17' Series 17.56 Being towed by a Prado 150

[The Goodwins]

Let me break it down @Doug
Does it tow better;
It is amazing the towing difference between the single and dual
Acceleration is not as good with the Diesel but having driven the ne 2.8 TD Prado they have addressed that.
Although it lacks the acceleration with the van on it also doesn't give me the frown when I watch the fuel gauge head south.
The TD has heaps more torque so lacks the initial punch but makes up for it in the staying power halfway up the hill.
My solution as I will not be updating this car will be to chip it and do the exhaust

 

[Doug]

Let me break it down @Doug
Does it tow better;
It is amazing the towing difference between the single and dual
Acceleration is not as good with the Diesel but having driven the ne 2.8 TD Prado they have addressed that.
Although it lacks the acceleration with the van on it also doesn't give me the frown when I watch the fuel gauge head south.
The TD has heaps more torque so lacks the initial punch but makes up for it in the staying power halfway up the hill.
My solution as I will not be updating this car will be to chip it and do the exhaust

.

Thanks for your feedback. I have decided after much debate to go the 2.8l diesel. I may miss some of the power but hope will be made up for in fuel usage and eventually resale.

 

[Bluey]

Carefull my 1756-2 outback is to heavy for my 120 deisal it tows it fine great on fule but its not legal over 2.5 tonne and 265 to 270 on the ball and im 2.6 at least van weight so get your van weighed dont trust jaycos weight i did then i had to bye a cruiser cause i was far from legal and they knew at the time i only had a prado only water on im 2.6 my plate said i was heaps less than it realy weighed

 

[Dobbie]

Have you checked all the details on weights from your car book?

And checked the van weight details, including allowable payload? And the possibility of any extras you want to add after their weights are stamped?

Don't forget that you must take into account the payload ....ALL extras and stuff carried in car, including passengers....with the GVM and the higher the payload, the lower the ball weight allowed.

If you're over, you're risking insurance problems.

We have a friend who had to get rid of his Prado because of weight problems and he wasn't even aware he was well over the allowable limit....until advised by a police check.

 

[achjimmy]

Have you checked all the details on weights from your car book?

And checked the van weight details, including allowable payload? And the possibility of any extras you want to add after their weights are stamped?

Don't forget that you must take into account the payload ....ALL extras and stuff carried in car, including passengers....with the GVM and the higher the payload, the lower the ball weight allowed.

If you're over, you're risking insurance problems.

We have a friend who had to get rid of his Prado because of weight problems and he wasn't even aware he was well over the allowable limit....until advised by a police check.

Dobbie can you get your friend to post an account of the police check here please? I am not trying to be a smartarse but in all the readings I have yet to hear an account from someone who was checked and how they went about it. It's always 2nd or 3rd hand. I have no doubt it's happened but it's seems almost an urban myth ?

 

[achjimmy]

Isn't the new playdoh rated higher 2.8 or 3t ? As @Dobbie said 9 outta 10 times people will be over the vehicle GVM before even hooking up

 

[Dobbie]

Can't get my friend to post the details...he's away again....but it was just out of Caboolture on the bribie island road ....and, from memory, about 18 months ago.

He wasn't fined but was warned and he was really concerned as he'd just got back from an 18month lap...but he hadn't done all the checks with ALL the weights. He'd just checked car towing capacity and weight of his van and ball weight. He hadn't taken extras like bull bars, snorkels, extra fridges etc Into consideration.

That prompted me to be super careful in our deliberations and I carry, in the van documents, a list of all items carried, their approx weights and am now including and updating that list. Obviously, we don't weigh a jar of vegemite but we do have a range of weights for food etc we try to adhere to...eg max of 25 kilos for frozen stuff, max of 20 kilos for non perishable food. That can vary according to travel type.

Just because it will fit in the cupboard doesn't mean we need more than the basics.....and we do eat and drink well!

I think it is our responsibility to get it right. It's our safety and, if we wing it, we're culpable if there's a problem.

It important even if it's not going to be policed. It should be right to start with.

I know I get on my high horse about this but I figure someone needs to shout a bit louder.

 

[Dobbie]

Just remembered the check was definately by police, and it followed a series of bad accidents along that particular road, some involving caravans.

They set up a pull over spot, like a RBT, and checked every caravan. I have no idea if they fined anyone but they did issue strong warnings.

Maybe that was the beginning of the urban myth.

 

[Bluey]

Police checks may be a myth but failure of insurance to pay if over weight isnt just ask any truck driver if van is destroyed they wont weigh it but if its not you will get weighed if somthing has happened its better to know you fully covered by having a suitable tow car with weight in reserve if a van weighs close to 2.5 and a prado weighs 2.5 thats not ideal either evan thought it can tow it when i towed it with prado was very good i thought but now i know its much better with cruiser as its heavier and bigger and feels right prado is realy to small for my van but i wish it wasnt i love that car

 

[vince]

Gday i have the 17.56-2 expanda and am dragging it around with a 150 series prado , the van has a standard draw bar on it and i have put a box on it also with the gas bottles inside and have heaps of room , the box is a wedge shape 1500w at rear 1000w at front 500 high and 500 deep , the box clears the car no probs could have gone another 300 wider for more storage but that creates weight issues .i do have some photos but wont let me upload them

 

[dagree]

Might need to resize them @vince ..... Maximum size on the forum is 800 pixels wide!

 

[Daniel Peterson]

Hi guys we are in the process of buying an expanda and are just wondering is anyone running a 150 series prado with a standard length draw bar?

Im just concerned that I'm going to have rear door opening dramas when the vans hooked up and also not being able to set the van up for over nighters while still being hooked up.

Do i need to buy one with the extended draw bar?

Can i buy second hand and get a new draw bar fitted?

Spoke to a person yesterday and they mentioned an extended haymen reese tongue, which the web sight has but doesn't mention if the ball weight is reduced.

Any info is appreciated please.

Cheers Dwayne Newman WA

Hey mate, im running with a 2014 150 series gxl and a 2012 17.56-2 my drawbar is standard and mt tailgate opens up to the gas bottle can not open it the entire way but plenty of room to still get your stuff! I use a WDH system and the van toes great and sits straight. Toyota Springs are quite soft and ill mostlikly upgrade the rear springs at some stage. Hope that helps.

 

[Daniel Peterson]

Hey mate, im running with a 2014 150 series gxl and a 2012 17.56-2 my drawbar is standard and mt tailgate opens up to the gas bottle can not open it the entire way but plenty of room to still get your stuff! I use a WDH system and the van toes great and sits straight. Toyota Springs are quite soft and ill mostlikly upgrade the rear springs at some stage. Hope that helps.

Oh and you can set the van up for overnight stays without disconnecting the van from the car. Plenty of room

 

[Bluey]

Hey mate, im running with a 2014 150 series gxl and a 2012 17.56-2 my drawbar is standard and mt tailgate opens up to the gas bottle can not open it the entire way but plenty of room to still get your stuff! I use a WDH system and the van toes great and sits straight. Toyota Springs are quite soft and ill mostlikly upgrade the rear springs at some stage. Hope that helps.

I put on pedders back springs standard hight but there stronger than toyota ones very good with or without van still got same shocks as from new its done 140 thousand 07 model vx