TRAILER/TOWING FOR SUV

[thunder]

Im getting a Patrol soon and would need it to tow about 5 - 200L barrels of water up to my farm. Im used to doing this with my pick up but i guess i have to have a trailer now to haul water. My questions are:

1. How do i build myself a trailer for the Patrol. Are there do's and donts or do i just go to a motor shop, get a differential from a junk shop and have a trailer built?

2. Are there special parts i need to purchase to include in the building of the trailer?

3. Will the standard 'U' shaped metal at the end of the Patrol sufficient enough, do i have to replace this with a 'C' shaped towing thing? Or do i have to buy a special kit for towing much like the one that goes standard with the new pajero?

Im sorry, i dont know the terminologies used for this. You may educate me along the way. Thank you.

[johnqpublic318]

That U-shaped thing or even a pintle hook at the back of your Patrol isn't sufficient and dangerous for towing.  It's for temporary vehicle recovery.

Five 200-liter drums of water will weigh over 2,200 pounds.  Add the weight of the drums plus the trailer and your looking at 2,500-plus pound.

Go to RIDE in Banawe and have a trailer hitch installed.

As for the trailer, beyond 2,500 pounds or half of your Patrol's curb weight, I wouldn't would towing anything with an unbraked trailer.

[mykboo]

no u cant use the U thing on ur patrol. u need to have a trailer hitch/ towball installed as johnq said.. just make sure ur trailer has lights on it and have someone who knows trailers make one for u.. as for brakes i dont think its that necessary just make sur u brake earlier cause ive seen several pickups and suvs in pangasinan towing boats which weigh nearly 2 tons and dont seem to have any problems...

[thunder]

Thank you for yor replies. Is the trailer hitch the one that comes standard in the new pajero? How come the safari has this kind of attachment while the Y61 doesnt? Would you know how much a trailer hitch would set me back? Im looking at keeping the trailer in my farm in Tanay and would only use it to go to the Town proper to get supplies. Im going to leave it there when i go back to manila. Is it true that i need to register this trailer?

By the way, would you know where i could get a good deal on a winch? I saw some patrols with arb bumpers and i wouldnt want to replace the one the patrol already has. Any suggestions?

[johnqpublic318]

Thank you for yor replies. Is the trailer hitch the one that comes standard in the new pajero? How come the safari has this kind of attachment while the Y61 doesnt? Would you know how much a trailer hitch would set me back? Im looking at keeping the trailer in my farm in Tanay and would only use it to go to the Town proper to get supplies. Im going to leave it there when i go back to manila. Is it true that i need to register this trailer?

By the way, would you know where i could get a good deal on a winch? I saw some patrols with arb bumpers and i wouldnt want to replace the one the patrol already has. Any suggestions?

That thing on the back of a Safari or Pajero isn't a trailer hitch but a pintle hook.  

A trailer hitch is both horizontal and vertical load bearing and can be used for prolonged periods with constantly loaded.

A trailer hitch alone doesn't have a hook but a 2 inch square tube receiver  that you can insert a hook or trailer ball attachment into.

Go find a F150 and look underneath its chrome rear bumper and, in most cases, you'll find an open square tube.  That along with what it's attached to is the trailer hitch with a 2" receiver.  The outlet to its left is the trailer socket used to activate light and signals on a proper U.S. road legal trailer.

You can have a trailer or receiver hitch installed at RIDE/Campershell in Banawe or any RATS 4x4 branch.

Read and learn from these links:

1)http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/44921/article.html

2) http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/44921/page001.html

3) http://trucktrend.com/features/tech/163_0212_how/index.html

4) http://www.fordvehicles.com/help/guides/haulingandtowing/

5) http://www.ssbtractor.com/trailer_hitches.html

As for your winch, Armark or RIDE can sell you one.  Expect to spend P30-70K.

[OTEP]

1.  Why go through the fuss of building a trailer?  We just bought an Army surplus trailer (with a hand brake and surge brake).  Don't ask me where I got it.  Matagal na kasi sa amin yun.  Though may nakikita ako minsan on display dun sa surplus truck shop along Roosevelt near the corner of Baler.

2.  See #1

3.  No, the tow loop at the back of the Patrol is so that the vehicle can be pulled out when stuck.  It is not for pulling a trailer.  A pintle-hook (C-shaped) will suffice if you are just going to do some towing around the farm like what I do.  The Patrol is rated to tow 750kg if the trailer does not have its own brake system.  However, if you will just be driving at low speeds in your farm, then you can go brakeless for the meantime.

Btw, I haul rice.  About 14 sacks per trip.

[arb]

You can put an ARB Tow Master on your Patrol may it be a GQ or the GU model. It has a 3.5ton (7000lbs) rating. piture below installed on a GU Patrol.