Member Since: 18 Mar 2006
Location: in the rhondda valleys
Posts: 945
HI GUYS
we will have to do survey ,we all tow with D2 but what ?
trailer,horseboxes caravans etc pluse make /model
any one in the CC/C+CC ,centre members
a good test is that hill at eastnor castle ,my D2 V8 did it no problem
looking to tryD3 later this yr
KEVI
PS cc south glamorgan centre
bessecarr 525Practice safe eating - always use condiments.
2 Too many seats now
No trouble so far
tow pack, tasmods sills
IT goes without saying that you should never have more children than you have car windows
27th Mar 2006 6:55 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
Towbar height too low
Is there anyone out there that tows an offroad trailer? (see my General gallery if you don't know what I am referring to)
I would really appreciate some advice on the best way to achieve the proper towball height without sacrificing ground clearance, as the standard removable towbar is quite a bit too low, and digs into the ground at the first opportunity, yet if I fit the multiheight towbar I think I will be sacrificing even more ground clearance. I also don't like the idea of the towbar being a permanent fixture, as I always tend to collect it with my shins when I walk behind the vehicle. This is probably the only thing my TD5 did better than the D3, and it is causing some pain.
Is there a chance LR (or aftermarket) will come up with another towbar variant?
To add more complication, I would ideally like to be able to add a 4 bicycle rack, although this is not the primary concern, I can always add the bikes on top of the trailer, as I have in the past, there is just a big sacrifice in fuel consumption as result of the drag.
I like your idea of a poll. I wonder what the strangest thing is that is being towed by a D3?
24th Apr 2006 3:49 pm
Penguin
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
I do ...
Just check the previous page, and my site...
DIY In a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin. www.m-release.com
24th Apr 2006 5:12 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
Penguin wrote:
I do ...
Just check the previous page, and my site...
DIY
Hi Penguin, I saw your gorgeous towbar. Looks like it will do the trick for towing on-road, for sure. What I need is the same towing height but with a bit more ground clearance. Would you mind measuring the clearance ? I bet it is about the same or worse than the standard detachable (mine is only 230mm above the ground, and this at the very end of the vehicle overhang), and this is the big issue I have. I want the "holy grail" of towbars, I am sure, but can it be so difficult to have ground clearance AND the right towing height?
I approached a local towbar manufacturer, (who is also accredited by our local standards beaureau) and he suggested cutting the gooseneck and welding a plate onto it! I am sure this won't be a safe solution, but it's very tempting. Just wouldn't want to do 7000km thru Namibia with a welded gooseneck.
24th Apr 2006 5:30 pm
Penguin
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
Just went out and measured:
At off-road suspension mode 330mm from the ground and 80mm behind bumperIn a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin. www.m-release.com
24th Apr 2006 6:18 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
I just checked, and realised I measured in access height , so that would make it 270mm in standard and 310mm in offroad mode. You seem to have 20mm more clearance. I'm looking for about 100mm
24th Apr 2006 6:33 pm
Penguin
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
that's gonna be hard to get...
It will be in front of the bottom trunk, and the lever (?) will be to high, and risking to break it all will be highIn a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin. www.m-release.com
24th Apr 2006 7:27 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Presumably you don't have electrics for the trailer as the car shouldn't go into Off road height when towing.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
24th Apr 2006 8:31 pm
Penguin
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
euh, yess I have...
I even have the 2nd connector for extra power (rear light, permanent 12V, ...)
Pulled several trailers, and all allow to go to off-road positionIn a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin. www.m-release.com
24th Apr 2006 8:46 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
I believe that if the towbar is enabled on WDS it stops off road hieght being reached.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
25th Apr 2006 8:05 am
Penguin
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
I thought the same that the trailer being connected would inhibit off-road height. On checking with the caravan, you can manually select off road height and the Disco will reach it.
Reading the manual, the automatic raising to off road height under Terrain Response selection (prob Rock crawl) is inhibited, thus saving tipping the rear of the trailer onto the ground - but I haven't checked that!
So you can raise the car to off road height with a trailer connected even if the electrics have been enabled.
Cheers
MGDisco
25th Apr 2006 4:25 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Cheers for that clarification.
But the fact that your car has a towbar on has to be communicated to it by the WDS system. Although my previous one wasn't for several months and I never noticed the difference. I was under the impression that once it was that it wouldn't go into OR height. But it seems that it won't by TR only manually.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
25th Apr 2006 7:38 pm
Baben
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 2059
Must be something the dealer has to code in, because mine even went into extended mode with the trailer on, and I also have the double electrics (N+S ?) factory fitted.
Kevi are you going to do that survey? Would be interesting to see what wacky stuff is being towed, and whether there aree more people like Penguin with custom towbars
After all this I am doing Namibia without the trailer. Gonna be tight with the 2 kids
26th Apr 2006 6:12 am
grommet
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 331
I'm pretty sure the air suspension raising is only prevented when you are using the tow electrics and the transmission is in Low Range.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
, so that would make it 270mm in standard and 310mm in offroad mode. You seem to have 20mm more clearance. I'm looking for about 100mm 
