Towing

[Munkvy]

Has anyone used either a BC/BF5 Legacy or a BD/BG5 for towing? And when I say towing, I mean another car, so the best part of 2 ton.

I have a BG5 (without towbar) and am wondering how quickly I will kill it adding a towbar. I have towed with a BC5 in the past, but it was only an Integra, whereas in future I will be towing a Beemer and an R32 GTR, which are somewhat heavier. I am open to buying another BC/BF to tow with, although only if it is necessary.

So far I have held off putting a towbar on the BG5 as I assume it will just kill it, but I would be interested to hear what people have to say.

I am also not sure on the legalities. Obviously if the combined weight is more than the tow rating I am breaking the law, but don't know how easy it is to get an increased tow capacity? Ie is it to do with beefing up the towbar setup, or is it to do with the sheer mass of the tow car too?

Vivian

[Joker]

I towed a BG with my BG to welly :]

it still lives

I think I am due for a third clutch in it sooooon [230,000 + kays rememeber]

EBC set to off = 10 psi / wastegate pressure seems to be less risky in my mind

[Munkvy]

How bad was it up hills? And did it get hot at all? I would be probably towing 6-700km at a time

[Joker]

went SH1 so not too strenuous aye, going to Taupo I would go the same, and avoid the Napier-taupo's

runs out of puff on some hills but ya just gear down and 3rd is good gear to hum along in, I stick to 4th at 90kph usually

Avenger is near 800kg vs 1400 of Sc00bydoo's old wag and that was a while ago now

[nztintin]

I've towed clints legacy national park to Hamilton behind my forester, pulled well, stopped not so well (got the wobbles)

I'm planning on using the foz to tow the RA on occasion so would love to know what the legalities are too

[funkytown]

i tow my wagon with the bp legacy.

weight wise i think it is strictly illegal but feels ok. towing a v7 from taupo felt horrible anddangerous

even with the 3l non turb it works it quite hard and fuel is like 6km/l. i didnt get the turbo for the towing reason. bgs are lightish and i wouldnt tow what ur asking with the bg based on my real world xp

[purpleandy]

I've used my 95 GT wagon for dragging three or four of us and a 14'6 sea nymph with an 85 yammy on the back around for a few years now. Towing a decent weight definitely highlights any issues your car has (e.g stuffed coilpacks) and after three years of towing the back of my wagon creaks and groans even without anything on the towball - it's definitely taking it's toll on the shell. In fairness, I've abused it as a tow car but mechanically it's all been good....

To give you an idea of what you can use them for - I've used it to tow all the following in one go (on the beach before i get flamed again for doing illegal things on a public road ;D) - my sea nymph which is a heavy old lump, with an 8ft fibreglass hulled inflatable and 8hp mariner shoved in the boat, all with four fat adults and a s*** load of gear in the car and it's been fine. But then, you need to drive within your limits and be ridiculously aware of what's going on in front of you, cos hitting the brakes hard with all that on the back definitely makes your arse go on suck..... even on sand lol !!

[Marky]

Buy a cheap hilux or falcodore, haha

I've towed a few cars on trailers with my BH's - heaviest was a VR4 which prob weighed more than the legacy and it wasn't too enjoyable.

Legal - no. Do-able, yes, but there's no hills down my way.

My boss used a manual legnum for towing his racecar for ages (pretty heavy), had a few too many "moments" and it ate clutches with it so flicked it for a 4x4 with the capacity for it and never looked back.

[madmike]

I towed a Bg wagon back from welly with our GT30 and it pulled it no problems.

And i tow the RS around with it.

Our towbar got a rating of 1650kgs braked when we fitted it. ( told the towbar people what we were goin to be doin so they fitted extra bracing)

Had no issues.

Just remember she is gonna chew the gas being a TT and be nice to it and you will be fine.

[DRFVDR]

Your are safer and more legal if the towing vehicle is heavier than the towed vehicle.

make sure that the tow bar being fitted is of a capacity to allow for the total weight of trailer/car/tires/fuel/parts.

What is the legal limit if the car as this CANNOT be changed regardless of the tow bar rating....

I would sell the custard square and spend the money on a ute or something similar,check on the towing spec before buying as not all utes have a rating better than what you already have...

 madmike said:

I towed a Bg wagon back from welly with our GT30 and it pulled it no problems.

And i tow the RS around with it.

Our towbar got a rating of 1650kgs braked when we fitted it. ( told the towbar people what we were goin to be doin so they fitted extra bracing)

Had no issues.

Just remember she is gonna chew the gas being a TT and be nice to it and you will be fine.

I guess you got a custom built one for your GT30 as if it is a generic built unit the rating cannot be changed unless you go thru a certifying engineer.

this also includes reducing the rating ( gone thru this to try and get a minibus certed with a towbar, had to get the vertical load reduced from 200kg to 10 kg)

[madmike]

Yeah it was the towbar place in palmy. Tableau Towbars.

They were awesome. Told them what we were going to be towing with it (RS) and they made a bar to suit.

Was a really good price too. Under $300 from memory.

[Joker]

eew a ute? they weigh less generally than the whales / brakes are worse

I'd rate the GTB over a Turbo Diesel Hilux on Safety (Old man has a single cab 2wd '06 model/new shape) traction being an issue for one

unless you get something big like a Landcruiser etc you'd be going backwards in my mind

edit :

 

it ate clutches with it so flicked it for a 4x4 with the capacity for it and never looked back.

read this after my post

[DRFVDR]

Nuff said

[Joker]

woo wonder wedge!

[scoobygt]

the tt's have a good amount of torque so I have no doubt it would pull it fine. well on the flat at least but not so sure on the hills?

[subaru-mania]

as long as its manual I wouldn't worrie, i had a non turbo Bc5 towed a wrx on a trailer from wellington to napier all went well untill i got to napier went to reverse the trailer up our drive, its not steep at all.. and poped my reverse.. :-\

[Joker]

around $300 from the internets

[duddley]

 madmike said:

I towed a Bg wagon back from welly with our GT30 and it pulled it no problems.

And i tow the RS around with it.

Our towbar got a rating of 1650kgs braked when we fitted it. ( told the towbar people what we were goin to be doin so they fitted extra bracing)

Had no issues.

Just remember she is gonna chew the gas being a TT and be nice to it and you will be fine.

My GT30 towbar is only rated for 1200kg braked so I wonder how much extra steel they put into yours? have been using it a bit for towing lately whilst rennovating the old mans place and it pulls up the big hills with a tandem axle trailer with no problems. When does it become a good idea to fit a trans cooler? or is that only required if you tow heavy loads etc regulary.

[Joker]

trans cooler already exists in the radiator : but yea wouldnt hurt if your towing near 1 ton [figure plucked out of the air based on nothing really]

[madmike]

Yeah its pretty extensive a... The bracing goes quite a way forward.

And i have not fitted an extra trans cooler YET....

It is on the list of to do jobs..

[92LEGESI]

Towed a hiace no probs with the BF, but come to think of it the clutch started slipping after sooo.....

[scoobygt]

maybe just a rubbish clutch?

[Joker]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.aspx?id=1123305&topic=1

LOL

6m of steel on a 6 foot trailer?

[duddley]

sounds legit :

[funkytown]

 JoKer said:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.aspx?id=1123305&topic=1

LOL

6m of steel on a 6 foot trailer?

as per comments, who gives how big the trailer is - jsut depends where the trailing axle is.