Ford Ranger or Isuzu D-Max for heavy work?

[Matthew Storrs]

Cheers Jonathan, that's me knackered too then. Will have to look for tachometer for my d max. Know loads of people in same boat as me that don't use tachometer either. Speaking of lunacy and laws..

 

Recently got pulled on a1 with 3 contrete pipes on trailer. Plod saw 1200kg on last section of pipe so pulled me as was 'obviously overloaded'. Pipe was 1200kg total and plod couldnt see it was cut into 3 despite my rough cuts. After getting past that he checked my license and decided I shouldnt have the right to pull a trailer as I past car test in 97 so no grandfather rights despite them being on my license from older motorcycle license. Then made me leave trailer, go and get wife who hasn't towed anything and after checking her license made her drive the truck home with him following. Later got a letter saying all checked out with dvla and license is fine. It was dark, raining and an awkward load with an inexperienced driver compared to me who tows every week. madness!

 

Sorry to derail thread anyway.

 

It is madness, but if your towing as part of your profession I can't see why it shouldn't be a problem to do your trailer test. I did mine in 3 days and it cost £650 not to mention 3 days lost work. but I can happily cruise down the motorway now with a full trailer without looking over my shoulders worrying about plod/vosa.

[Jonny69]

I think I would be looking last of the hd100 Landcruiser Amazons. The new one is too expensive and electronic. I have heard of a few reliability problems as well. The other thing to do is try both Ford and D max and see which you like best. Both are under warranty for your ownership. Does the Amarok tow 3500kg ?

 

The Amarok is plated to 3200kg, however it is model dependant, some are only 3000kg.

 

However the gross train is the same as the ranger and Dmax, so in reality it is identical.

 

Big J. For the work you are describing why would you want a pick up??

 

Get a Nissan Patrol, Amazon, Disco 3/4. If you must have a pick up get a double cab 110/130.

 

All full time 4x4 with proper engines, gearboxes and rear suspension. All heavier, especially the discovery, and all much better suited to towing long distances.

 

I run an Amarok, but if my work was purely heavy motorway towing I would have another discovery (reliability issues aside they are excellent vehicles). Another benefit of having a 4x4 is that you are much less likely to be pulled in the first place

[difflock]

The Mercedes/Mitisbui/Canter/Fuso.

Is 7500 GVM, and available from the factory with 4WD.

In the 2WD version 5000kg is available for bodywork and payload.

The 4WD varient a tad less.

Mount a hooklift body to carry the sawmill, or simply sloping bodywork and a 24V winch.

No trailer needed, and I suspect more manourverable than a pick-up and trailer (shorter overall as well)

Still need a Tacho though.

cheers

marcus

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

The Amarok is plated to 3200kg, however it is model dependant, some are only 3000kg.

 

However the gross train is the same as the ranger and Dmax, so in reality it is identical.

 

Big J. For the work you are describing why would you want a pick up??

 

Get a Nissan Patrol, Amazon, Disco 3/4. If you must have a pick up get a double cab 110/130.

 

All full time 4x4 with proper engines, gearboxes and rear suspension. All heavier, especially the discovery, and all much better suited to towing long distances.

 

I run an Amarok, but if my work was purely heavy motorway towing I would have another discovery (reliability issues aside they are excellent vehicles). Another benefit of having a 4x4 is that you are much less likely to be pulled in the first place

 

What mpg are you getting from the Amarok? Thanks

[Jonny69]

What mpg are you getting from the Amarok? Thanks

 

Towing, 22-28 mpg, but my trailer goes out at 1.4ton + the truck with kit at 2.35ton and the trailer normally comes back 2.5-4ton.

 

No towing, 35+.

 

Average on the computer over the last 1655 miles is 27.3 however I make is 27.6 on the calculator.

 

Mine is an automatic highline.

[walkerboys]

The new hilux will be tow 3.5 ton that would get my vote but I would get a disco over anything my defender is good but anything with a bit of distance it cripples me

[gensetsteve]

That is something that I'd forgotten. My uncle got dragged backwards down a hill in Luxembourg in a 90 towing an excavator. I suppose with a Disco you are far less likely to attract VOSA's attention.

 

Correct you get more attention from the AA .

[Chris Sheppard]

I've not had any experience of the new Rangers, but spent a couple of days recently with a fairly new (63 plate) D max, lightly loaded but a mixture of on and off road. Really nice on the road, plenty of power and fairly quiet on the motorway. In 6th it was doing 60mph at around 1500rpm and while I never worked it out, it used very little fuel while we had it. With little weight in it though it was a fairly harsh ride.

 

Off road though, it wasn't right clever, and not even on particularly testing terrain (leeds festival site once everyone had left). Admittedly it wasn't on the greatest of tyres (bridgstone duellers), but it just seemed to light the tyres up very easily whether 4h or 4l. One hill defeated it after several attempts which I'm sure my 90 would have walked it's way up with no drama.

 

Like some of the others, I'm not a fan of pickups for heavy towing as they always seem a bit light on the back end. Unless you needed a pickup, I'd be looking at something like a patrol/landcruiser, though it would proably mean looking a little older. Either than or something like a D3/4.

[rovers90]

Correct you get more attention from the AA .

 

:lol:

[Husqvarna]

My brother has a Dmax for 2 years, he has over 30k miles on it, he really loves it, never had a problem with it, he uses it as a car so cant comment on off-road capability, its an Automatic think he's getting mid 20's mpgs, short journeys and a heavy right foot.