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 Toyota Prado towing capacity 
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Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:59 am
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Post Toyota Prado towing capacity
We have a 2007 automatic Toyota Prado (petrol) and would like your comments on its ability to handle a Jayco 21ft van ( tare 2057kg) I would anticipate the ATM to be just under 2500kg.I know the stated towing capacity is 2500kg but would like comments on whether the vehicle can really handle that weight.

John Cramp


Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:10 am
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Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:23 pm
Posts: 7016
Location: Melbourne
Post Re: Toyota Prado towing capacity
G'day JC and welcome!

I had a petrol 2004 and now have a diesel 2007 and have towed the same van for well over 50,000 kms. My van is around 2400 kgs (weigh-bridge) in full kit and that's how we travel most of the time. I'm no slouch on the road and have always felt this load to be well within the Prado capability. If I was not completely happy with the 2004 petrol, and I wasn't for 2 reasons, I would never have spent another $35k changeover to get the diesel. My petrol grizzle had nothing to do with the towing capability. By feel to me the Prado would cope with well above its spec of 2500 kg.

Of course, there will be others who don't agree. Typically those with tugs of greater spec. Just to put my potential bias into perspective, I'm a Ford man of 50 years.

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2007 Prado Diesel Auto
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Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:33 am
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Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:08 pm
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Location: LONDONDERRY NSW
Post Re: Toyota Prado towing capacity
What were the two reasons you didnt like the Petrol Prado, Old Techo, just curios as I have a petrol Prado and find it pretty good.


Hank

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2012 Prado GXL 3L Turbo Diesel
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Fri Oct 29, 2010 2:49 pm
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Location: Melbourne
Post Re: Toyota Prado towing capacity
G'day Hank,

My apols... had a couple of busy days. Also I spent quite some time trying to find the comprehensive posts I placed on the forum a year or so ago. That failed so I'll have to start from scratch, but in less detail.

My petrol 2004 Prado had a 4 speed auto. It was a very nippy vehicle and towed extremely well. My #1 bitch was about the auto box. When towing at cruising speeds, 85-100 kph, it was great on dead level ground without a head wind. It easily sat in top gear. As soon as a slight headwind developed, or a slight long incline, the auto couldn't make up its mind and began hunting.

By hunting I mean it would remain in top (4th) gear but the torque converter would keep moving between locked and unlocked. This being the action of the lock-up clutch that stops the normal slip that occurs between the input and output sides of the converter. Years ago makers added a lock-up clutch to autos to eliminate the energy losses that occur in the form of heat. The trouble with my Prado was that the converter would move between the 2 modes far too easily. It would lock/unlock say 4 times a minute. This was a great deal of unnecessary mechanical wearing action. What it should have done was make up its mind and stayed in one mode, or the other, until load conditions actually changed. Hysteresis describes this characteristic. A simple programming change of the auto CPU would fix it but Toyota Oz did not have that ability. That was their formal response to a 3 page technical description of the issue that I sent them. At these annoying times the only solution I had was to pull it into 3rd and put up with unnecessary engine revs.

My 2nd grizzle would apply to any petrol donk. The economy was good for non-towing but when pulling my Roadstar van it averaged nearly 21 Lt/100 over 20,000 kms. Worst case was almost 30 Lt/100. This was a significant factor in going to diesel which averages only 14.0 under the same conditions. When not towing I had no complaints with the petrol.

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2007 Prado Diesel Auto
2004 Roadstar Limited Edition


Sat Oct 30, 2010 9:27 pm
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Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:08 pm
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Location: LONDONDERRY NSW
Post Re: Toyota Prado towing capacity
Thanks for that old techo, mine is the 5 speed and I just pull it back to 4th when that occurs. The petrol figure for towing is about what we get. The last trip however we did a bit of looking around without the van and we averaged 18.6 litres per hundred. We were only gone for a week.
Without the van my figures are around 13-14 litres per hundred.



Hank

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2012 Prado GXL 3L Turbo Diesel
2011 Royal Flair 21ft Designer series


Sat Oct 30, 2010 9:33 pm
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Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:23 pm
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Location: Mornington Peninsula - Vic
Post Re: Toyota Prado towing capacity
I'd first check the ATM on the vans Vin Plate.
With a TARE of 2057KG there is a good chance the vans ATM is 2532Kg as Jayco often give a personal weight allowance of 475Kg to tandem shower vans.
The ATM is the maximum leag loaded weight of the van.
If the ATM is greater than 2500Kg then the van legal loaded weight exceeds the Prado's legal tow weight.

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Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:00 pm
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