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Anyone?
| | Posted on Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 03:04 pm: | 
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Anyone tow a boat with their discovery? If so, would you share the boat size/total weight and your experience with using the discovery as a tow vehicle? Manual or Automatic transmission, how well it pulls hills, deals with the load, heat, etc.... |
offrovn
| | Posted on Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 03:40 pm: |
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I have towed a boat and numerous other things with my Disco like my Rover Series IIA on one of those full size trailers from Uhaul, Atv's and a horse trailer as a few. The largest boat is about a 19 foot Hewes Bonefisher flats boat. It is not a very heavy boat but the vehicle pulls it like a dream. Accelerating is slower but once you get going, you don't even know its there. My Disco is a 97 Automatic with the 4.0 obviously. |
Alan Bates (Alanb)
| | Posted on Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 03:41 pm: |
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I use to tow an 18 foot ski boat (no trailer brakes) with my previous 98 disco auto transmission. Acceleration from stop and going uphill was okay but not great, got bogged down on long steep hills untill you kick the transmission down into a lower gear, but once you got moving it towed great. Some bouncing on bumps due to short wheelbase of the disco but not too scary. Braking was okay but not great. Towing in Oklahoma summer heat 100 degrees with AC blasting didn't raise the temp guage, but my disco was almost brand new at the time. Overall okay and adequate towing vehicle, but there are alot of other vehicles out there that can tow a whole lot better.
My 2 cents worth. |
charles
| | Posted on Thursday, July 25, 2002 - 11:06 pm: |
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I have a landscape company and every now and then I have to use the rover to pull flagstone on a trailer. Flagstone weight avg 4k lbs.+ Trailer weight little over 1k. I pull it with no problems however the reese hitch has developed some stress cracks from the weight. 97 Disco is fine over 110K on the clock.
Charles |
R. B. Bailey (Rover50987)
| | Posted on Friday, July 26, 2002 - 02:27 pm: |
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I towed a 1500 lbs tent trailer plus all our stuff for 2 weeks in Montana from Portland, Oregon over the Rockies and back again several times in that time period, did fine. You just use a lot of fuel on those 55-60 mph climbs - it's not like a Cummins Turbo Diesel!
I also tow a 19 ft. Boston Whaler with gear and two engines, that also does great. I will put it into low gear sometimes for pulling it out of a particularly steep boat ramp.
http://landrover.mrbaileyshistory.net |
John Stecz
| | Posted on Friday, July 26, 2002 - 04:58 pm: |
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I tow a 22ft Tige ski boat, 4100 lbs + double axle trailer and other junk (say 5500 total). It's not good on steep hills, but stability is fine and braking is fine due to awesome LR brakes and trailer brakes. My Suburban tows better, but the brakes stink compared to the LR. |
Jim
| | Posted on Friday, August 30, 2002 - 03:24 pm: |
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I tow a 25' Catalina sailboat on a double-axle trailer with surge brakes, close to 6000 lbs and the Disco I ('94 w/3.9) does it with style and grace. I get pretty violent down-shifts when going up hill but it holds its own in traffic.
I did hear (and it has been my experience) that keeping the transmission (automatic)in 3rd as opposed to 4th/overdrive makes for better driving and is easier on the vehicle. 4th/OD will cause too much upshifting/downshifting. And the higher revs keep me more comfortably in the power band.
Pull away, no fears.
Jim |
Hank (Disco_Tex)
| | Posted on Friday, August 30, 2002 - 05:02 pm: |
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I tow a 16 foot center console aluminum boat 1500lbs max. It pulls fine.
Towing my Samurai on a tandem axle trailer is another story. When I'm pulling this setup I leave the disco in 3rd, and have some trouble on steep inclines, but I am running 235-85's on stock diff gears.
If you have stock tires and gearing you should be fine... |
Todd PHenneger
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 04:33 am: |
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I agree with Jim on towing in 3rd gear. I tow a 19' FourWinns Runabout with a V8. A fairly heavy for its size. Probably between 4k and 5k lbs total. I have a long steep hill after I leave my house on the freeway and can maintain 65mph at part throttle in 3rd. In 4th I lose speed, downshift hard speed back up shift to 4th etc all the time floored so now I leave the Disco in 3rd. 65 is adaquate for the long stretch but I'd like to be able to maintain 70 if I wanted to. Braking with surge brakes is fine. When ont he flats at 70mph I dont even notice the boat.
BTW...the Rear Ladder is a dream when launching, or actually when recoverying I can jump from dock to the rear bumper using the ladder to grab onto and never touch water.
I overheat if the AC is on and I'm pullign a long grade flored, but a 70% throttle at 65mph the temp is fine. THis is in 80+degree heat. And my fan clutch is going.
Also, as a side note, my friend with an 88 RR tried towing their flatbed that weights 3k lbs with about 6k lbs of wine on it. It did OK in low range, but was riding on the bump stops. As a side not though the trailer only had surge brakes and ended up pushing him downhill 150ft sideways (jackknifed) when he tried to slow to a stop on a downhill dirt road. Whoops. So we know thats WAY to much weight for our short Wheelbase rovers.
l8r
Todd - this boat talk make me want to go waterskiing. |
Ron
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 08:57 pm: |
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Its only too much weight if you are an idiot.
I have been in a disco with what had to be about a 10-12,000lb load of stone in a dump trailer. It was interesting. especially without brakes on the trailer. Not a long trip though.
Ron |
Jorge P. Gutierrez, Jr. (Jpg2esq)
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 11:39 pm: |
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I tow a 18ft duck hunting boat (go-devil boat & engine) with no problems. The ramp I use to hunt the everglades is pretty bad and the Disco pulls the boat out with no problem. |
Mohan (Mohan)
| | Posted on Monday, September 02, 2002 - 12:53 am: |
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I tow this 21 foot heavy wooden boat with my 96'. And I've towed it over the Canadian Rockies from BC to Alberta too. No problems.
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Todd Phenneger
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 03:29 am: |
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Ron,
Not sure if your implying my friend is an Idiot or not but I assure you he is not. Unfortunately sometimes circumstances arrise that neccessitate extreme measures. When you run a business that is dependent on delivering merchandise, and you have to get that merchandise, even if its 10,000lbs worth, down a steep muddy hill to meet the truck to load it, you would likely attemt something similar in your Rover. Assume you HAD to get that trailer of Rock down a hill, would you try.
After a week of moving the trailer around with no incident my friend felt confident it would make it down the hill fine. He was wrong, it was to heavy but that doesn't make him an idiot.
anyhow, I think we can agree that 10k lbs is a bit much for our rovers but towing 6k lbs around seems to be close to a norm for many of us.
l8r
Todd |
slider in CT (Slider)
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 03:36 pm: |
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uhhh...yes...
maybe too often! |
Slider (Slider)
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 09:02 pm: |
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how bout this one:
This is my 2K rock buggie on a 900# trailer |
kyle
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 09:06 pm: |
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Slider , you need some rear springs to make that shit look right... Get some 763s in that thing man.....
kyle |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 09:45 pm: |
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Slider,
you rock buggie set up looks a little tongue heavy. Another set of axles and 6' longer on the trailer would allow you to balance that act out. |
muskyman
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 09:53 pm: |
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i'd just back the buggy on and be done with it
bet that would be enough to balence it out much better |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 10:09 pm: |
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was lookin at that ...then i did some math...engine @ front wheels...now front wheels at back ....max weight now behind axle...who wants to go for a tongue ride  ....I'ma going to go down to the hotel pub and grab a cold one...come back and think mo |
muskyman
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 04, 2002 - 10:17 pm: |
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i would doubt that turning it around would cause it to have -tongue weight if it was backed all the way up.
then again I have never been the trailer queen type ...drive it to the trail head beat it all day then drive it home |
slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 09:36 am: |
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that damn boat has more tongue wieght than the buggie on the trailer
I've carried it both ways, forward, backward...doesn't seem to affect any characteristics!
Yes...A second axle on the lil landscape trailer is a consideration! |
muskyman
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 09:44 am: |
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slider,
i agree with you...search dweb keyword "supra" and you will see our boat with a shit load of tongue weight and it does just fine right at the lifted GTW.
these trucks pull trailers very well...much better then a shortwheelbase bronco or blazer ever did the secret is to use your brain.
I wouldent pull your rig across country but a couple hundred miles here and there wouldent scare me.
my question is who drives the disco when your in the rock buggy? |
Slider (Slider)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 09:53 am: |
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Ok...some of you have had the chance to see this neccessary piece of equipment.
I'd rather not post wieghts publicly
Don't tell my LR warrenty people I do this.
Let's just say there has been some transmission cooling beefing!
Also don't tell GMC this can be done either... they might not sell any more Suburbans!!!
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Slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 09:57 am: |
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muskyman...
my wife will usually tail me with
all the neccessary axle replacement parts and one really big tow strap too...
The problem is I can't get the trailer up on the roof of the disco...
so we always have to go back to the head to get it!! |
muskyman
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 11:03 am: |
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put a tow bar on the buggy and your there no more trailer issues.
then you can go in one end come out the other and keep going with having to go back for the trailer |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 11:52 am: |
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is that disco pulling the boat, or is that boat pushing the disco? LOL - nice boat |
Slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 02:17 pm: |
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Flat towing is OK, but It's still in the early stages (buggie that is)and I'm still getting used to what it can do. If I really do damage it good, I my not be able to flat tow it home?!
so $250.00 in an aditional axle will get me a beefier trailer good for other uses too. |
Slider (Slider)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 02:22 pm: |
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oh...
did I mention the puny 2100# pop-up camper...
are you guys sick of this or should I keep going...? |
Slider (Slider)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 02:34 pm: |
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or how bout the lil 16' Ski Boat...
yes, that is the same truck just 2 years ago...
These were the days when I really thought I was towing something?!
...bored yet?
I hope there's a contest for how many things our Disco's have towed |
Gil Stevens (Gil)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 02:37 pm: |
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man.. you have way to many toys.. |
Slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 03:10 pm: |
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hey Gil...
Let's hit some trails!!! |
Gil Stevens (Gil)
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 03:56 pm: |
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defintely.. let me know when and where. Ive got a new beater project im working on also. its like a big zuki (with IFS  ), now that i have the doors off. i have a line on a solid axle from an 84 so it may be a bit before it sees dirt.. email me when you want to go out..
 |
Slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 11:47 pm: |
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I did the old 4 runners...
I almost owned 1 years ago!!
Cool! |
Slider
| | Posted on Thursday, September 05, 2002 - 11:55 pm: |
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I meant..."dig the old 4 runners" |
Todd PHenneger
| | Posted on Saturday, September 07, 2002 - 02:59 am: |
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Slider,
I hope to God you have a 4.6 in that Disco. Or a Stupid Charger. I know with 5k lbs behind it my Disco is barely fast enough on the up-hill highways. If thats a real pic and not Photo Shoped then that setup must weight 10k + lbs. If not more like 12k+. How far do you go with it, ever had it on the freeway? Also, what springs are you running?
l8r
Todd |
Slider
| | Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 10:00 pm: |
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"Shaken not Stirred" (the big boy)
wieghs in at about 13.5 K #'s
It's a 3.9, chipped, degreeable time chained,
some emissions equipment thrown in the trash,
custom wieght distributtion hitch, beeffed: engine and ••••• cooling, 5 speed manual.
The trailer has brakes, so it's not a big, big deal.
Low gets used from every stop...and then the little double declutch trick from there up.
It goes ~35 miles in the spring and fall like this. mostly high-way.
There is a custom driver's seat....
that has a big hole in the center that leads to the road below...
In case some stops in front of me and I shit my pants!!! |
Slider
| | Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 10:01 pm: |
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I don't know what those DOTS up there are??
It said "••••••" |
gp (Garrett)
| | Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2002 - 10:25 pm: |
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t,r,a,n,n,y is a bad word. didn't you know that. |
Slider
| | Posted on Monday, September 09, 2002 - 07:55 pm: |
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uhhh...why?? |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Monday, September 09, 2002 - 10:00 pm: |
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Kyle has "issues" with it..... lol.....
-L |
Todd Phenneger
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2002 - 01:34 pm: |
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Slider,
I'd like to know more about your engine mods. I plan to chip mine soon. 94' Disco, stock. I'll do a chip and Borla at the same time. But after that I'm not sure.
How do you like yoru adjustable Timing CHain? Does it work well on the Disco?
What Emmisions stuff did you ditch, did it help?
Thanks
Todd |
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