upgrading towing capacity

[pusspuss]

We have a 2010 Challenger with the 2500kg towing capacity and HReece tow bar.
We are looking at geting a bigger caravan with an Ensuite. The van will come in at 2700KG.
Does anybody know what would be required to upgrade the towing capacity to the new Challengers 3000kg capacity.

[aaron.miller]

I'm pretty sure you can call haymen reese and they will send you a new compliance plate, but no idea on uprating the challenger itself. I would call an engineer and discuss.

Aaron

[cry_babys]

i rang mm about a 1year ago to check the same thing they told me to buy a new car

[G Potter]

I would agree that you will need to upgrade the vehicle i had a triton dual cab auto that could not tow my 2000 kg van on summer days. The paj does it no worries
Cheers
Greg

[02-SR5]

Even if the Challenger can tow 3000kg, I still wouldnt do it.

I am a firm beleiver, if you are going to tow, keep it under half the weight of the towing car.

If my car weighed 3 tonne, I would keep the towing limit to under 1.5 tonne.

Rob

[BigBloke65]

I'd never tow near the limit. Maybe look at the new Mazda ute. That has a tow capacity of 3500kg I heard.

[greig]

I would agree ......towing near or at the limit for any car is not ideal........

You say the new van is 2700 kg........if that is dry weight, it will go over 3000 kg when loaded, so now you get into the bigger ( and more expensive ) 4wd catergory......

Just because a manufacturer says its towing limit is say 3500 kg.....( say a Ranger ute ) it doesn't mean it will do it any easier than say a Challenger at 3000 kg.........have a look at the brakes and the vehicle weights.??.......

[pusspuss]

I have been towing Caravans and trailers (including a camper trailer across the simpson desert) for over 30 years and agree that the tow vehicle should not be overloaded. the new caravan we are purchasing has a tare (unloaded weight) of 2350kg and a GTM (fully loaded) of 2700kg which i think should be within the Challengers capacity of 3000kg. Our current caravan has a GTM of 2100kg and the Challenger tows it very comfortably.
On the last trip, we had a blow out on the van at 100km per hour and passed by road trains doing 120+ and never felt anything but stable.
We are allways mindfull of what goes in the van and how it is loaded e.g. no bikes or generators hanging off the back.
I was just asking if there is a simple way of upgrading the towing capacity without changing tow vehicles as the challenger is only 2 years old and is now set up for outback touring. Also i dont have one of those trees in the backyard (money)

[wasarangie]

If the HR bar was an early 2500 kg then HR will not issue a new compliance plate. They are more than happy to sell you a new bar that is rated at 3000 kg.

I went through this some time ago. Even sent in the paper work. The reception people can be rather rude when you call and are only interested in new sales, in my opinion of course. I talked to a rep at a caravan show who contacted the engineers, the only way to get a 3000 kg rating is with a new bar.

[pusspuss]

Thanks Wasarangie. A new tow bar is certainly alot cheaper than a new car.

[norto]

I am in the process of upgrading our caravan.
i contacted the RTA who gave me a list of mechanical engineers that can
upgrade your car and towbar towing capacity for less than $1000

[Paj People 2009]

Hi fellas,

If the car's handbook states 2500kg towing capacity, putting a 3 tonne towbar does not increase it's capabilites.

You mustn't go over the stated tow rating for the actual car, not the towbar.

EG Our Pajero can tow 3 tonnes. But if I put on a HR 3.5 tonne rated towbar, it still can only tow 3 tonne.

Our van weighs just under 2500kg and it feels comfortable. But we wouldn't like to tow anything heavier - good to have some margin for safety there. Our ALKO hitch is rated at 3.5 tonne, but you can't tow anywhere near that. Case in point again.

If there is a legal way to upgrade the car's GVM, via an engineer, then go for it. I think the LC can upgrade their GVM, not sure about MM's.

Cheers,
Sally

[wasarangie]

Hi fellas,

If the car's handbook states 2500kg towing capacity, putting a 3 tonne towbar does not increase it's capabilites.

This is true. I forgot that before the 2010 update the tow rating was 2500kg, but was that for the auto only, or was it?

My hand book states 3000kg for auto or manual.