Actual towing experiences?

[hustlehard285]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to get a sense of how the Ineos actually tows and what the actual payload is like. We're planning on picking up a 32 foot, 6,100 lb dry weight (7,700 GVM) travel trailer and dragging it from Colorado up to Oregon. I'm hoping the Ineos will be able to handle this, if not I'll have to garage the Ineos and lease a 250 or SD for a few years. Luckily we'll be avoiding the mountain passes and heading up through Wyoming, so maybe that'll make it easier?

 

[[ Adam ]]

I'm not sure I'd want to tow a trailer right on the limit of the tow vehicle's capability. What's the hitch weight of your trailer?

Towing Capacity Calculator

 

[ADVAW8S]

Search the tow thread. You will see number people towing up to the limit with no issues.

 

[hustlehard285]

I'm not sure I'd want to tow a trailer right on the limit of the tow vehicle's capability. What's the hitch weight of your trailer?

Towing Capacity Calculator

Hitch weight is 800. I'll be putting airbags in, an electronic brake controller and anti sway bars

 

[Tazzieman]

You're a brave chap! Luckily your petrol is cheap.

 

[Asnes]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to get a sense of how the Ineos actually tows and what the actual payload is like. We're planning on picking up a 32 foot, 6,100 lb dry weight (7,700 GVM) travel trailer and dragging it from Colorado up to Oregon. I'm hoping the Ineos will be able to handle this, if not I'll have to garage the Ineos and lease a 250 or SD for a few years. Luckily we'll be avoiding the mountain passes and heading up through Wyoming, so maybe that'll make it easier?

I’ve towed similar trailers for about 40-50k miles over the past 15 or so years.

Grenadier is a short wheelbase and low power for a 32' box trailer but people do it. I towed my 31' airstream weighing in around 7,500lbs on the cat scales cross country from NJ to Colorado with an Infiniti QX80 which has similar short 121” wheelbase (vs 115” with the grenadier)…. albeit with 400hp and 400 ft-lb torque.

Proper weight distribution hitch setup with correct ball heigh, level trailer etc is critical to stability given your rig. I'd run with empty tanks to keep weight down as well.

You should highly consider a Pro Pride hitch given the ratios and weights involved if you are serious about towing that size trailer often with a grenadier.

Living in Colorado and driving the continental divide often I eventually moved to a 10,000 lb gmc duramax 3/4 ton with 900+ ft-lb of torque and much longer wheelbase as my dedicated tow vehicle. World of difference towing 7500+ lbs vs 1/2 ton suv.

Stay safe.

 

[hustlehard285]

I’ve towed similar trailers for about 40-50k miles over the past 15 or so years.

Grenadier is a short wheelbase and low power for a 32' box trailer but people do it. I towed my 31' airstream weighing in around 7,500lbs on the cat scales cross country from NJ to Colorado with an Infiniti QX80 which has similar short 121” wheelbase (vs 115” with the grenadier)…. albeit with 400hp and 400 ft-lb torque.

Proper weight distribution hitch setup with correct ball heigh, level trailer etc is critical to stability given your rig. I'd run with empty tanks to keep weight down as well.

You should highly consider a Pro Pride hitch given the ratios and weights involved if you are serious about towing that size trailer often with a grenadier.

Living in Colorado and driving the continental divide often I eventually moved to a 10,000 lb gmc duramax 3/4 ton with 900+ ft-lb of torque and much longer wheelbase as my dedicated tow vehicle. World of difference towing 7500+ lbs vs 1/2 ton suv.

Stay safe.

Yeah we're going to take our time. Not in any rush to get up there, and we'll be traveling with empty tanks for sure. We'll see. I'll give it a few test runs and can always upgrade if needed.

Thanks for all the tips, much appreciated.

 

[Karearea]

Might be something that’s already been thought about but….
Is the vehicle adequately “run in” engine wise?
Sounds like it may be quite the mechanical load!
Good wishes for the trip.

 

[hustlehard285]

Might be something that’s already been thought about but….
Is the vehicle adequately “run in” engine wise?
Sounds like it may be quite the mechanical load!
Good wishes for the trip.

Luckily we're not taking off till May and my IG should be here next week or the following. So I'll definitely be making sure to bed in the engine adequately

 

[Asnes]

Hitch weight is 800. I'll be putting airbags in, an electronic brake controller and anti sway bars

You sound like you know what you are doing. I ran air bags in my 3/4 ton so truck and trailer were within 1/2" level accross both. Just remember that load leveling with air bags does not equal weight distribution. You still need to re-load the front axle with weight distribution to avoid overloading rear axle / rear tire weight limits and also and equally important avoid understeer on the front axle.

 

[bakepl]

Towing 3100kg van for about 2000klm now, mainly black top B grade roads. Trialmaster diesel, 2 red diamonds on rear springs. Car at 3500kgs with van attached. Towball download 266kgs. Rear dropped 40 to 50mm but suspect that's the soft stage of the tri rate rear spring taking up.

I do not use any weight distribution hitch as I'm often off road or on poor dippy ones and I'm concerned about the forces (to where and how much) that are being applied to car/van. I'd rather set the vehicle up properly if need be but this is one of the reasons that on paper at least the Ineos looked like a good proposition.

Previous vehicles to compare are a LC100 V8 petrol and Tourareg 3litre diesel (both of which I still have).

Tyre pressures as per manual: 43.5psi front 49 rear (5 people + luggage)

Plenty of power/torque and roughly averaging 19l/100klm but will be more accurate in a couple of weeks with about 4000 towing klm's under my belt. On B grade roads travelling at about 85-90kl/h was in two minds if I should sell the Ineos as steering was terrible and I really had to concentrate 100%. Not saying I don't concentrate 100% when driving but to get my point across this is how I felt. (I'm used to the different steering of the Ineos when not towing and don't mind it, it wasn't that).

I subsequently reduced the front tyres to 38psi cold (rather than that recommended in the manual for a fully loaded car) and the change was remarkable. I also do this for my LC100 for same reason) When the towball download is applied weight shifts from the front to the rear so in effect considerably more weight is applied to the rear axle than just the 266kg towball download and front axle load is reduced making the front tyre footprint a little smaller.

Anyway, car now drives B grade (B = bad) roads like a champion. Very sure-footed indeed and at least equal to my LC100 in that respect but with more power/torque than the petrol V8. Power/torque seems similar to my Touareg but is much more sure footed guess due to the overall weight of the vehicle and chassis design.

On gravel roads again felt fantastic but am yet to do long stretches of Aussie corrugations - that's next March.

Upside is, love the Grenadier. Will be selling the LC100. I'll likely do a small summary of my overall thoughts of good v bad on my return.