Best mainstream 4x4 pickup for towing 3.5t

[Justme]

It is, but your are still limited by the MAM of the vehicle and trailer. Ideally you want a truck plated at 7 tonnes.

 

My Navara is plated at 3200 and 6200 kg, so if I tow a 3500kg trailer I lose 500kg from my vehicle MAM, which might be the difference between being able to carry passengers and tools.

 

Legally nope.

 

You can fully load the truck and tow what you like up to 3500kg. The GTW is a recommendation. However it would be used against you IF something happened.

 

There is NO law that says you can not exceed the makers recommendation of the GTW. You can not go over 3500kg as no trailer behind a group B vehicle can be over that (Landrovers doing 4000kg is now dead due to the licence changes)

 

 

Under the GTW it is deemed to be safe, over GTW you might have to prove it was safe.

 

Its the same as speed limits & recommendation limits.

 

Exceed a speed limit & you are done for speeding, exceeded a recommendation & you could be done for dangerous driving, driving with due care & attention but not speeding.

 

 

I know its stupid & the law should be that you cant exceed the GTW but that is the law we have.

 

"should" in the HWC is not law. "must" is law.

[josharb87]

Out of interest, are the Landcruiser pickups actually plated at 3500kg tow weight?

 

A lot of the older (10year plus) american stuff is plated surprisingly low, some 6,5v8td chevys are only plated at 1500kg here.

 

The new single and king cab hilux's are plated at 3500, but not the double cabs yet. the older ones can be uprated.

 

one thing to consider too is the mainstream pickups are all rear wheel drive on the road, so if your "4" wheel drive landy struggles for traction on the roads you drive, i can't see a rear wheel drive truck coping better?

 

4x4 SUV and a fast-trac?!

[josharb87]

Interesting Justme

[Peter]

If you get pulled and weighed roadside you're going to be stuck for hours while you argue that one.

 

Much simpler if you can just stick to what the plate says.

[Justme]

If you get pulled and weighed roadside you're going to be stuck for hours while you argue that one.

 

Much simpler if you can just stick to what the plate says.

 

I agree.

 

In fact at the road side they will just ticket you.

 

You would then have to defend / dispute it in court.

[scraggs]

Out of interest, are the Landcruiser pickups actually plated at 3500kg tow weight?

 

4x4 SUV and a fast-trac?!

 

LC79 is plated to tow 3500kg and had a GTW of 6700kg, or that's what was on the one I looked at.

They have a huge nose weight of 350kg though.

[Matthew Storrs]

Matt what's wrong with a Hilux? I see the single cab is now rated for 3500 kg and if you popped some free wheel hubs on you could run in low range 2wd. In my hunt for info on DPF problems never found any mention of Hilux's having issues.

 

Alternately might be worth asking a an Isuzu garage if they would personally warranty it against oil dilution. Also chat with Tavi Hire as they run Dmax's and are towing heavy loads all day long presumably without issues.

 

Good luck but suspect you will still have a trusty Defender for some time more

 

Nothing wrong with the hilux idea- as far as I see it that would probably be my no 1 choice of all the available pickups at the mo (LC aside). Plus i really like the crimson red colour they do it in:laugh1:

 

Someone mentioned that the double cab isn't 3500kg but I'd most likely get either single cab or extended anyway.

 

I may have the defender a while yet- but it is starting to get abit worn altogether, and the list of things becoming wrong with it is increasing. Plus it's not family friendly in the slightest which I will need from a vehicle before long when I have to look after my daughter more.