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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 7664

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
Compared to most estate vehicles the 90 is a great tow vehicle. The 110 even better than the 90 for comfort with its longer wheelbase. Just not quite the manoeuvrability of a 90.

Now try a discovery 3/4/5, rrs or rrv. On my opinion they are the ultimate tow vehicle.

I regularly tow at 3.5t, fully loaded trailer and tow vehicle.

Other consideration is gross train weight. Defenders is gvw plus 3.5t trailer. Not quite the same for the others! Cheers

James
110 XS Utility
130 Puma Station wagon/camper (in the making)
90 Puma Hardtop
Post #617599 18th Apr 2017 6:56am
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X4SKP



Member Since: 29 Nov 2013
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 2284

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Stornoway Grey
Re: Towing with a 90 TDCi
rockster57 wrote:
Contemplating investing in a used caravan. No experience of towing with a Defender. I don't want to end up with an unsuitable/unstable combination so wondering whether there are recommended maximums for caravan weight and length?


Hello rockster57...sound advice so far, you really should't have a problem with a Defender - Caravan combination.

The Defender will pull almost anything, you will hang on to lower gears (3rd-4th) for longer on long inclines but she will make good progress all day long when towing with anything 'normal' out the back. As has been said when underway you can forget that you have it attached sometimes....maintaining momentum becomes your preoccupation, timing your arrival into and out of junctions, to avoid as much stopping or use of the lower gears as possible is the aim. But from stand still she pulls away with 'intent'.

Ours Eriba is a 1200kg Van, 1500kgs or so when loaded, so under half what the Defender will tow there is no drama at all at any speed, usual Defender 'best practice' driving techniques apply, slow steering movements, particularity at speed to prevent 'throwing' the weight of the vehicle too quickly to one side.

The Eriba Caravan is also ideally 'matched' to a Defender being essentially the same width and height, this together with its 'bullet shaped' front means it tows exceptionally well.

110 will probably be more stable at Speed than a 90 and carry more, but the 90 is probably better on the twisty bits especially if the wheel locking has (can) be adjusted to improve the turning circle. Our 90 when checked returns between 26-29mpg (best 31 typical 28-29) when towing she is 23 -26mpg (typical 24-25) I have been surprised that the difference when fully loaded is not more. It shows me that the inherent 'poor' aerodynamics
of the Defender wins out over the use to which it is subjected.

The elevated views, slab sided nature of a Defender also is in its favor, I have also found that it rides slightly better when towing, as the extra weight has a kind of dampening effect on the overall set up.

I'd say you should have very few concerns regarding 'unsuitable/unstable combinations' even when reaching the near maximum advised towing weights...your progress will just be slower.


Click image to enlarge


Good Luck SKIP
https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html
Post #617618 18th Apr 2017 9:21am
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rockster57



Member Since: 15 Nov 2014
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 937

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Zermatt Silver
Once again, thank you to all for your helpful advice and suggestions. Lots of great information received. No problems re driving licence categories. All covered there. Skip, your Eriba looks very cool and practical. Thanks for the driving tips. Good advice and not just for when towing.

Let the search begin!
Post #617697 18th Apr 2017 1:52pm
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Sammyboy



Member Since: 28 Feb 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 121

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Sumatra Black
Agree with all previous comments. Just make sure your tow ball will go low enough to ensure Caravan is at least level, preferably slightly nose down when hitched up. Some LR tow bar combinations don't go low enough.
Post #620984 2nd May 2017 10:10am
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Sammyboy



Member Since: 28 Feb 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 121

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Sumatra Black
Bow down

Last edited by Sammyboy on 2nd May 2017 10:14am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #620986 2nd May 2017 10:12am
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Sammyboy



Member Since: 28 Feb 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 121

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Sumatra Black
Dog
Post #620987 2nd May 2017 10:12am
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rockster57



Member Since: 15 Nov 2014
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 937

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Zermatt Silver
Yup, will take that advice, thank sammyboy. I'm reckoning a DB adjustable tow bracket will need to be on my shopping list. Thumbs Up
Post #621332 3rd May 2017 1:47pm
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Sammyboy



Member Since: 28 Feb 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 121

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Sumatra Black
A DB adjustable is probably the one for you. However as every suspension configuration and tyre size effect the height of your tow bar it is worth measuring yours before you buy. The centre of the towball needs to be between 380mm and 440 mm above the ground. Each Caravan manufacturer quotes the ideal height for their caravans. Discovery 4 HSE
Defender 2.2 110 USW XS
Ford Kuga AWD
Discovery 3
Range Rover P38
Discovery - 300 TDI
Discovery - 200TDI
Post #621989 5th May 2017 7:29pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16809

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Just don't do it like this fellow!

Post #622035 5th May 2017 9:38pm
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Naks



Member Since: 27 Jan 2009
Location: Stellenbosch, ZA
Posts: 2579

South Africa 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Alpine White
this should convince you Smile

 --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged



Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9
Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO
Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ
Post #622639 8th May 2017 11:02am
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1758

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
blackwolf wrote:
Just don't do it like this fellow!



Don't suppose you know what happened there?

I've seen some truly scary trailer setups wagging down the motorway over time. Never yet had an issue, or even a wobble myself though, even when towing with a smaller hatchback, or a fairly tall & heavy box trailer behind the 110.

The trailer assist on the D4 (and I assume other models now) is incredible the way it can counter snaking.
Post #622642 8th May 2017 11:16am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16809

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
My impression from the film is that the trailer had little or no noseweight (there is a fairly long heavy-looking think sticking out of the back of the trailer) and that was enough to make it uncontrollable. So my impression is that it was operator error through failing to load correctly. I drive that section of the M5 regularly and although that section has been resurfaced since 2015 I don't remember it as being excessively rutted. The Landrover and trailer has just joined the motorway (you see it come off the J5 slip road) so it may be the first time the drive has got up to any sort of speed.

It's hard to make out the payload, but it looks almost like a large engine block central on the trailer, and the sticking-out thing looks quite substantial. Possible a heavy trailer with little noseweight was all it took.

As a person who tows an IW LM146 with a 110 extensively (the trailer in the clip appears to be the LM186) I can honestly say that the trailer is so good that it is almost impossible to make it aggressive unless you load it like an idiot!

I think that the trucker with the dashcam did well to avoid hitting the spun-out Defender and trailer. I also suspect that the Defender's occupants must have had a major adrenaline shot and been hyped up for some time after that. Maybe even a laundry bill was involved!
Post #622643 8th May 2017 11:23am
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scotsstag



Member Since: 17 Jun 2012
Location: D+G
Posts: 532

Scotland 2004 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Rutland Red
pj2106 wrote:
I tow a twinaxle 8.2m and single axle 7.9m with my 90 no probs very stable and capable



Thought the maximum body length allowed by law was 7m unless the towing vehicle has a gvw exceeding 3.5 tonnes. 04' 90 Td5 CSW..
Post #628108 31st May 2017 10:23pm
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Iggle piggle



Member Since: 10 Sep 2014
Location: Wales
Posts: 378

United Kingdom 1989 Defender 90 V8 Petrol ST Alpine White
"Thought the maximum body length allowed by law was 7m unless the towing vehicle has a gvw exceeding 3.5 tonnes"

It is 7m body length, PJ will be quoting the shipping length, i.e. Including the A frame
Post #628131 1st Jun 2017 6:19am
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ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
I too tow an Eriba, a Triton 420 with a GW of 1200 Kg, normally with my 110 Puma, I have a Shocklink fitted to an adjustable Dixon-Bate towbar. I feel that the Shocklink definitely adds to the smoothness of the drive. Remember that as standard a caravan's drawbar damping system only works laterally, not vertically which is where the Shocklink comes in.
SWMBO has a soft top 90 Puma which has a lot harsher ride than the 110. Though we haven't tried towing the Eriba with it there is no way I would without the Shocklink otherwise I'm sure we would be forever tightening the screws in locker hinges etc. I have fitted a DB adjustable coupling to it so if we do decide to use it it's a 2 minute job to swap them over. 2010 Defender 110 Station Wagon, Santorini Black.
Post #628865 4th Jun 2017 12:00pm
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