Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26772
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| Towed my caravan with the D3 yesterday |
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Its that time of year again. Time to clog up some roads! Got my 23ft caravan off the farm yesterday, and brought it home for cleaning. D3 tows really well, very torquey engine, much better than my old D2 V8. Very stable, with no pitching or yawing. looking forward to the Lake District in 2 weeks.
The only difficult bit was working out how to fit the detachable tow bracket.
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 14th Mar 2005 11:01 pm |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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I'm picking mine up at the weekend. I know what you mean about fitting the towbar, I leave mine in now after an embarrising demonstration of fitting it failed!
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| 15th Mar 2005 8:16 am |
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Digger67
Member Since: 27 Jun 2011
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 22
 
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Towed our caravan with D3 for first time this weekend. I couldn't get over how much better it was than my D2 Td5. No scary moments either passing anything large or being when passed by White Van Man!
It pulled my twin axled Conqueror effortlessly and I had to keep an eye on my speed too!. Great tow tug!!
Still grinning when driving it 
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| 11th Jul 2011 10:01 pm |
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discovery2006
Member Since: 28 Nov 2010
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 159
 
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Hi,Is there a different detachable tow
bar for towing a caravan with a
Alko hitch.?
Cause my one did not fit 
It's a original landrover one.
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| 12th Jul 2011 6:12 am |
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haroosh
Member Since: 16 Nov 2010
Location: Perth & Kinross
Posts: 624
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I had my first go towing a yacht on a double axle trailer with the whole thing weighing around 2.5 tonnes andnit was superb. Amazing the difference between it and the old trusty 300tdi.
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| 12th Jul 2011 6:16 am |
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Ted Newman
Member Since: 09 Oct 2010
Location: SE London
Posts: 840
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The official D3/D4 detachable tow bar fits all caravans as it is a 'swan neck' so even the Al-Ko stabiliser hitch fits without a problem - and certainly no problems with our BPW/Winterhof coupling.
I religiously remove and refit the tow bar to the D4 as and when required - takes just a couple of minutes, the hardest bit is removing and refitting the D4 bumper cut out cover  LR Discovery 4 XS pulling an Airstream 532 Caravan also own (since new) a 1996 MGF
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| 12th Jul 2011 8:04 am |
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Barry C-All
Member Since: 13 Nov 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 169
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Hi discovery2006, as Ted Newman said,(above), I also have coupled up on both the Alko and the ghastly BPW Winterhof hitch , both without problem. I would sugest that if you cannot couple up, then you'r doing something wrong.
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| 12th Jul 2011 8:39 am |
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mzplcg
Member Since: 23 Jun 2009
Location: Gone
Posts: 1087
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A bit OT Barry but strange you don't like the Winterhoff. I much prefer that over the AL-KO. What's your reasons for disliking it if you don't mind me asking ?? More to the point, if you have one and wanna swap 
Back on topic, the diesel LR engines are all massively torquey things, perfect for towing. I used to have the V8 petrol D3 and changed to the FFRR TDV8. More grunt than you could shake a stick at. 
Dom
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| 12th Jul 2011 11:00 am |
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Martin
Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18561
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A 6-and-a-bit year bump is good going!  06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
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| 12th Jul 2011 11:02 am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26772
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Yep! and guess what..... I'm towing my caravan with my D3 again today. 6 years on, and it still impresses me the way it will tow.
Hopefully the D4 will be even better 8)
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| 12th Jul 2011 11:06 am |
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Ted Newman
Member Since: 09 Oct 2010
Location: SE London
Posts: 840
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Barry what's wrong with the BPW/Winterhof hitch?? I've used both and find the Winterhof better than the Al-Ko as it is less bulky and the detachable tow bar will take a Maxxraxx bike rack unlike an Al-Ko. LR Discovery 4 XS pulling an Airstream 532 Caravan also own (since new) a 1996 MGF
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| 12th Jul 2011 11:40 am |
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devonchilliman
Member Since: 03 Nov 2008
Location: Devon
Posts: 5224
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Gareth...
I was totally impressed with my D3s towing ability 
But the D4 I am in awe of  ,all that extra power Www.devonchilliman.co.uk
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| 12th Jul 2011 2:18 pm |
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mark the spark
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: southampton
Posts: 2521
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supprised to hear about difficulties with the removable tow bar from discovery 2006 i agree that getting the cover off is fiddlier than fitting the bar .
Try turning the green release lever till the locating pin latches back fully so as flush with the taper then align the tapered edge of the bar with the receiver slot and push up firmly Erhm
it should latch in with a positive clunck as the pin releases and locates job done to release twist green handle fully ( clockwiise from memory ) and pull down
i used to try and fit without getting the pin "primed" and set flush and then it was a fiddle but if you do as above its a doddle
re the winterhoff Alko debate much prefer the alko for hitching as its too easy to jam the winterhoff if you dont pull the handle back fully once stuck its a b*****d to release and you end up up down up down with the suspension to release ! not being able to decouple on site now thats embarassing ! with the alko its just a up down on off no faffing about although i think in towing use the winterhoff is a better quality product so like all comparisons good and bad with both.
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| 12th Jul 2011 2:42 pm |
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discovery2006
Member Since: 28 Nov 2010
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 159
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Cheers guys will have a good crack at it again
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| 12th Jul 2011 9:35 pm |
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Barry C-All
Member Since: 13 Nov 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 169
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Winterhof versus AL-KO. Maybe you get used to things and don't like change, but after having a Buccaneer Elan Caravan for three years, which was fitted with a Winterhof hitch, I can't say how pleased I am to get shot of the Winterhof and get back to the AL-KO hitch on the our new Swift Conqueror.
Winterhof (or at least the one I had) had a habit of sticking and jamming, to the extent where it gave all the impressions that it's released for uncoupling. Winding down on the jockey wheel, then starts lifting the back of the Discovery. Dropping the suspension to access height to further aid uncoupling, ends up bending the jockey wheel. Bearing in mind I have had caravans since 1968, the Winterhof hitch was the worse, most difficult, awkward and over-complicated bit of kit I have encountered. It was a complete PITA and had the capacity to make one look an idiot whilst trying to unhitch on a Caravan Club site (where everyone is a caravaning expert). I feel much more at home with the AL-KO, it may have shortcomings regarding carrying cycles etc, but it suits me (and the wife) down to the ground.
I have a boxed, as new Wnterhof hitch lock for sale if anyone is interested. PM me, or I will be putting in the article for sale section of this forum if that's allowed.
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| 12th Jul 2011 11:04 pm |
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