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| Printed From: UKCampsite.co.uk Caravan Towcars and Towing Advice Forum Description: Queries and advice regarding all aspects of towing, including towing weights etc URL:https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=20&TopicID=239579 Printed Date: 22/11/2024 at 6:53pm Topic: Doesn`t make sense? Posted By: Defender Subject: Doesn`t make sense? Date Posted: 28/2/2011 at 10:23pm Have just received the latest issue of the CC magazine. The vehicle road tested this month is the new Range Rover; as in 2011 model year, not that the company have brought out a newly designed model. Interestingly, Land rover categorically state that this vehicle should not be used for towing trailers(caravans) which utilise LED rear lights. As the article says, more and more caravans are being fitted with these light units as standard from the factory. It also mentions that if a 'tow pack' is fitted, that the spare wheel becomes a non full-size version, suitable for occasional use. Now, are LR trying to veer their prestige flagship model away from the vulgar occupation of 'towing'; leaving it to the other stablemates to carry out such everyday tasks, or is there really an issue with modern vehicle electrics that they cannot cope with extra sets of LED tail lights? (I think that the 2011 RR has LED tail-lights itself?) The fact that if you request a 'towing pack' to be fitted which then impacts on the spare wheel that can be carried, I suspect the former! I would say 'shame on you LR', but then again, how many RR's do you see pulling caravans nowadays? Defender Replies: Posted By: Opensauce Date Posted: 28/2/2011 at 10:38pm The fitting of the towbar will take up space & only allow room for for a space saver spare. The canbus electrics on some cars that have trailer safety features included are sometimes unable 'recognise' that they have a trailer connected if that trailer uses led lights. Problem is easily solved with an http://www.mobilecentre.co.uk/can-bus-towing-adaptor-for-led-trailer-lamps-caravan-lights-p-531.htmladaptor. If a manufacturer did not wish a vehicle to be used for towing they would not approve it so & they would not offer a selection of dealer fitted towbars for that vehicle. Posted By: rich2818 Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 7:45am Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 28/2/2011 OMG that's expensive....... Not that I know much about this but surely a manfacture like Land Rover who know the sort of use these vehicles will be put to should be able to solve this problem at the design / manufacturing stage. Or are they just cost cutting? Posted By: Greendemon315 Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 9:31am Seems crazy to me. I stopped buying new Land Rovers a while back. (Used to use Defenders). Towbar extra, roof lining extra, no CD, not even a radio. You do get an aerial wire though. Everything is extra. The very substantial money I used to spend on Land Rovers now goes to Jeep. Everything is included. Jim Posted By: nelmo Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 12:12pm Quote: Originally posted by rich2818 on 01/3/2011 I guess they work on the assumption that if you can afford a £50k+ car, you either won't be interested in a caravan OR you can afford the £200 for the adaptor. They're not going to care about the eventual second-hand market.
Posted By: Opensauce Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 12:14pm Its arguable as to whether this is the vehicle or trailer manufacturer at fault here. Leds draw a low current & this is the reason the towing vehicle cannot 'see' it. The problem lies with the electronics on modern vehicles with stabilty & brake control. I'm sure in a short while this problem will be solved. It is in the interests of caravan manfacturers to ensure their electrics are compatable with all vehicles. I'm guessing the Landrover disclaimer is just a 'catch all' in case somebody hooked up to a trailer & the stabilty control etc didn't work, which in the greater scheme of things wouldn't really matter. If the lights have current flowing to them, they should work. The Range Rover Sport is hardly the caravanner's towcar of choice, anyway. Posted By: LlaniDavis Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 2:32pm The lighting issue is to do with the car canbus system not recognising the trailer lights, however you can now buy suitable LED light bulbs that have an internal resistor to over come this problem, and a lot cheaper than the item linked to earlier. Posted By: jeff juke Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 3:10pm Whats the CC mag.? is it written by the crowd from top gear. Posted By: Defender Date Posted: 01/3/2011 at 8:19pm Caravan Club. Guys, thanks for the information. Must admit that I've never heard of a Canbus system! I just thought it odd that a vehicle from a manufacturer such as LR, with a towing pedigree, would have issues with the rear light clusters of newer caravans? I'm not sure if the towbars on current RR's require the fitting of space-saver wheels or if full-size wheels can be used but, again, for a vehicle from LR to have to resort to space-savers if a towing kit is factory-fitted seemed a little strange. I agree with you Tentz, not many people will be towing with a 2011 RR Sport; certainly not in 2011 anyway.............. maybe in 2014 onwards! |
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