Towing with a vr4

[360]

Anyone got any experience towing with a legnum?
What tow bar is best? and where did you get it?
I am looking to tow a heavy trailer and saw a post where an NZ guy used a legnum to tow a 2000kg boat just got me thinking.....
If you have towed with a leggy did you make any additional modifications ie, tranny coolers, rear suspension inserts to prevent excessive spring compression etc....
What is the heaviest load you have pulled? highest trailer nose weight?
My car is a standard auto with a front set of evo brembo's.
Would appreciate any advice.

[william]

Hi 360
The Legnum is a good towing vehicle, although it is officially only rated at 750kg unbraked and 1500kg braked, so check with your insurance! If you are towing a heavy trailer you will need a robust tow bar. I got mine from Best Bars in NZ, but am sure you will get something similar in the UK. A good tranny cooler is a must or your transmission will overheat. My trailer nose weight is 90kg. There is a formula to calculate the correct nose weight (google it) and no the standard rear suspension does not need any modifications. Have a look at my gallery for more info (click on my user name). Hope this helps!

[martin_y]

The specs say 75Kgs nose weight for towing.

[Johny]

could you tow a car trailer with a vr4 legnum on the back with a vr4 galant?

[bradc]

Kenneth did that I beleive, no problems.

[Xeroid]

VR4 legnum tows good ...
I dragged home a 900 kg Mirage on a 600kg trailer ( braked ) and it was no problem at all ( except for the fuel consumption !!!!!).
Just don't thrash it and keep the load balanced so about 50-75 kg downward force on the towbar. Not enough to sack the suspension but enough to kep it firmly attached and not rattling on the ball.
Mines auto and she was sweet, better than I expected by far.

I don't think I'd attempt a trailer AND a VR4 on the back, be way over the limits.

[g8legnum]

You may want to check out the article I wrote about fitting a towbar to a facelift Legnum, and Shrews article for the non-facelift version. My article is here: http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30948&highlight=towbar. Bear in mind that the agreed safe towing limit should be 85% of the kerb weight of the car, so towing a vr4 by a vr4 is not on!!!.

Once I got mine fitted I towed my folding camper (1000kg fully loaded) without any problems. Haven't (YET) fitted an auto box cooler, and so far haven't had any problems.

[Johny]

are new cars just weak or something?
back in the day we towed a tandem trailer with a mk2 zephyr on it on the back of a sigma wagon and it never overheated at all...

saying that we did have 5 blowouts :S one bringing us off the side of the killmog lol

[SGHOM]

A few years back, BDA [ enigma ] trailored another legnum attached to his, & still out accelerated a cavalier SRI !! :afro: :pimp2:

[william]

are new cars just weak or something?
back in the day we towed a tandem trailer with a mk2 zephyr on it on the back of a sigma wagon and it never overheated at all...

saying that we did have 5 blowouts :S one bringing us off the side of the killmog lol


LOL - remember, the Zephyr probably had a manual box. The Legnum's radiator capacity is more than adequate for towing, but the auto box will overheat if you tow a heavy trailer up mountain passes - it happened to me. After fitting the tranny cooler the reduced airflow through the main radiator sometimes caused the engine to get hot on long uphills, but the box stayed cool! So if you are serious about towing it is better to get a manual - thats what I did!

[Johny]

the zephyr was on the trailer lol and the sigma was a 2 litre auto wagon

[Fully]

Bear in mind that the agreed safe towing limit should be 85% of the kerb weight of the car, so towing a vr4 by a vr4 is not on!!!.


pffffft, I pull the mustang on a transporter with no problems.
Its all about the way you balance it. I prefer to pull the race car, than a trailer full of firewood.

I pull trailers all the time, with no problems at all, apart from the gas it uses when doing it.

If the trailer connection rattles, your ball (tow) is the wrong size for that trailer.
There are 2 common sizes, 1 7/8" and 2 5/16"
I have both for my truck :P

[g8legnum]

pffffft, I pull the mustang on a transporter with no problems.
Fully, the operative word in my text was safe. This is a UK unwritten advice from most associations that have links with towing. It does not mean that the car cannot tow anyhing heavier, but once you get to a match in towing weight to kerb weight then problems can arise. Things maybe different for you guys in NZ in this respect.

[martin_y]

I also wonder what the insurance company would say if your pranged into a ferrari, and you were towing heavier than the recommended?

[Xeroid]

Fully, the operative word in my text was safe. This is a UK unwritten advice from most associations that have links with towing. It does not mean that the car cannot tow anyhing heavier, but once you get to a match in towing weight to kerb weight then problems can arise. Things maybe different for you guys in NZ in this respect.

Nup, no different. 700kg unbraked and 1500kg braked. That's stamped on the towbar and is a legal requirement.
These are SAFE towing weights. It doesn't mean you CAN'T tow more, it means you SHOULDN'T in both the respect of safety and legality.

Like I said I had no problem towing 1500kg braked but I still knew it was there.
I've seen several jack-knifes due to mismatched trailer/car combinations. You don't want to go there.

[stouty]

I was wondering what fuel consumption people where getting out of there VR4 legnums towing around the 1500kg mark???

Sorry to bring up an old thread im looking at getting one for a daily and tow car just need to see if it will be too expensive to use as a tow vehcile?

Thanks

[g8legnum]

Towing my camper from home to Wales last weekend (a distance of about 220 miles in a mix of A roads and motorway) and I was getting about 15mpg on V-power. Not brill, as I had to fill up twice on the journey each way :annoyed: