill.  Electric drive just doesn't have this ability.

Just remember this Is a hybrid,  but has a 2.5 petrol engine. Other Rav models can tow 1600kg, so no problem with body strength etc. All to do with the hybrid and the vehicles weight.. any caravanners out there, look after what you have... this looks like the future.

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13 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

Just remember this Is a hybrid,  but has a 2.5 petrol engine. Other Rav models can tow 1600kg, so no problem with body strength etc. All to do with the hybrid and the vehicles weight.. any caravanners out there, look after what you have... this looks like the future.

The wife currently has a 20 plate Rav 4 hybrid. I looked into its towing capacity when we first had it and was shocked. It seams the 2wd versions aren’t type approved for anything over what the manufacturer states. 750+50…. Or something like that? But I think the 4wd version can tow much higher weight. I have seen these cars with tow bars but unless you’re using a small garden trailer, there’s no point even fitting one to a 2wd. Shame really as the new rav4 is a nice steer! 

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14 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

Just remember this Is a hybrid,  but has a 2.5 petrol engine. Other Rav models can tow 1600kg, so no problem with body strength etc. All to do with the hybrid and the vehicles weight.. any caravanners out there, look after what you have... this looks like the future.

That's why my Grampa isn't changing car. There's nothing he's overly keen on in the large family class that's either heavy enough to tow, or cheap enough for him to buy outright. He doesn't want one of these horrid crossover lumps either.

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