BJ74 Towing Question

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Joined
Oct 23, 2006
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I am planning on hitting up a couple of 4x4 events this summer with my built mini truck and was considering using my BJ74 as a tow vehicle with a dolly. I will definitly have a pyro installed by then and I have no problem taking my time and driving at or slightly below the speed limit. My BJ74 is a 5 speed and pretty much stock. Most of the traveling should be on fairly flat land with few hills ect. Is my BJ74 up to the challange or am I asking too much from it?
 
Should do it easily, I recently was flat towing my mates car behind my BJ74, I am running 35'' tyres, H55F and 4.11 diffs, weight around 2600kg ish towing a 3000kgish Nissan patrol up some long moderate hills. Boosting 10psi by 2000rpm, hitting 13.5psi at 3000rpm. Pyro post turbo between 450C-520C using mostly 3rd and 4th gears, crusing up most grades in 4th at 2100rpm. Was very pleased with how easily it towed the weight.

Exhaust and fueling are stock as far as I know, with only the muffler removed from the stock exhaust.
 
Thanks for the reply. We have used my wife's Surf with its gutless 2LTE to tow our old heavy tent trailer the last couple summers and it has done ok, though when there was a good headwind I think we were only able to do about 80 kmh. I think the 74 should be up to the task.
 
Should be ok under those conditions as long as you allow a good distance for braking and drop back a gear on any hills you encounter.
 
Anyone else do much towing recently with their BJ74?

My setup weighs 2700-2800# loaded with water and gear and ready to go. About 400# of tongue weight.

The 100 does most of the towing, but as I am finishing up the wiring project on the BJ74 I am debating on spending the extra effort and cost required for a brake controller and the 24 to 12V wiring conversion for the trailer harness.

The BJ74 did quite a nice job of moving the trailer about 100' from the back to the front of my shop :) Curious how it will do up and down the rather hilly Central PA region and NE US.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts and shared experience.

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My $0.02...

I towed my AT Chaser a fair bit (1500-1800#) and it struggled up mountain passes on the highway. Had to slow down to 30-40 mph when climbing to keep the EGTs down. If you're OK going as slow as the 18 wheelers it'll pull all day. And it was a beast off road pulling that trailer over anything I was comfortable driving on.

@fireball that's a sweet setup! I would recommend getting after it and outfitting your 74 for towing. It's nice to be able to choose between the 100 and the 74 depending on who is coming and where you're going.
 
I tow an Australian Kimberley Kamper with mine on a fairly regular basis. Trailer "aggregate mass" is listed as 1,500 KG on the certification label. That would be 3,300 pounds. Roll-out is a bit slow but it is not horrible. On the flats it will run easily 65 to 70 MPH and I have seen 80 on I-70 for a few minutes just to see it if could do it. On decent hills it pulls down to ~48-50 MPH in third. I get around 17 MPG towing. My supercharged 80 handles it a lot better but barely cracks 10 MPG doing it. The 74 has the rubber-necking scale pegged...:grinpimp:
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Love those 80 series heavy duty steel wheels mate. I have a new set of 16 inch tyres waiting for a set of those rims to hopefully fit my 75.
 
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