Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

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Jay18
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Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by Jay18 » Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:10 pm

As a few of you know I have got a small 2 birth caravan and would like to know if anyone has any advice for me when towing with the SJ..

I have towed a 5'x6' trailer before with the zuk but that was with the old 26" tyres, now I am running 31's so would like to know what revs I should be running at during going up hills?

What revs are safe for the engine and gearbox etc?

Between 3000 and 6000? Or should I be keeping it higher than 3000?

Thanks for any help...
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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by twiss » Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:21 pm

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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by Jay18 » Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:46 pm

Haha well I'll be going to north wales a lot with it so need to know any advice if any for hills as wales is full of hills lol, I have a stabiliser bar to help prevent snaking, just need to buy a car bracket for it and then fit the caravan bracket and it'll be ready to tow...
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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by Henry » Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:50 pm

Simple answer is.... I wouldn't.

With such a small tow car you are going to feel the weight, and I bet a 2 berth is still clocking on 1000kg

Braking may also be an issue. I tow big weights daily up and down north wales, there are some long shallow pulls that will make it sweat, especially "engine hill" by harwarden :S

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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by 88SJ » Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:34 pm

Dude...I towed a small caravan with my 413 back in the late 80s. That was a new Suzuki so will have had all the BHP and torque...I say 'all' - there was never that much to start with and now the motors are so much older they will no doubt not be as strong

I'm willing to bet you are gunna go ahead and tow your caravan whatever anyone says...and good on you. Some of those welsh hills and long and steep. I wondered if I was gunna need low ratio selected at times

Good luck pal...just make sure Clarkson isn't following you as you know what he likes to do with slow moving caravans..!!..

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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by Jay18 » Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:46 pm

It weighs 650kg fully laden, I will be giving it a test run to Wrexham which is only 30 miles so that will show how it goes, if it struggles and I can't find the money for a 1.6 then I may have to sell the zuk and buy something with more guts, but I really don't want to sell it...
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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by donkeychomp » Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:53 pm

I don't really understand this. A little SJ is for having a hoot in and going off road (as much as possible). Why would you want to tow a caravan with it? If that's the case just borrow something with a tow bar. And caravans really annoy a lot of people, if it's being towed by an SJ it's going to be slower than a milk float.

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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by andyrew » Thu Jan 23, 2014 12:00 am

Good once over and a service
Hook up and take it for a spin. If it breaks it breaks.

A good tow vehicle has weight and power. . . . . .

But wheres the fun in that? !
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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by timwilks13 » Thu Jan 23, 2014 12:30 am

i recon you could slap a little 1 litre in the caravan and have it power itself!!
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Re: Any advice for towing a small caravan with my SJ410?

Post by dan_2k_uk » Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:21 am

Think the rated towing capacity of a Samurai is only around 450kg. A SJ410 could be even lower.

I towed a fiat panda 4x4 on a heavy home brew trailer built off a horsebox chassis up a long steep hill with my 1.3 when I was young and stupid and my truck was still standard.

Possibly had a 410 transfer box by then but I can't remember.

It flew up there in 3rd!

Just use every available rev of that revvy little F10! :D
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