[ROVERNET - UK] Re: Need to know about Land Rovers for pulling?

[Geoff Kirkpatrick]

Hi Dave,

It had supposedly been rebuilt at some point, but that Rangie was a
generally very scruffy old thing and it's very possible that it was down
on power.  When it became clear that I wasn't going to be able to tow much
with it, I just unloaded it rather than add it to the list of projects.

To my knowledge the diesel RR's and LR's have never been available in the
US.  Since the 80's all US models have been petrol V8's.  I wouldn't be
surprised if that changes soon, though.  More Americans seem to be aware
of the advances in diesel design that have been happening, especially in
Europe, and coupled with the growing interest in biodiesel I think we will
soon be seeing other companies besides VW and Mercedes offering diesel
vehicles in the US.  In fact the guy who bought my Mercedes wagon is now
running it on biodiesel, which happens to be available at a station just a
kilometer or so from my house.

Geoff

*********************************

Message: 5
Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 06:53:13 +0930
From: David Read <defender110 at ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: [ROVERNET - UK] Re: Need to know about Land Rovers for
	pulling?
To: rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
Message-ID: <463A52C1.3020704 at ozemail.com.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Geoff
How old was the 3.5L (215ci) engine?
The early units used to suffer badly with their plastic camshafts.
I replaced my '76 2 door's with a 3.9 cam and it went like a startled 
gazelle!
;-)

The old unit had only approx 60% of it's original lift left!

Comparing petrols and diesels is a tad unfair.
My 2.5L diesel Defender will out-tow petrol vehicles of higher engine 
capacity.

Cheers
Dave
South Oz

Geoff Kirkpatrick wrote:
> I briefly had an early Range Rover that was surprisingly useless as a
tow
> vehicle.  It was a 1972 model that had been privately imported to the US
> and converted to LHD.  I towed an MG Midget using a tow dolly, which
> should have been a pretty low-stress task.  It was OK on the flat, but
> climbing over the Santa Cruz Mountains it would barely maintain 25-30
mph.
>  My old Mercedes diesel wagon could tow heavier vehicles over the same
> route at that speed. I sold the Range Rover soon after.  
> 
> Last year I sold the Mercedes as well and replaced it as my utility
> vehicle with a big ugly 1981 Dodge D350 cargo van.  It cost all of $550,
> has a 5.8 liter V-8, can swallow the entire contents of a house and then
> pull the house off its foundations.  I drove it to LA in November to
haul
> back a Peugeot 404 parts car.  It didn't even break a sweat. 
> 
> Anglophile though I am, I don't think there is a better tow vehicle than
a
> big American V-8 pickup or van.  If you need to tow things, don't bother
> with a Land Rover or Range Rover.
> 
> Geoff

"This is the final test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him."
- William Lyon Phelps

Geoff Kirkpatrick, 382 Riverside Avenue, Ben Lomond, CA 95005, USA


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Bored stiff? Loosen up... 
Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games.
http://games.yahoo.com/games/front