Is a Nissan X-Trail up to the job of pulling a horsebox?

enol

I have a budget of 4-5K to get something to pull a box a couple of times a week, needs to be commercial (putting it through the business) would love a Landcruiser but the yokes I have seen for that money I wouldn't touch with someone elses 10ft pole. I want something that isn't going to give me trouble so not interested in Freelanders/Land/Rangerovers either. The 3.1 Troopers in good condition are like gold dust, so, I've been looking at very clean commercial X-Trails (05-07) for around 5K, 2.2dsl, 4WD, it'd also come in handy for winter. Advice from anyone that has one/had experience towing with them would be appreciated, or any advice welcome on anything up to the job on that budget either would be great, thanks in advance.

Top Dog

My (biased) suggestion -



http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/commercials/2457885

Even better if you could find an automatic version (no DMF)

BrianD3

Have the newer model X trail, 150 bhp 2.0 litre diesel, 2000 kg towing weight I tow trailers of approx 1000 kg so much lighter than a laden horsebox and well within the theoretical towing capacity. Grip is good but it needs lots of revs and clutch slip to get going on a reasonably steep hill without stalling. I'd say it could struggle badly with a heavy horsebox and you will miss not having low ratio gears.

I've also used a Mitsubishi L200 crewcab for towing. Compared to the Xtrail it is far inferior vehicle on road and it only has 115 bhp from its 2.5 engine and less peak torque than the X trail. However it is significantly better for getting going on a hill even without engaging low ratio.

Deer Hunter DL

bit of advice when buying a 4x4 for towing buy a Toyota or a Land Rover

Tora Bora

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

bit of advice when buying a 4x4 for towing buy a Toyota or a Land Rover

:cool:

Top Dog

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

bit of advice when buying a 4x4 for towing buy a Toyota or a Land Rover

I think the OP wants to do some towing with it - not have it towed :pac:


























And for anyone having a bad day in work - the above is just a joke

Deer Hunter DL

now now nothing wrong with the land rovers well as long as you don't buy a defender after 2006 , toyotas have their wee problems too , i know one thing both of them are the best 4x4's out there at the minute , in the lines of land rovers for towing just stay away from the Freelanders, discoverys and defenders are good and offer a large towing towing weight of 3500kg , and as for toyota the land cruiser will have more pulling power than the hilux but both very good 4x4's

kincaid

hi, what is wrong with the discovery for towing?

101sean

Think you misread DHDL's post. It's Freelander he's say staying away from, Disco and Defender are OK; at least I think that's what he's saying!

Deer Hunter DL

101sean wrote: »

Think you misread DHDL's post. It's Freelander he's say staying away from, Disco and Defender are OK; at least I think that's what he's saying!

yea thats spot on sean , the freelanders tend to be too high geared for towing there for very hard on clutches

Top Dog

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

i know one thing both of them are the best 4x4's out there at the minute

You don't rate the Mitsubishi's or Isuzu's at all then? Just curious.

Deer Hunter DL

Top Dog wrote: »

You don't rate the Mitsubishi's or Isuzu's at all then? Just curious.

well most Mitsubishi seem to have alot of head bother i think maybe its a chocolate one they are fitted with and electrics give alot of bother , Isuzu well i can only talk about the 3.1 tropper great power for towing but bad engine and pump gives bother and alot of lad won't work on them for some reason ? clutch is also a problem in them ,
on another note if your watching any wild life programs out in Africa and other remote harsh environments and war films what do you see old Toyota land cruisers and old land rovers that must say something for them and not to mention all the old hiluxes and land rover pick ups going out for export , imo if you go for a Toyota or a land rover they are not all trouble free but their the best of whats out there

101sean

Keep saying it's a shame we don't get ROW spec plain Land Cruisers here with big lazy engines instead of smaller engines pushed to the limit to meet EU emissions. Even the latest version of the Defender has gone down to a 2.2l transit engine with a DPF

iei044775

I have been towing a 2ton boat with a 2.2dCi Xtrail for a few years, don't do very big milage with it but it certainly never hesitates - that includes pulling it out of the water on a slipway which is a standing start on a steep hill. There's no doubt that a big 3L with a low range box will always be better but I think the trail should be more than adequate and will return almost 40MPG on the road in 2WD.

Deer Hunter DL

101sean wrote: »

Keep saying it's a shame we don't get ROW spec plain Land Cruisers here with big lazy engines instead of smaller engines pushed to the limit to meet EU emissions. Even the latest version of the Defender has gone down to a 2.2l transit engine with a DPF

i just read that in the last land rover owners mag and i laughed and said to my self i am glad i bought a TD5 , their really making a right balls of it now, anyway once the new skoda yeti 4x4 comes out......or i mean the new defender its the end of defenders as we know them :rolleyes: ,

anyway not to be spamming the thread if you buy a defender i'd stay clear of 07 upwards

greysides

101sean wrote: »

Even the latest version of the Defender has gone down to a 2.2l transit engine with a DPF

:eek:

.............bring back the 2.5 TurboDiesel.............quick!!!:rolleyes:

...............is it being hailed as a step forward...................?

Slidey

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

well most Mitsubishi seem to have alot of head bother i think maybe its a chocolate one they are fitted with and electrics give alot of bother , Isuzu well i can only talk about the 3.1 tropper great power for towing but bad engine and pump gives bother and alot of lad won't work on them for some reason ? clutch is also a problem in them ,
on another note if your watching any wild life programs out in Africa and other remote harsh environments and war films what do you see old Toyota land cruisers and old land rovers that must say something for them and not to mention all the old hiluxes and land rover pick ups going out for export , imo if you go for a Toyota or a land rover they are not all trouble free but their the best of whats out there

Thats the 3.0L you are thinking of. 3.1 Trooper is as hard as nails in comparison.

Suckler

greysides wrote: »

:eek:

.............bring back the 2.5 TurboDiesel.............quick!!!:rolleyes:

...............is it being hailed as a step forward...................?

My 300TDI is as gutsy as ever, love it. Have a TD5 discovery. only problem ive ever had with it was the fuel pressure regulator. Great for towing. Have had heavy loads on long jorneys and she just pulls away steadily.

fits

you need something rated to pull 2500kg really. The Nissan's 2000kg is pushing it slightly. IW Trailer plus 2*600kg horses = 2200kg.

_Conrad_

Slidey wrote: »

Thats the 3.0L you are thinking of. 3.1 Trooper is as hard as nails in comparison.

Indeed. Very true. Any mechanic who won't/can't work on a 3.1 trooper needs a kick in the hole and to get out of that line of work. Very basic old things.
The 2.8 was great as well ans sure you even see those transplanted into formerly 3.0 troopers, they may not have the same power or turn of speed but at least they'll stay going.

fits wrote: »

you need something rated to pull 2500kg really. The Nissan's 2000kg is pushing it slightly. IW Trailer plus 2*600kg horses = 2200kg.

Sure the X trail and the likes are only playing at being 4x4s really. Have to agree with you if you're going to pull a well built double box and two horses it'd be far better not to have your tow vehicle at, or slightly beyond it's limit

enol

Sure the X trail and the likes are only playing at being 4x4s really. Have to agree with you if you're going to pull a well built double box and two horses it'd be far better not to have your tow vehicle at, or slightly beyond it's limit[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking myself really. I'd only be pulling a box with one animal at a time in it, but still, it might be a stretch. Although there was someone who posted here saying they used their X-Trail to pull a 2 ton boat, ya gotta admit, that's fairly impressive!


Thanks to all for the replies, much appreciated

_Conrad_

enol wrote: »

someone who posted here saying they used their X-Trail to pull a 2 ton boat, ya gotta admit, that's fairly impressive!

That was a very bad idea. Might have looked impressive, and on a once off basis i'm sure it may very well be able to do it, but long term I would NOT tow 2 tons with an X trail. I'd like to see that person do it every day for 2 weeks just for a test and see how the xtrail ends up after it.

If you wanted to be towing big weights regularly then something like an old 4.2 landcruiser would be a much better bet, big slow revving unstressed 6 cylinder and a very heavy, very solid "jeep" built around it means a better balanced setup and a less stressed engine and transmission.

For your intended purpose though the way to do it comfortably is to have something like a "normal" landcruiser (as in 3.0 lwb rather than the HUUUGE 4.2 amazon) or 3.1 trooper or even a well minded landrover if you wanted a more traditional "horsey" look but as lads like 101sean will tell you the LRs are very good tow machines.

Deer Hunter DL

Slidey wrote: »

Thats the 3.0L you are thinking of. 3.1 Trooper is as hard as nails in comparison.

yep your right lad got the 2 mixed up

101sean

Any big 4x4 with a decent sized engine will make a good tow vehicle (being diplomatic ) but Land Rover Discoverys have often won Tow Vehicle of the year awards (now being totally biased )

Proper Land Rovers (so that's not Freelander and Evoque) are rated to tow 4 tonnes with a power braked trailer (not that I've ever seen one) but you'll not see any in the local mart, it's all Land Cruisers :rolleyes:

MidlandsM

I'm hiding behind the couch whilst typing this but here goes -

Kia Sorento, great cheap 4x4, good to tow, i had one for many a years, never gave me any bothers. Fitted the tow bar meself, used to service it myself, simple yoke to be honest,and good value, like you'll get a facelifted 07 model in commercial for circa 7k and if you get a vat invoice, you're laughing.


*I now await the barage of critisms* lol

101sean

I think your safe enough here, flaming is usually extinguished quickly!

The Kias and Hyundai Santa Fe's are popular enough around here and you see them towing horse boxes OK but anyone who does it all the time seems to use Land Cruisers

Slidey

The Santa Fe and the Sorento are 2 totally different vehicles though.

The kia has a proper longitudinally mounted engine with a transfer box on the back of the gearbox whereas the Sante Fe justs splits the drive to the rear of the vehicle off the RHS driveshaft.

Now I know this will be unpopular but take note. The RSA will be cracking down on horseboxes and the likes behind 4x4's.

You are not licenced to pull a trailer behind a jeep if the combination is over 3.5t and you only have a car licence. For that you will need an EC1 licence.

Don't believe me? Email the RSA and ask

MidlandsM

Slidey wrote: »

The Santa Fe and the Sorento are 2 totally different vehicles though.

The kia has a proper longitudinally mounted engine with a transfer box on the back of the gearbox whereas the Sante Fe justs splits the drive to the rear of the vehicle off the RHS driveshaft.

Now I know this will be unpopular but take note. The RSA will be cracking down on horseboxes and the likes behind 4x4's.

You are not licenced to pull a trailer behind a jeep if the combination is over 3.5t and you only have a car licence. For that you will need an EC1 licence.

Don't believe me? Email the RSA and ask

so true, and if you have a claim, your insurance co will hang you out to dry and just do the third party extension only becuase the have too (they would'nt if they could get away with it:P)......carefull folks.

fits

MidlandsM wrote: »

I'm hiding behind the couch whilst typing this but here goes -

Kia Sorento, great cheap 4x4, good to tow, i had one for many a years, never gave me any bothers. Fitted the tow bar meself, used to service it myself, simple yoke to be honest,and good value, like you'll get a facelifted 07 model in commercial for circa 7k and if you get a vat invoice, you're laughing.


*I now await the barage of critisms* lol

I tow with a sorento also. Its the automatic version and I do a lot of towing with one horse in the trailer (a 510). Rated to tow 2700 kg as far as I remember.

The santa fe would be a bit underpowered also, as would the new model Sorentos which now have a 2.2 litre engine. I would say next time I'm buying Ill have to go for a landcruiser or pajero. Not that I plan changing anytime soon.

I also have EB license, did the test in August. I keep hearing of people being pulled although I never have.

Irish Steve

Doesn't set the world on fire with acceleration, but the Isuzu TFS is a good towing vehicle, I've pulled a long Ifor Williams trailer with heavy batteries on it on several occasions, and even on a poor surface pull off on a slope, it's not needed low ratio to get moving, and the length is a help, as is the heavy duty towbar. Being 4x4 means that the turning circle is not as good as a car, but that's the case with pretty much all 4x4's. The long wheelbase helps with reversing trailers, and the shorter the overhang behind the back axle, the better for reversing is also true.

Don't underestimate the signinficant loading that a 4 wheel trailer can impose on the tow hitch in some road conditions, things like bridges and level crossings, and speed bumps can put significant additional loads onto the hitch and bar, so you need a combination that has been rated for the load you will be pulling. It's one thing to tow a 4 wheel trailer on a motorway, another thing altogether to take the same trailer on to a back "bog" road with humps, bridges and the like on it.

Good brakes on the trailer are essential, I've only once had a brake failure on a trailer once, and it was not a fun experience, by the time I got to the bottom of the hill, the front pads of the towing vehicle were on fire! It was a long hill, and I had close on 2.5 tonnes on the back, which was not normally a problem, but on this occasion, a brake rod broke, disabling all the brakes, and it was a LONG hill.

The TFS is a 2.5 turbo diesel, so ticks a lot of boxes in that respect. The point about Gross train weight is very valid, the B licence is not enough, and as mentioned, in some cases, even an EB is not enough, an EC1 is needed, and that's a very different story. The larger petrol engines are OK, but tend to be hard on clutches, as they don't have the same torque curve, and that's the important factor for towing. Another factor is the rear suspension type, if it's independent, and has coil springs, you may need to look at spring stiffeners to make sure that the back of the towing vehicle is rigid enough for towing and staying stable.

Hope that helps

Steve