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Old 09-01-2016, 04:48 PM   #21
Cornishman
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

I really think you ought to research the car you are writing off as a towcar. The car in the accident certainly doesn't have a kerb weight of 1400kg, that's the weight of a modern European hatchback. A Range Rover is a powerful, sophisticated and proven towcar. I'm sorry that it's not made in the USA but many things are better that way.
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Old 09-01-2016, 05:08 PM   #22
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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I really think you ought to research the car you are writing off as a towcar. The car in the accident certainly doesn't have a kerb weight of 1400kg, that's the weight of a modern European hatchback. A Range Rover is a powerful, sophisticated and proven towcar. I'm sorry that it's not made in the USA but many things are better that way.
Just wait for someone to report that one and have it taken down. As we all know, in the US, if it isn't made in the US, it's rubbish. Parochial.
That said, I'm no fan of the "Rangey" anyway.
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Old 09-01-2016, 05:39 PM   #23
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

I once knew the owner of a small business that built trailers to order and of every size possible. He would check the towing capacity, wheelbase, and track of the intended tow vehicle along with the placement of the tow hitch in relation to those factors. With this he would calculate all of the variables needed for the trailer, tongue length, distance from the hitch to the axle(s), etc. This was before computers so it was all done with a series of tables he had devised and a pencil. His business was called Swaytamer and he had a good reputation as an expert on the subject. I wonder if that sort of information is available on-line nowadays? It sure could help folks avoid the kind of disaster depicted in this post.
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Old 09-01-2016, 07:50 PM   #24
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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That would be fine "when things are loaded absolutely perfectly". However, it would appear that they are just not built to handle things when they go sideways. I find it interesting that, in the graph there are 2 2006 models that have a curb weight of 1399kg and 1400kg (not much more than my '31 model a pickup), and yet, the towing weight is the same 7700 lbs as the ones listed at almost twice curb weight. I know that, while my Model A (with it's SBC) certainly has the POWER to pull a decent load, it certainly does not have the weight. To each his own but, when I'm going to be pulling my car hauler (whether it's the 20' flatbed or 20' enclosed) I will use my dually cummins, 6spd before I would ever use the Avalanche. Not because the Avalanche couldn't haul them loaded, but because the one ton will do it better and safer if I find myself in a less than ideal situation. One of those "just because you can doesn't mean you should" things I guess. Regardless, it's a sad story, the kind I hate to see.
agreed, my 2002 2door 2wd s10 blazer says it can tow 5,700 lbs... i towed an enclosed U haul probably close to 1500-2000 lbs of stuff and it was kinda sketchy. never felt unstable but braking my god....i agree, just because it CAN tow said weight doesnt mean you SHOULD.

range rovers always remind me of the ford bronco II, ranger based thing that liked to be on its roof more than its wheels due to the fact it was taller than wider...
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Old 09-01-2016, 08:30 PM   #25
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

I do not have too much experience hauling deadweights on trailers such as Model A's et al. However, I have some experience hauling live weights, (e.g. two - one thousand pound quarter horses) using a 3/4 ton Chevrolet pickup. I wish I had access to a Range Rover with its superior and modern suspension, better brakes and sophisticated transmission when those horses started fooling around.

Just my opinion.
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Old 09-01-2016, 08:44 PM   #26
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UGH, too painful to watch, glad no one was hurt.
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Old 09-02-2016, 02:16 AM   #27
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

"Just about every day I see something like this ...."

Looks like some sort of mini road train.

No expert, but as far as I know, Range Rover brakes don't work when it's on its roof.
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Old 09-02-2016, 09:42 AM   #28
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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Just wait for someone to report that one and have it taken down. As we all know, in the US, if it isn't made in the US, it's rubbish. Parochial.
That said, I'm no fan of the "Rangey" anyway.
I'm not actually a fan myself, in the past I preferred the Discovery as the Range Rover has been aimed at the luxury car market for quite some time now and I didn't need that level of passenger sophistication just the all terrain, all weather towing ability and the Discovery provided that in spades. Like them or not, however, there is no getting away from their ability as a great all terrain vehicle and a terrific towcar. Whatever happened to cause the accident that this thread is about it had nothing at all to do with the choice of towcar, that was a great decision. Something obviously went very wrong and it would be interesting to know what it was. All the misinformed speculation going on is pointless.
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Old 09-02-2016, 09:46 AM   #29
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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I do not have too much experience hauling deadweights on trailers such as Model A's et al. However, I have some experience hauling live weights, (e.g. two - one thousand pound quarter horses) using a 3/4 ton Chevrolet pickup. I wish I had access to a Range Rover with its superior and modern suspension, better brakes and sophisticated transmission when those horses started fooling around.

Just my opinion.
I tow my Model A, a trailer sailer and occasionally a friend's horse in a purpose built box. The live weight of the horse has never acted any differently to the dead weights of the car and boat. Why should it? It has no room to 'move about'.
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Old 09-02-2016, 11:05 AM   #30
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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I really think you ought to research the car you are writing off as a towcar. The car in the accident certainly doesn't have a kerb weight of 1400kg, that's the weight of a modern European hatchback. A Range Rover is a powerful, sophisticated and proven towcar. I'm sorry that it's not made in the USA but many things are better that way.
I think you may have misunderstood my post. I didn't intend to suggest that the RR in the accident had a curb weight of 1400KG, just that, according to the link you provided, there are two examples that are listed as such with the same towing capacity as those nearly twice as heavy. This makes no sense to me. I also didn't intend to suggest that the RR is not "a powerful, sophisticated and proven towcar". That would depend entirely on ones definition of "a powerful, sophisticated and proven towcar". I don't know what a "trailer sailer" is (I suspect a small sail boat????) but I do know that it doesn't take much to haul a model A or a single horse. Regarding the accident in question, it's entirely possible that the accident had nothing to do with the choice of tow vehicle but, then again, it may also be that the load was just too much for the tow vehicle. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter and i don't care. The important thing is that nobody was hurt and the loss of the Rolls is tragic IMO.
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Old 09-02-2016, 02:56 PM   #31
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

I was always told that the tow vehicle should weight 1/3 more than what it's towing. as a safety margin for a hobbyist. It must of been a heck of a ride for the person towing the Rolls. Quite the loss.

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Old 09-02-2016, 04:13 PM   #32
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

My wife and I were fortunate to be able to attend the 2003 MARC National meet in Dearborn and I was amazed at the wide range of vehicles at that meet. If I recall, there were close to a thousand Model A's registered. Because of the distance we had trailered our coupe from South Texas, one of only two or three cars from Texas.
In the course of the week I got acquainted with a young man whom I won't name, who had grown up in the hobby and has since made a successful business from it. He had brought two cars, both Model A speedsters, on a narrow, one car wide, tandem trailer 36 feet long (I asked him), and was towing it with a Ford Ranger pickup. "Oh, no, it handles it just fine," he said. "Never a problem."
Well, he was a regular poster on the message board of the day, and several months, maybe a year later, he allowed as how he and his dad had had a little bit of trouble on the Pennsylvania Turnpike coming home from a race and had crashed the rig. The passengers survived but (this is 10 years later and this part is foggy) the speedsters did not. His devotion to the hobby is well known, and since he and his shop are still around, I assume he is now using more appropriate tow rigs.
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Old 09-02-2016, 04:39 PM   #33
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

I worked with a guy who showed up Monday morning with both rear quarter panels bashed in on his 80's Buick. He had loaded a U-Haul with too much weight behind the single axel. The embarrassing part was after the first event he apparently didn't reload properly and that's why both sides were bashed in.
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Old 09-02-2016, 05:32 PM   #34
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When I bought my 1974 vega (drag car project) I rented a U-Haul trailer and they would not let me have it till I proved my tow vehicle (08 1/2t V-6 silverado) was heavier than the car I was going to tow. At first they were not going to let me have it because of the v-6. Then I told them the vega had no drive train and they saiid ok. Thought it was all kind o silly till I made the trip. Man that vega and trailer were heavier than I thought. Never went over 45 mph. Just to sketchie.
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Old 09-02-2016, 05:32 PM   #35
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That's a sad sight. Drove a truck for years with liquid loads and had a tag trailer. If your towing and the trailer gets swaying, just use the trailer brake slowly and it should straighten you out. I'm sure we have all seen people driving way to fast with 1 ton dually's with 900 ft lbs torque hauling half the camp ground behind them, they pass me all the time on the interstate and I'm doing 70. A little common sense goes a long ways. BTW I think Range Rovers a pretty cool. But for towing I'll stick with my Ford SD
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Old 09-03-2016, 05:54 AM   #36
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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What a shame.

a) the driver of the Range Rover clearly did not know what he was doing.
b) The Range Rover is decidedly a very poor choice of a towing vehicle in this case. It is not heavy enough. We have worked on several Range Rovers here in this shop and frankly we feel they are engineered and built very poorly. I myself would not tow a kid's wagon with one
c) I seriously doubt the trailer had its own brakes else I doubt this would have happened.
d) I doubt tongue weight was anywhere near correct...I bet the rig was fishtailing
e) I think the most likely explanation is jack knife, from which there is no recovery

just my opinion of course
Agree with Dave one of the biggest piece of craps out there. Don't even think of owning one without a bumper to bumper warranty as it will suck you dry. Just had to order a basic type tailpipe for one which was a measly 285.00.

The tie downs used are those long cargo straps not designed to tie down an axle

A good tow vehicle? I'll pass on that also

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Old 09-03-2016, 07:26 AM   #37
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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Are you talking about the Range Rover? If so you Americans must have unnecessarially heavy 14' trailers.
Look at the facts.
http://www.uktow.com/towing%20capaci...=Range%20Rover
What was the weight of the car? I've read approximately 5,000-6,500. The car is what 18" long? How much did that trailer weigh, (20-22 foot) 1900 lbs more. So we are real close and maybe over the max towing of a range rover.

Trailer weights
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Old 09-03-2016, 02:46 PM   #38
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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"Like them or not, however, there is no getting away from their ability as a great all terrain vehicle and a terrific towcar."

Simply stating something something doesn't make it so.

In my humble opinion, a range Rover is too light and the wheel base is too short to tow anything the size and weight of the RR that was involved in the accident.
Are you American? Serious question.
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Old 09-03-2016, 02:49 PM   #39
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Default Re: Of Interest to members, a reminder of why to inspect your tow rig.

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Agree with Dave one of the biggest piece of craps out there. Don't even think of owning one without a bumper to bumper warranty as it will suck you dry. Just had to order a basic type tailpipe for one which was a measly 285.00.

The tie downs used are those long cargo straps not designed to tie down an axle

A good tow vehicle? I'll pass on that also
This is obviously an international arguement. The majority of Europeans look down on US vehicles and it's obvious that the opposite is also true.
Does anyone actually know what happened to cause the accident?
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Old 09-04-2016, 09:36 AM   #40
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when i was in High school, i towed a boat about 100 miles with a 51 F-1 pickup. the passenger was a tow truck driver. the boat would fish tail, he said just take your foot off the throttle, then it would stop. also he said look at the tail lights at the car 2 car lengths
ahead , those where life lessens for me
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