Best mainstream 4x4 pickup for towing 3.5t

[richy_B]

Have you considered just trading in your old defender for a 14/15 plate defender? Might be hard to find a 130 but there seem to be quite a few 110 single cab pickups about.

[Stubby]

What about a Cummins engine . I always understood them to be good .

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

when I looked under one at the APF I didn't really think the chassis or running gear looked any heavier duty really than my defender.

 

Hmmm, I thought the LC looked 1/3 beefier in important areas...

 

Have you considered just trading in your old defender for a 14/15 plate defender? Might be hard to find a 130 but there seem to be quite a few 110 single cab pickups about.

 

Puma engine? 2.2? 2.2 is pints of milk, not what should be in a truck.

 

What about a Cummins engine . I always understood them to be good .

 

More like it.

[Matthew Storrs]

Have you considered just trading in your old defender for a 14/15 plate defender? Might be hard to find a 130 but there seem to be quite a few 110 single cab pickups about.

 

Not keen on the new defenders really, it's not just that they have a small engine, but IMO the new defenders are almost the worst of both worlds, they still have all the dated land Rover 'features' and no improvement in fit and finish yet they have added a modern electrickery engine which I won't be able to work on myself. Plus if I'm getting something that new I must as well get new and get the benefits of having warranty and I can look after it from new etc.

 

Jon, which areas did you think the LC was beefier? I really couldn't see much in it when looking at axles/propshafts steering rods etc. The back end was better than Landys dreadful rot attracting rear crossmember.

 

A new land cruiser is 200kg heavier than equivalent single cab 110 defender. Considering the LC has bigger engine and steel bodywork as opposed to aluminium, there can't be much more metal to it than the defender?

[Joel77]

Why don't you just refurb an old defender ? Galv chassis, new suspension, wheel, paint, pick an engine n gear box of your choice spurse the interior up and you could even wack ARB,s in it job done you've built a truck exact the way you want it !!

 

Or just plonk a defender cab on a LC 80 series chassis ?

[Matthew Storrs]

Ok, so new line of thought, I'll keep my current defender for general rough and tough pickup work etc, towing 1.5t digger. Then have a seperate vehicle for towing my 3 tonner, but also that is more family friendly too.

Plenty on hear seem to be running discos but what about the Range Rover, looking on eBay and the like you can pick up a mid 2000's RR vogues with V8 lump for quite keen money, that'd be good for towing 3.5t right?

 

I know they are thirsty but as I said before most of the time it's 10 mile journeys to work so shouldn't be too much of a killer if it only does 10 MPG?

 

Cheers for all your input- all helpful

[Big J]

Hmmm, I thought the LC looked 1/3 beefier in important areas...

 

 

 

Puma engine? 2.2? 2.2 is pints of milk, not what should be in a truck.

 

 

 

More like it.

 

After espousing the virtues of a larger displacement engine, I just checked and my Citroen Relay is only a 2 litre!

 

Inbetween me ordering it and it finally turning up, they dropped the displacement 200 or 300cc and upped the power 10bhp to 160bhp. It is very quick though and on a 30 mile tow the other day with 2.5t behind me and 1 tonne in the back, it did not struggle at all.

 

The idea of an older RR is probably not a bad one Matthew. Comfort and power. Just put £50 in the bank each week for the first repair bill!

[Woodworks]

Comfort and power. Just put £50 in the bank each week for the first repair bill!

 

Not sure £50 a week will be enough

 

Mate had one and it just ate money.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

LC 80 series then...

[Big J]

Not sure £50 a week will be enough

 

Mate had one and it just ate money.

 

Quite possibly!

 

We've a 2009 Discovery 4 which we've had a year now. Touching wood, it's only needed front wheel bearings, discs and new tyres in that time. About £1440 all in, so not breaking the bank. It's not used for work though. It's effing fast and comfortable though.