Goodbye Patrol, Hello Terrano, again!

[spinna]

That looks a very tidy t2 uve got mate. Hope you have better luck with that. Talking of towing we had our first trip away with our Bailey last weekend, we totally loved it and my trusty troll y60 did me proud.

[jims-terrano]

I'm jealous it looks spot on on mate, all the best and have a good hol.

Jim

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

absolutely superb tug to southport, flew past where troll failed.

west bound summit of woodhead crested at 40mph in third
with 1600 kg of caravan on back.

didnt even use stabilizer, was solid.

was about 100 miles towing there and same again solo whilst
there, topped up before return trip, averaged 25 mpg.

very happy, wish had never seen troll, wouldnt be quite so poor
now !

[jims-terrano]

Great to hear mate. Now get the stabiliser sorted out though.

Jim

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Great to hear mate. Now get the stabiliser sorted out though.

Jim

stab was sorted sitting in boot if needed.

its a blade jobby, just pity receiver hangs down below ball though could raise it a little.
also have an alko in shed, though don't like friction ball type, think theres too musch
strain on the ball.

both are pigs with spare wheel, about one good thing with troll as spare was more to
off side of truck.

think may change ball to alko type as has a built in spacer arrangement in its longer
neck.

the grease hitch on caravan is a pain as its has a keyed lock built in to handle so
need about four hands to release it, keep it released and wind hitch down onto t2
then either spare or door is in way.

recall one summer had spare in boot which made hitching up much easier...

[wildbri]

Nice motor good choice! If you are at the Southport caravan club site (which is a very good site which I recommend) take care with your bikes, mine was locked to the caravan along with my wifes and some nasty thieving barstwerd cut the lock and stole it! This was between 11am and 3pm.... regards bri

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

its a nice site too, though theres a public path thru it at one point in to
victoria park.

we stayed on a cl near banks north of southport, very quiet.

[dinky]

Richard Get the alko short handle off ebay and 25mm spacer should have no problems if you fit alko stabalizer dont like blade types as they put downward pressure on towball.Car looks nice.

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

the alko i have, i dont recall its model, though was hd version of 1300 though
not the 2004 range. anyway it wont take a short handle. cure seems
to be to space out the hitch though wary of how much spacer can have.

my ball is still under the wheel vertically, yet fronteras seem to have very long
swan necks so ball is outside the line of the spare.

as for blades, surely its the other way around as theres an element of reverse
loading with arm in tension, or is it compression. think in US are known as
weight equalisers though are usually doin in pairs so one either side.

its the extra friction from the alko i'm not happy about, though if paired with
an alko ball will atleast be designed for the stresses.

plus removing the blade's drop plate receiver would aid departure angle.

i will try it and report back, suspect the coupling needs servicing first.

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

my alko is the 2700 version,

may put it on, if move ball out.
that said finding hitching up with regular
greased coupling a pain with the spare
wheel.

having to open door a little.

oh gosh, just found our old troll for sale
at dealer we traded it at, £6495 omg

cant see that being book price, went past
a nissan agen other day with an 05 troll
on forecourt at 9995.

hmm we'll see, good luck to 'em the garage
and the buyer.

[zippy656]

well nice motor..

will it run on veggie oil??

[(RIP) PLANK]

I have a cheat for needing '4 hands' to unhitch with built in locks on greased hitches. I put a luggage strap over the spare wheel, lift the hitch and tighten the strap to hold it up. Then wind down the jokey wheel - sorted

oh, and while we are talking towing, towsure do a cheap alko type ball!

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

though if paired with
an alko ball will atleast be designed for the stresses.

The alko balls are apparently manufactured to the same stress loading as conventional tow balls. Only differences is the length of the neck (to give clearance for the stab head) and of course the price

[(RIP) PLANK]

Originally Posted by daved

The alko balls are apparently manufactured to the same stress loading as conventional tow balls. Only differences is the length of the neck (to give clearance for the stab head) and of course the price

they seem to sit further out from the car, and the ball is higher and a towsure one is only about £15! I have one on my t2 most of the time and use to to ow all sorts of things right up to max legal weight (never more than that honest! ) I just clean it off with a spray can of brake cleaner for alko hitches