A little left of Centre

[crusty]

A little left of Centre Patrol or Cruser ???

You lot may be able to help.

Im going to buy a new 4x4 and im looking at a Nissal Patrol wagon 3.00litre turbo diesel.
But i dont know what they are like a towing a decent load, the size of the motor seem a little small

I know the Toyota Land Crusa T/D will do the job but they are a little out if my price range and so is a Ford F250 etc.

I will be towing a 5.5 boat from Perth to Exmouth and back (1200km one way) non stop so i need it to do 110kph with out drinking to much fuel.
One the way back it will be pulling about 2500kg ( spanish macks weigh a bit)
and still want it to do 110kph and i dont mind hurting it if i have to.

Queston is will to do the job or am i asking to much out of 3 litres and with the price of fuel in Aust i cant go near a V8

Crusty

 

[island_sands]

Re: A little left of Centre Patrol or Cruser ???

You lot may be able to help.

Im going to buy a new 4x4 and im looking at a Nissal Patrol wagon 3.00litre turbo diesel.
But i dont know what they are like a towing a decent load, the size of the motor seem a little small

I know the Toyota Land Crusa T/D will do the job but they are a little out if my price range and so is a Ford F250 etc.

I will be towing a 5.5 boat from Perth to Exmouth and back (1200km one way) non stop so i need it to do 110kph with out drinking to much fuel.
One the way back it will be pulling about 2500kg ( spanish macks weigh a bit)
and still want it to do 110kph and i dont mind hurting it if i have to.

Queston is will to do the job or am i asking to much out of 3 litres and with the price of fuel in Aust i cant go near a V8

Crusty

Crusty
I just bought the Toyota Fortuner (V6), although i don't know if they sell as far as Australia. My brother said he has not seen it in the US, for example. Photo attached. I am really happy with it and it's comfortable driving, plenty of room for all the diving junk too

It does about 490-450kms per tank depending how you drive it, here are the specs:


Specifications :

TY08526 - FORTUNER, 7 Seater, Automatic Model, SR Grade, 5 Speed Automatic Transmission with Torque - 38.3kg-m/3800rpm
Performance :

Engine - 4.0 Litre, 3956cc, 6 Cylinders V-type, 24 Valve, DOHC with VVT-i, Unleaded with Catalytic Convertor.
Power - 235HP/5200rpm
Torque - 35.0kg-m/2400-4800rpm
Exterior Features :

265/70R16 7JJ, Bridgestone Tyres with Alloy Wheels.
Coloured Front and Rear Bumpers.
Chrome Outside Door Handles.
Intermittent Wiper - Time Adjustment+Mist.
Rear Window Defogger.
Multi Reflector Halogen Headlamps with Leveling.
Front Fog Lamps.
Front and Rear Mud Guards.
Outside Rear View Mirror - Powered and Chrome.
Rear Spoiler and Roof Rails.
Interior & Convenience Features :

Audio System - AM/FM/Cassette, MP3, CD player, 6 Speakers.
Dual Air Conditioner.
Power & Tilt Steering.
Power Windows with Auto down for Driver.
Central Locking and Keyless Entry.
Optitron Speedometer and Tachometer.
Multi Information Display.
Rear Differential Lock.
Illuminated Entry System with Ignition Key.
Fabric Seats.
Full Time 4 Wheel Drive.
Safety Features :

Air Bag System - Driver + Passenger.
Anti-lock Brake System - ABS.
Anti Theft System with Immobilizer.
High Mount Stop Lamp.
.

 

[crusty]

Jeez Sands thats an impressive reply.
Looks a bit like what they call a Prado over here.

I need something a bit bigger ( Land Cruser Size) and has to be Turbo diesel, but thanks for the info

Cheers Crusty

 

[island_sands]

Jeez Sands thats an impressive reply.
Looks a bit like what they call a Prado over here.

I need something a bit bigger ( Land Cruser Size) and has to be Turbo diesel, but thanks for the info

Cheers Crusty

The Fortuner is the "baby Prado" - we have Prados here too. you can get the Fortuner in Diesel too. Its actually slightly higher than the Landcruiser. Anyway, good luck with your 4x4 hunting. haven't had the guts to take mine out on desert safari yet still plucking up the courage

 

[miles]

Hiya

Crusty, a 3ltr turbo diesel will pull your 5.5m boat EASILY!! The new generation diesel motors are simply superb.

I pulled my 24' Mono hull with my 1996 Toyota Hilux 4x4 with a 2.8ltr diesel motor. I now tow my 28' Cat with the same 4x4, only now i've fitted an v6 3ltr petrol motor. Absolutely no problems.

I towed my 18' commercial boat with a 1974 Dodge SE. 3.7ltr striaght 6 petrol motor. That car pulled my boat plus 2ton of fish inside the boat out of the slip. Quite a few times!!

So, unless you're launching off the beach or the roads are very bad, you don't even need a 4x4. A normal 2 wheel drive pick-up will work fine for a 5.5m boat.

Regards
miles

 

[Huan]

Re: A little left of Centre Patrol or Cruser ???

Crusty

The Patrol GQ and GR series are good machines.
The 3L TD engine seems small but has a pile of torque, I have a Toyota KZ90 series with a 3L TD and it pulls like a good thing.
The TD's are actually a lot more economical than the normally aspirated diesel engines like the Nissan 4.2
you should have no worries with the Nissan of course you could always do what I am planning on doing and fit a vegetable oil conversion kit.
just stop at a takeaway and ask for their old oil and fill yourself up!

 

[Marwan]

While i agree with miles in principle, practice proved otherwise, we had a 5.5 meter boat that we used to tow/launch with a bmw 5 series, its powerful enough but after a few months we faced some problems with transmission drive shafts etc..., i would definitely recommend a 4X4, the patrol and landcruiser are both great cars, but for their size i always feel that they would be a bit underpowered with 6 cylinder engine. IF you are thinking about 6 cylinder I would recommend the Prado or the mitsubishi pajero (3.8 liter V6), i think they call it montero in some parts of the world. They are both very spacious good power to weight ratio and extremely reliable. I own a jeep liberty Renegade and i easily tow/launch our 8m speed boat (2,500 KG), but maybe it would be small for you if you require too much space like the land cruiser or patrol.
The new fortuner is also an awesome ride, but it was TOOOO expensive here in Egypt (double the price of the Jeep)
best of luck

 

[crusty]

Thanks for the Replies folks

Has to be a 4x4 we do a bit of beach launching and one of our best fishing spots is of a very long and nasty dirt track with some corrigations that shake trailers apart and a decent sand dune section.

We do a long run a night when the servos are closed so need the Turbo Diesel for its pulling power ( has to be able to do 120KPH for hours on end)
Plus they dont use a much fuel as petrols and have sub tanks 90+ 40
so we dont have to stop to often for fuel.

Im have a new model Duel cab ute now Holden Rodeo with a 3.6 v6 Petrol and on the last run home from exmouth it almost died could only reach 100kph into and did 220km to 70 litres of fuel, you could actually watch the gauge go down as you drove.

I have organised a Patrol for the weekend so will put the boat behind it a give it a floggin to see how she pulls

Crusty

 

[sickbugs]

patrols are beasts for towing, and miles, i love those hilux'es amazing trucks, ive seen them tow land rover defenders out of gullys before.

 

[land shark]

crusty

I pulled my baby around with a 3.4L chevy Blazer I would recommend a tranny cooler really saves on the tranny on those hot summer days and long hard runs.My real concern is how you will be getting your boat out of the water with so many fish in it.

jim

 

[crusty]

crusty

I pulled my baby around with a 3.4L chevy Blazer I would recommend a tranny cooler really saves on the tranny on those hot summer days and long hard runs.My real concern is how you will be getting your boat out of the water with so many fish in it.

jim

Harrr i wish that was the problem.

We are only allowed two Spanish Macks per diver per day plus there is a bag limit on the other fish we catch, but with 4 divers on board there could be 150 - 200 kg of fish in the boat
We are also limited to a two days worth of fish per Person for the trip.

The big problem is to bring them back from Exmouth its a 1200km drive, so we have to pack them in ice in the huge eskys 2 or 3 per boat.
With all the fish, ice, weight belts, guns and assorted other crap you find you can easly be towing 2500kg or more.
Thats on paved roads, one spot we go its all dirt roads and sand dunes so the 4 x 4 and your boat trailer can cop a floggin.

We also get macks close to home but thats only for a few months during summer when the water heats up, so during the winter months we head north.

Anyway the Patrols and Crusas come standard with tranny coolers so it shouldnt be a problem.

Crusty

 

[Amphibious]

Buy a Hilux! trust me, indestructable spearfishing mobile we have rolled one on the way to the dive site, pulled it rubber side down with another vehicle, kicked out the windshield and still got in a good dive and made it home

 

[mishu1984]

Prado comes with twin 90Liter tanks. the only problem is that at speeds of 170kph + it guzzles gas like crazy (petrol model- dunno abt diesel), but i find it much better than my landcruiser. having both, i can honestly say that the prado, since it has twin 90's and is lighter than the Land Cruiser, is a better choice for towing and has a higher ground clearance and wheel travel and can take a huge beating and ask for more. ive had my prado coverded in mud, litterally took the car for a mud bath while towing 4 jet-skis (sea water washed the jets) and six people (me included) plus gear through mud and dunes made of some more gushy-kuwaiti-stick-to-yer-ass mud that at times is worse than superglueing the chasis to the ground.
i would highly recommend against the Pajero/Montero as it as a pussycat compared to the Prado.

the prado, as well as the hilux are the work horses of the Toyota family. just make sure to get the hilux in crewcab 4x4
goodluck

 

[crusty]

Prado comes with twin 90Liter tanks. the only problem is that at speeds of 170kph + it guzzles gas like crazy

170 kph + NO wonder it guzzels fuel must be screaming its box of.

Prados over here dont come with 90 + 90 only one 90 and they are geared Badly they are a soft roader in Aust. You lot must get a better model than we do.
Had a Hilux years ago and was great but the new ones are ugly and not big enough and dont have the pulling power of a Land Cruser.
Its a choice between Patrol and Cruser and i may be getting close to talking the company into a Land Cruser, just have to work on the boss a little more.

Crusty

 

[Poida]

I,ve got a Hilux 2wd, 4 cylinder and I tow a 6 metre boat. On a flat road with a tail wind I can do 80kph.

 

[miles]

Hiya

Depends on WHICH model hilux you have. They came out in the petrol motors, on the older models:
1.8ltr motor
2.0ltr motor - 3Y
2.2ltr motor - 4Y
2.4ltr motor - 22R

The newer hilux had the 2.7ltr 4cyl petrol motor. Maybe your models are different to ours??

I had a 1985 model Hilux 4x4 with a 2.0ltr 4cyl. petrol motor, and that pulled my 5m ski-boat that i was using at the time, easily at 120km/h.

Crusty, for the BEST towing vehicle, there's not much that can compare with a Landcruiser. For your own safety, i don't advise pulling a boat at more than 100km/h. Remember, all 4x4's have a high centre of gravity and roll extremely easily. The heavy weight and pulling power of a 'crusa is undoubtedly your BEST bet. Especially considering the amount of gear you're carrying and the distance you intend travelling.

Regards
miles

 

[Huan]

The Prado I have KZJ90 GS is the commercial model.
It has lower Diff gearing 4.100 than the GX street model which has 4.300.
It only has the 90 litre tank but than Ireland doesn't have any huge distances between stations.
I have found it very good to tow with and have towed 3t minidiggers no problem.
The current model Prado is more of a softroader than the older one lighter body and geared for street rather than offroad.

 

[crusty]

Crusty, for the BEST towing vehicle, there's not much that can compare with a Landcruiser. For your own safety, i don't advise pulling a boat at more than 100km/h. Remember, all 4x4's have a high centre of gravity and roll extremely easily. The heavy weight and pulling power of a 'crusa is undoubtedly your BEST bet. Especially considering the amount of gear you're carrying and the distance you intend travelling.

Regards
miles[/QUOTE]


Miles

Its safer doing 110 than 100 when you are heading North over hear.

Reason being once you get onto the flat open roads the Trucks start to speed up and if your doing 100 they will pass you.
This is O.K when its only a Truck and Trailer but when you get 3 Trailer 60meter long Road Trains go past you it can get a bit scary.

They are pulling about 80 - 100 metric tons and when they go past they cause a vacume that can suck a car and trailer across the other side of the road, or a trailer gets the wobbles and just shoves you off the road.

Its allot safer to sit behind one thats doing 110 and let them squash all the roos and emus that love doing suicide runs infront of oncoming traffic.

Once you have driven a 4 x 4 with trailer at 110+ a few times you get used to how they sway and move around ands its not really a problem.
But thanks for the Advise

There is talk of a few of us doing a trip to Mozambique to do some spearing on a reef about 50km of shore, have been told its has some great game fish on it

Crusty