Towing with HZJ105r

Submitted: Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 14:26
ThreadID: 138901 Views:6731 Replies:10 FollowUps:7
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Hi All
Newby here. This subject will have been covered on this forum before I'll bet. Need all the info I can get on refits to my HZJ105r in regards to doing some heavy duty towing. My lovely wife has found a van she likes, 31ft triaxle, 3.2t. Ouch!! So what sort of mods to my cruisers motor & trans am I looking at to pull this mobile block of flats. I have suspension covered, I am only going with hd std with airbag assist. This should be ok with tow assist setup. Don,t want to sacrifice ride to much when unhitched.
Specs:
1998 HZJ105r
1HZ with aftermarket turbo, 14psi 2500rpm approx.
Liquid to air intercooling
5spd Man (R151 I think)
Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.
Peter
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Reply By: Member - DingoBlue(WA) - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 14:43

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 14:43
Hi Peter,
have recently sold my HZJ105R with after market turbo, HD coils, foam cell shocks and airbags. Mainly used for offroad and outback touring towing a camper trailer of approx 1.5Tonne. It coped with the trailer ok but not sure how it will go with 3.5 t on the back plus all the gear inside.
On trips of approx 10,000km, partly dirt and partly bitumen, I averaged 18.5 l/100km. Around town with no trailer about 15-16l/100km. Heavy going in sand, low range etc. sometimes 25-27l/100km.
I purchased a Lexus LX470 as a replacement and recently completed 9,000km towing the camper trailer.(about 75% bitumen and 25%dirt) The average fuel consumption for the trip was 22l/100km.
Trust this info helps.
Rather a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

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Follow Up By: Member - DingoBlue(WA) - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:04

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:04
I forgot to mention that the only issue I had with my suspension was the flogging out of the rubber washers on the top of the front shockies. Corrugations on the CSR). Other than that the suspension was fine and just needed to reduce the pressure in the air bags when around town.
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Follow Up By: Peter M93 - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:04

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:04
Thanks for the info. I can't see this van being off the black stuff very often. Just to low, long and heavy. Not my idea to get van this big. My wife's idea of roughing it is 4 stars no spa. The idea is that van will be our home for the next 3-4 years. The sacrifices I have to make. Happy wife you know. Thanks again.
Peter.
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Reply By: Member-George (WA) - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:35

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:35
Hi Peter, can't help much with the mod's required.
However, this thought crossed my mind.
Will you have a petrol tanker on standby every, say 100km.
Just joking of cause but I do imagine you will be chewing the fuel pulling that rig.
Good luck and Cheers
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Follow Up By: Peter M93 - Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:09

Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:09
NOT WRONG!!! AARGH!
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Reply By: Member - mark D18 - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:51

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:51
Peter .

First thoughts after reading your blog Was your HZJ105r will be painfully slow , you wont get out of 4th , 5th gear will not take the weight and on any decent climb Second gear will be you best friend .

Good luck lol

Cheers
AnswerID: 627137

Reply By: OzzieCruiser - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:55

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 15:55
Peter - be sensible - instead of getting this new block of flats - get a new wife.

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Follow Up By: Peter M93 - Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:11

Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:11
TOO SCARED!!
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Reply By: mountainman - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 17:15

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 17:15
Your going to need a bigger radiator straight up.
Turboed and towing a massive weight.
i would also budget in the near future for a h150 gearbox, as they are built alot stronger.

Ideally youd put in a factory turbo diesel 1hdt , 1hdft or the pick of them all 1HDFTE if budgets allowed.

Look at trying to do a brake upgrade by running bigger calipers.
If your towing full time doing the big lap it would be a very prudent investment.

But the serious question that must be asked is whats in the kitty budger to do any mods

how much can you spare to get the tow vehicle up to scratch
pulling that weight.

Id be inclined to sell it and get the td 100series straight up.
Youll get all your outlay back very quickly.
With the motor , it will handle towing this weight for years without any stress or overheating.
You will actually able to do the legal speed limit, be better on fuel.
And you wont need a 15km runnup to overtake another vehicle.

A nicer interior.
More comfortable

You would never regret it
AnswerID: 627140

Reply By: Mick O - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 17:50

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 17:50
Strewth Pate, that's a monster of a van. What's the towball weight of the juggernaut?



''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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AnswerID: 627141

Reply By: PhilD - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 21:57

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 21:57
I have a 105 turbo intercooled auto GXL modified as required and I would not contemplate towing a 31ft brick. The 1HZ were not made for it. Will be painfully slow and EGTs up the hills will go through the roof, if you pull at any reasonable speed.
I don’t know what the GCM is for a 105 Series, but am thinking you will be close to exceeding it with 3.2 to 3.5 T on the back.
AnswerID: 627144

Follow Up By: eaglefree - Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 22:30

Friday, Aug 09, 2019 at 22:30
X2. Is it 3.2T tare or ATM? I take it as tare + 400kg+load. What is the atm?
Think I'd be looking at a f150/Dodge/ light truck.

Sorry to say it up front but its ok for the ladies to want these huge caravans but if people male and female dont understand the complexities of towing them then why inspect them?

Tony
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Reply By: Member - Bigfish - Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 09:52

Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 09:52
Waste of time trying to make the HZJ105r into a vehicle capable of towing a 31 foot monstrosity. Tell your wife that a 25 foot 2 .5 tonne van is the maximum the vehicle will tow (close to the truth anyway). Her ego has to take a hit and get a van a bit more realistic. Otherwise tell her you can get the 31 foot tri-axle but you,ll also need a Dodge Ram at $150,000 to pull it. I had a 1hz with after market turbo, bigger radiator, strengthed gear box and all the rest of the goodies to make it a good tow vehicle. It was but only up to 2.5 tonne. After that it was too slow, too thirsty and too bloody big!. Good luck....but please get a medium sized rig for a more relaxing trip/adventure.
AnswerID: 627149

Reply By: Ron N - Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 10:47

Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 at 10:47
Peter, you need a truck to tow a 31 foot van. As an earthmoving contractor in a previous life, who has spent half his life in vans, and owned multiple 'vans up to 40 feet long, you are looking at a 'van that is virtually a mobile house.

These big rigs are essentially designed for minimal movement and a lot of "on-site living" operations' for extended periods. We operated in big vans as a family, with sometimes up to 6 people in a van.

Some of the 'vans I owned even had a separate tri axle chassis that was withdrawn from under the 'van after it was lifted, and the 'van was then lowered onto pads for long-term positioning.
Those 'vans were often only moved every few months, sometimes they stayed in position for years.

Caravans over 30 feet are not a good regular towing proposition, they are costly to tow and move regularly, they are awkward to park, they incur dislike by caravan park owners, who will often set you up in a location well away from the main caravan area, and they're neatly referred to in the old Yank saying, "give me 40 acres, and I'll turn this rig around!"

I'd suggest you guide the wife towards the features in a smaller van, and open her eyes to the fact that she doesn't need a van the size of a house - caravan living is all about compactness - and she doesn't have as much area to keep clean!

Cheers, Ron.
AnswerID: 627151

Reply By: Mikee5 - Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:27

Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 07:27
Put very simply, the gearbox is not up to the job and never tow in 5th with it. It will give up. It is a well documented weakness. You need the H151 box as fitted to the utes and troopies.
AnswerID: 627163

Follow Up By: rumpig - Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 13:43

Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 13:43
Spent plenty of time over 10 years of ownership towing near 2T in 5th gear with my old 105 series, never had any issues with it’s gearbox at all....personally I think the big issue is people not changing back gears when they should more so then blaming the box itself. In saying that, I would be very surprised if the OP ever gets into 5th gear with 3T on the back of it, would only be going down big hills he’d get the chance.
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FollowupID: 901139

Follow Up By: Ron N - Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 19:43

Sunday, Aug 11, 2019 at 19:43
The standard Landcruiser R151 gearboxes don't last long on rural spraying duties, towing heavy spray rigs through paddocks, always in 4WD and operating at low to medium speeds.

The spraying blokes quite often do a 6.5L diesel Chev/GM 4L80E/4L85E auto conversion on their 'Cruisers, which gives them the power and tranny strength for heavy towing.

Good informative thread below, as regards swapping the standard R151 gearbox over to the H151 gearbox.

R151 to H151 conversion

Cheers, Ron.
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FollowupID: 901141

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