rrc towing weights/advice

[maxtherotti]

hi all im toying with the idea of getting a large caravan (prob twin axle) for me and the wife + dog for a trip around for a few months.

so im interested in knowing what weight my 93 rrc 3.9 auto can tow safely.

also what other mods would be worth looking into for a big towing trip?

extra engine/gearbox oil coolers?

car will have a mega service before we go and has hd + 30mm springs on there way (will put a drop plate on the tow ball to make sure its level with the a frame)

thanks in advance rob

[lrfarmer]

thay are all aloud to tow 3500kg and i feel if loaded well are very safe with it

i tow a 17' caravan with my 90 and don't even know its there

[maxtherotti]

cool well that more than covers most (if not all i should imagine) caravans i will be looking at then B)

what items on the car will be needing special attention then or is it a case of just making sure its all tip top?

thanks rob

[bishbosh]

With an auto you will have little engine braking so make sure the vehicle and caravan brakes are in tip top condition (if that isn't too obvious!!)

[paintman]

Use the gears! In an auto it will stop the box going above the gear you have selected so you will get good engine braking albeit not as much as a manual box.

And if necessary use low box on extreme hills. If you try & use the brakes continuously all the way down you'll find they get less & less effective as they heat up.

I do (twin axle boat trailer) - esp on one hill which if I got it wrong at the 90deg turn at the bottom I would be over the cliff & onto the beach.

[lrfarmer]

make shore you've got one thay make the caravan more stable than the old anti sway bars

you do need the right type of towbar to go with it

[maxtherotti]

my father in law used to be into caravans and his last one had a stabiliser built into the hitch assy was like a big lever that clamped over the top of the normal hitch handle but he only used it once due to illness so sold the van on (shame was a nice van too) and he had to have a new ball fitted to the car when he picked the van up so i guess thats the same sort of thing then??

rob

[disco_al]

May be worth upgrading the brake fluid from Dot 4 to Dot 5 (or maybe 5.1) as it has a higher boiling point, and has probably never been changed in it's life. Other than that, cooling shouldn't be a problem with the Lancaster prop that comes as standard fit, gearbox fluid change to ATF DIII maybe a good idea too.

[dantd5]

.....I do (twin axle boat trailer) - esp on one hill which if I got it wrong at the 90deg turn at the bottom I would be over the cliff & onto the beach.

sounds familiar here!!!