Old Forum Post
Senior Member
[Dave Destler] I own a 1993 Range Rover County LWB with its standard tow package. I recently purchased a 1985 Prowler travel trailer, 19', which I intend to tow with the RR. The towing ability of these vehicles is supposedly "legendary" but to my amazement, I have been unable to find one single Range Rover owner who has towed anything more than a utility trailer with one! Some legend!
Anyway, my dilemma is that the owner's manual clearly states that "no equalizing hitch may be used with a Range Rover." The trailer I have is fitted with equalizer bars, which pivot from the hitch tongue to the hitch or receiver and feed weight back into the chassis of the tow vehicle to transfer weight to the front wheels, for safer and more stable handling. On the Range Rover, the active air suspension restores the standard ride height when the trailer is hooked up. But that does not necessarily transfer load to the front wheels per se.
Also, a local and very capable trailer hitch company looked at the receiver assembly of the Range Rover and laughed at it, saying that it is way too light in metal gauge, as well as not attached securely enough to the chassis to pull anything more than a utility trailer. They warned it would "peel right off' after not too many miles, with catastrophic results (suggesting I have them do the job of removing the whole assembly and re-welding in a much
heavier system, like in a Chevy Suburban...but if not them, then any other shop. They were very concerned with safety.)
So I tried to contact Land Rover NA in Maryland, with no success at getting any useful info from engineers. My questions are: WHY does the owner's manual stipulate no equalizer-type hitches? Is it because they know that the extra stresses from such a hitch is way too much for the stock receiver set-up? And if no equalizer is used, is the metal structure ample by itself? The book says that it can handle up to 550 lb tongue weight, which is more than the 350 tongue weight of my trailer (dry). It would be nearer the 550
lbs wet.
Has ANYONE towed a vacation trailer with a Range Rover ("classic" style, not the new one) with the stock set-up? Any problems? Breakages? Any using equalizing bars?
Please email me with input as I do not view this site often.
Thanks!!
Best regards,
Dave Destler
Los Angeles
dave@juniorbaseball.com
Anyway, my dilemma is that the owner's manual clearly states that "no equalizing hitch may be used with a Range Rover." The trailer I have is fitted with equalizer bars, which pivot from the hitch tongue to the hitch or receiver and feed weight back into the chassis of the tow vehicle to transfer weight to the front wheels, for safer and more stable handling. On the Range Rover, the active air suspension restores the standard ride height when the trailer is hooked up. But that does not necessarily transfer load to the front wheels per se.
Also, a local and very capable trailer hitch company looked at the receiver assembly of the Range Rover and laughed at it, saying that it is way too light in metal gauge, as well as not attached securely enough to the chassis to pull anything more than a utility trailer. They warned it would "peel right off' after not too many miles, with catastrophic results (suggesting I have them do the job of removing the whole assembly and re-welding in a much
heavier system, like in a Chevy Suburban...but if not them, then any other shop. They were very concerned with safety.)
So I tried to contact Land Rover NA in Maryland, with no success at getting any useful info from engineers. My questions are: WHY does the owner's manual stipulate no equalizer-type hitches? Is it because they know that the extra stresses from such a hitch is way too much for the stock receiver set-up? And if no equalizer is used, is the metal structure ample by itself? The book says that it can handle up to 550 lb tongue weight, which is more than the 350 tongue weight of my trailer (dry). It would be nearer the 550
lbs wet.
Has ANYONE towed a vacation trailer with a Range Rover ("classic" style, not the new one) with the stock set-up? Any problems? Breakages? Any using equalizing bars?
Please email me with input as I do not view this site often.
Thanks!!
Best regards,
Dave Destler
Los Angeles
dave@juniorbaseball.com