Landrover 300tdi.... Will it pull the skin off a rice pudding?

[doobin]

13 hours ago, swinny said:

I don't need speed etc just something capable.... my main motor is a Renault master tipper 125hp or a 141hp Ford ranger.... 

 

Like the truck, think the rangers a bit soft for Towing.... 

 

Just want another tipper to carry a load and tow as the ranger can only tow as such a small back being double cab truck....

The Ranger makes a decent tow vehicle. I fitted a power chip to mine which helped a fair bit. But what really made the difference was fitting some airbag assisters to the springs. It's totally transformed it for towing- no bob or sway, much more solid. With a 2t trailer and a ton bag in the back, it's a much more pleasant towing experience than a more modern pickup without the airbags.

 

The 300 Defender will be a total plodder in comparison. Common rail engines, for all the talk of 'unreliable electrics', piss all over their predecessors of the same or even greater cubic capacity. Things move on.

 

If you don't need 4x4 however (and it sounds like you don't), the an Iveco Daily 2.3 is an incredible tow vehicle. Totally planted, great low gearing where it counts and the full 7t train weight. Easily found s/h as a tipper (just need the arb sides). You'd get a very very good one for the price of a knackered 300tdi tipper. Power on par with the 2007-2013 Ranger before chipping, possible a bit more. Going to chip mine at some point- there's plenty of torque but a slight flat spot towards the end of the turbo range.

 

I can't recommend them enough. Just avoid any on an SN plate- they are popular for gritting work in Scotland.

Edited November 28, 2021 by doobin

[doobin]

10 hours ago, william127 said:

 

The benefit of the defender over most 4x4s is you can safely pop it into low on the road if  needed.

 

Good point. With my Ranger, if I know I'm going somewhere with a particularly nasty hill start, I'll often pop the bonnet before I set off and pull the relay for the front axle dog clutch. Then you can use low box on the road without winding the diff up. Useful tip right there. 👆

 

With the Iveco, the first gear is so low that you tend to ignore it unloaded. But a godsend for towing. Reverse is also low enough to make tricky trailer reversing a pleasure.

Edited November 28, 2021 by doobin

[maybelateron]

5 hours ago, doobin said:

With the Iveco, the first gear is so low that you tend to ignore it unloaded. But a godsend for towing. Reverse is also low enough to make tricky trailer reversing a pleasure.

I assume you are talking about the previous Iveco Daily, rather than the latest shape? I have a 64 reg Daily tipper with the 146 bhp engine. It is a great vehicle, but 1st and reverse gear are to high. Hill starts with a loaded chip box and 1.5 tons of chipper on the drawbar are not nice to the clutch, particularly if in inexperienced hands.

[doobin]

1 hour ago, maybelateron said:

I assume you are talking about the previous Iveco Daily, rather than the latest shape? I have a 64 reg Daily tipper with the 146 bhp engine. It is a great vehicle, but 1st and reverse gear are to high. Hill starts with a loaded chip box and 1.5 tons of chipper on the drawbar are not nice to the clutch, particularly if in inexperienced hands.

Yes, 09 plate. Sorry to hear that they’ve buggered a decent vehicle!

[scbk]

I don't know the Ivecos, never had one (they sound good though), I wonder did they do different axle ratios when new?

 

They had that with the Transits, atleast the mk6-7 2000-2014, you got a "towing" axle.

[Moose McAlpine]

18 minutes ago, scbk said:

I don't know the Ivecos, never had one (they sound good though), I wonder did they do different axle ratios when new?

 

They had that with the Transits, atleast the mk6-7 2000-2014, you got a "towing" axle.

 

Same for Sprinters. Mine has 7t train weight and low ratio diff. Makes no fuss pulling that weight but it's rubbish on fuel all the time.

[doobin]

3 minutes ago, Moose McAlpine said:

 

Same for Sprinters. Mine has 7t train weight and low ratio diff. Makes no fuss pulling that weight but it's rubbish on fuel all the time.

The diff is how they normally do it with sprinters and transits.  This however is different- just low first and reverse. Normal gearing otherwise. 

[Richard 1234]

 Put one of these in. Great fun!

[Stubby]

5 hours ago, Richard 1234 said:

 Put one of these in. Great fun!

Is that the strait 6 or V 8 ?

[Richard 1234]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

Is that the strait 6 or V 8 ?

3.5l straight 6. old engine but still pulls. That truck is brilliant fun. Sold now but still was fun to drive. In the process of putting an ls14 (when it arrives 🤬) 702 bhp. Cannot wait to try that. It’s going in a 110.