P38A Diesel vs Petrol which one tow's better?

I think all the Land Rovers can tow up to 3500kg, although not sure about the Gaylander. Or the newer marques like the Ejoke, now I think about it. Can an Ejoke even take a tow bar? I think the towing capacity is related to the weight of the vehicle, its braking system but also its pulling ability (Low Range helps here) but I've never really looked into it. Be interesting to hear from someone who knows.

My diesel manual pulls fine and I have to say is good on fuel. I'm not saying it isn't up to the job. But on hills with a trailer with an Excavator on the back it is foot to the floor and keep an eye on the temperature gauge, especially on anything like 1 in 4. The v8 on the other hand has so much torque it is just effortless ... although it does seem to suffer more engine niggles (diesel FIP and timing chain stretch aside - and clutch pins on the manual).

Grrrrrr said:

I think all the Land Rovers can tow up to 3500kg, although not sure about the Gaylander. Or the newer marques like the Ejoke, now I think about it. Can an Ejoke even take a tow bar? I think the towing capacity is related to the weight of the vehicle, its braking system but also its pulling ability (Low Range helps here) but I've never really looked into it. Be interesting to hear from someone who knows.

My diesel manual pulls fine and I have to say is good on fuel. I'm not saying it isn't up to the job. But on hills with a trailer with an Excavator on the back it is foot to the floor and keep an eye on the temperature gauge, especially on anything like 1 in 4. The v8 on the other hand has so much torque it is just effortless ... although it does seem to suffer more engine niggles (diesel FIP and timing chain stretch aside - and clutch pins on the manual).

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Series, Defenders, Discos, and Rangies tow 3500kg.
Freelander 1s, I think 1800 kg, Freelander 2s, I think 2200kg.
Not sure about Evoques either.

The real beauty of Auto for towing is that there is no clutch to wear out, although you have said in the pat that the RR autobox is weak in this respect too.
But also that you can go almost infinitely slow, for difficult reversing manouevres.

Turboman said:

Series, Defenders, Discos, and Rangies tow 3500kg.
Freelander 1s, I think 1800 kg, Freelander 2s, I think 2200kg.
Not sure about Evoques either.

The real beauty of Auto for towing is that there is no clutch to wear out, although you have said in the pat that the RR autobox is weak in this respect too.
But also that you can go almost infinitely slow, for difficult reversing manouevres.

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Yeah, the HP22 gearbox in the auto oil burners and 4L petrols isn't so strong. The HP24 is pretty solid.

Bix said:

You would need to do a +E driving test to tow that much, a new license is only a B with a maximum trailer weight of 650kg.

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Think it’s 750kg unless it’s changed. And sadly not so new. I’m 38 and have this restriction. Yet I can still jump in a tractor and haul 10 tonne with no additional training. The crazy world we live in.

300bhp/ton said:

Think it’s 750kg unless it’s changed. And sadly not so new. I’m 38 and have this restriction. Yet I can still jump in a tractor and haul 10 tonne with no additional training. The crazy world we live in.

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Getting crazier. Ever heard of Buildings Controls? Makes Stalin look like a hippy. Soon you'll need a certificate to fart and an inspector to check the smell is up to scratch. And a fine for follow through.

I've towed a trailer of scrap metal and a load more in the back of a Disco 2 V8 effortlessly and based on what the whole lot grossed at on the weighbridge I reckon the trailer was about 4.75 tonnes and another 350kg in the back of the Disco. Stopping was no more noticeably an issue than a trailer at 3.5t but it was a three axle Ifor and the extra axle makes a lot of difference to stopping and stability and the Disco rear air helps a lot. In theory a three axle Ifor has a design capacity of over 3.5t but limited by UK law.

The Range Rover Classic actually had an official rated tow capacity of 4 tonnes which was permitted with coupled brakes (ie air or vacuum from the tow vehicle). I do know a vehicle body builder who had vacuum brakes on his trailer to get to the 4 ton and towed lorry chassis on it and used to say it was so fierce you only had to dab the brakes to nearly go through the windscreen even fully loaded.

The reason coupled brake trailers have all but disappeared is for several reasons one is that to go over 3.5t you go into HGV territory which then means ABS for trailer brakes is mandatory and also the park brake must apply automatically if the trailer loses air or vacuum which is then another design consideration. The big killer though as been EU type approval for new trailers which makes one off of small volume manufacture of custom trailers cost prohibitive.

The main determinant to trailer tow capacity rating is the low range gearbox. The regs are designed to make sure you could still pull away on some absurd incline up the Langdale pikes or somewhere no-one in their right mind would ever take a trailer. This is why so many of the jap pickups and 4x4 used to not be rated to 3.5t and I believe the current RR Sport is no longer either although the previous model was. I don't think brakes play that big a part of it as I'd say my Isuzu pick up has much better brakes than the Disco less prone to fade but only has a 3t tow capacity.

Both diesel and petrol are fine for towing, same for manual v auto. One is more practical for towing, how many petrol lorries are there.

goonarmy said:

Both diesel and petrol are fine for towing, same for manual v auto. One is more practical for towing, how many petrol lorries are there.

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Not many now, there used to be more, and there are more in countries where fuel isn't so expensive.

Nothing wrong with diesel, or manual for towing. But a V8 Auto makes it a pleasure.

Turboman said:

Not many now, there used to be more, and there are more in countries where fuel isn't so expensive.

Nothing wrong with diesel, or manual for towing. But a V8 Auto makes it a pleasure.

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Till you stop to fill the tank

tomcat59alan said:

Till you stop to fill the tank

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My V8 D2 wasn't bad on fuel. I used to get about 20mpg, or about 18 towing a cattle trailer. And petrol is up to 7p a litre cheaper than diesel at the moment, so that adds another few miles per unit cost of fuel.
In any case, life is too short to worry about such things, I would prefer to work in comfort. For a lot of people, towing is a business expense anyway.

Back in the day following some heavy snow straightened out a jackknifed 40t artic with the firms 3.9V8 petrol low box and diff locks engaged absolutely amazing what these bad boys will pull.

300bhp/ton said:

Think it’s 750kg unless it’s changed. And sadly not so new. I’m 38 and have this restriction. Yet I can still jump in a tractor and haul 10 tonne with no additional training. The crazy world we live in.

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I could never quite remember if it was 650 or 750. Either way, it is pretty much the weight of a decent trailer, so you ain't going to be towing much. IIRC, it came out around 1998, when you stopped getting D1 by default too. I suppose 20 years isn't exactly new, but I still consider anything on a AA00 ABC plate to be new too, even if it is a 51, my brain still sees it as brand new. Probably a sign of my old age.

I tow up to 3.5 tonnes with my P38 diesel and it still manages 22mpg with a fully loaded trailer on a long run.
Not the fastest thing on wheels but better than any of my previous 4 x 4's.