HDJ81 tow capacity

[gowyn]

I know the tow cap for the hj is 5000# but does anyone one know if that is the same for the HDJ81 with 1HD-T and A442F tranny?

Gonna add the biggest tranny cooler I can find and a temp guage.

 

[crushers]

personally i would not recommend towing over 3500# but each to their own.
what CAN this unit tow? 7500#.
the tow unit should outweigh the trailer and should have a good long wheelbase.
do a search and you will find a guy towing a FJ55 on a flat deck behind a gasser 80. the results are not pretty.
these are recomendations, of course it is up to the individual to make the final decision...
hook onto a 60 series and see if you like the way the 81 tows that unit. it is close enough to 5000# to make a fair comparison...
cheers

 

[Tapage]

personally i would not recommend towing over 3500#

The same idea .. aren't only a power or auto tranny coling issue, also is brakes, habdling etc ..

 

[James@JDM]

HDJ81's are rated to tow 3500kg's(7700lbs) in NZ (braked trailer) or 1500kgs non braked (3300).

I tow 2880kgs (braked) behind mine all over the country and it has never missed a beat, it's a 96 24valve, but my old 12 valve did just aswell, just not quite as quick

 

[gowyn]

HDJ81's are rated to tow 3500kg's(7700lbs) in NZ (braked trailer) or 1500kgs non braked (3300).

I tow 2880kgs (braked) behind mine all over the country and it has never missed a beat, it's a 96 24valve, but my old 12 valve did just aswell, just not quite as quick

did you have a tranny cooler installed? Any other tranny problems?

 

[James@JDM]

No, the 12 valve was stock except for exhuast and K&N Filter, I didn't punish it too hard on the hills, but put 20,000kms of open road towing with it over 2 years with no dramas. I didn't punish it going uphills and that obviosuly helps and that truck is still going strong for the guy I sold it too with over 250km on it now.

A trans cooler would help, but most people don't fit them here unless it's on smaller 3 litre Turbo Diesel Surfs (4 Runners) they tend to get hot quite quickly towing.

 

[gowyn]

now that's interesting.

I contacted Orto at a recommended a well known Aussie tranny outfit and talking to him it almost sounded like the A442F would need to be totally rebuilt, tranny cooler, temp guage, billet bell housing plus some other really expensive part.

The trailer we're gonna get only grosses out at 4500# but I still think I'll go with a tranny cooler. Can't hurt.

Thanks everyone.

 

[crushers]

yesterday i had a gent show up in his 81 series. he is towing a 6000# trailer behind his truck and is looking to add propane injections since he finds the truck "slow" with that much load behind.
he also mentioned that the diesel is rated for 3500 kg and he mentioned that the sticker on the rear door says 350kg which, according to him, is 10% of the towing capacity of the unit. (interesting though, the PZ trucks have a tonge weight of 400 kg and there is no way that engine will pull 4000kg)
someting to think about.
cheers

 

[gowyn]

Hi Wayne.

Did you notice if he had a tranny cooler?

 

[crushers]

he was planning on installing one but nothing yet. i am not sure how many trips he has made so far...

 

[SamB]

I tow approx 1500-2000Kg behind my HDJ81, it does fine, although a tranny cooler is a must as it gets hot up hills quickly (tip - don't bypass the factory cooler, use it in series..)

 

[crushers]

i would strongly recommend running a aftermarket temp gauge to be safe. the trannies are not cheap to repair or replace.
i think Sheldon has one of those vavle bodies from Oz, you might want to chat with him for a bit.
cheers

 

[gowyn]

i would strongly recommend running a aftermarket temp gauge to be safe. the trannies are not cheap to repair or replace.
i think Sheldon has one of those vavle bodies from Oz, you might want to chat with him for a bit.
cheers

Hi Wayne, just on Autometers website looking at gauges. Is there a specific Brand/model you would recommend? Autometer have an electrical and mechanical, not sure which is better.

 

[Tapage]

Hi Wayne, just on Autometers website looking at gauges. Is there a specific Brand/model you would recommend? Autometer have an electrical and mechanical, not sure which is better.

About brand .. I'm a VDO believer .. and mechanical mi advice .. advantajes by far.

 

[crushers]

Hi Wayne, just on Autometers website looking at gauges. Is there a specific Brand/model you would recommend? Autometer have an electrical and mechanical, not sure which is better.

since you have nothing right now and an idea is better than nothing i would go with the electric...
my only concern with the mech is if the feeder line should get ripped off somehow... $$$$
this being said i have never installed one so this is just an educated guess...

 

[BDA130]

Any further words or updates on towing experience? I'm buying an Airstream to live full time in. My lifted, intercooled 1991 HD81 is on the boat from Japan. My dream Airstream weighs 6400# and my second choice 3800#. Those with experience, is getting up a pass like Red Mtn between Durango and Ouray, CO dangerous and/or a pipe dream with the heavy trailer? I've only driven it 80km/hr in Okinawa (-;

 

[AirheadNut]

Part of the reason that the towing capacity of an 80-series is greater in places like NZ and Europe than in the US is because the trailers are balanced differently and run different braking systems. I have not done much towing with my 81, but when I brought home an empty 18' flatbed trailer I definitely noticed the weight, both accelerating and braking on flat ground. I would not go with anything heavier than the 3800# trailer, and a brake controller is a must. Big passes I can't comment on other than you will be going really slow by the top!

 

[mudgudgeon]

Part of the reason that the towing capacity of an 80-series is greater in places like NZ and Europe than in the US is because the trailers are balanced differently and run different braking systems. I have not done much towing with my 81, but when I brought home an empty 18' flatbed trailer I definitely noticed the weight, both accelerating and braking on flat ground. I would not go with anything heavier than the 3800# trailer, and a brake controller is a must. Big passes I can't comment on other than you will be going really slow by the top!

I'm not sure that trailers are necessarily balanced differently (not 100% sure what you mean)
Physics doesn't change from down under to NA. Vary the trailer balance much away from having about 10% down weight on the tow ball gets ugly real quick. Too much weight to the front, or too much weight to the rear is a recipe for carnage.
In Australia if gross mass of the trailer and load is over 750kg, (1650#) the trailer has to be braked.
HDJ80 in aus are rated to tow 2500kg (5500#) braked trailer (think horse float, loaded with two fart bags) I think it changed to 3500kg in late model 80's with the bigger brakes.

There's 80s all over Australia that have towed horse trailers and boats with no tranny cooler and stock tranny for 25years. Admittedly we don't have mountains like in Colorado

I definitely agree with airheadnut on having a brake controller and electric brakes if you're towing regularly, and learn how to use the brake controller to actively brake the trailer

 

[sailor]

i would not attempt this without a large cooler, gauge and a means of locking third gear if an automatic

 

[IanB]

Any further words or updates on towing experience? I'm buying an Airstream to live full time in. My lifted, intercooled 1991 HD81 is on the boat from Japan. My dream Airstream weighs 6400# and my second choice 3800#. Those with experience, is getting up a pass like Red Mtn between Durango and Ouray, CO dangerous and/or a pipe dream with the heavy trailer? I've only driven it 80km/hr in Okinawa (-;

Your '91 will have the smaller front brakes, and the fully mechanical A442F that only locks the torque convertor in O/D (4th gear), those are 2 thing that will not be working in your favor. Upgrade the front brakes to '93+ spec is easy enough, adding a Wholesale Automatics valve body with 3rd lockup is more complicated and expensive. Given that your truck is lifted, it's also likely got oversize tires, the extra rotating mass and changes to gearing won't help towing either.