LR3 & a weight distribution hitch

[Mark]

Hello all! It's been a while!

How many have towing experience using an LR3 with air suspension? I am going to be towing a 26' Starcraft (4800lbs w/ a younger weight of 483 lbs). I've read disputing accounts of people who tow with weight distributing hitches and some that tow without. What are some experiences of those who have towed with the air suspension equipped LR3's?

Thanks!!
Mark

[Matt H]

A weight distributing hitch is the way to go but a lot dependes on how the trailer is set up with the distance between the hitch and the axle/axles. These units have a fairly low hitch weight rating of 600lbs. I've towed with our LR3 on air suspension and later after the coil conversion. We also tow with our current LR4 on air suspension.

I'm actually just setting up my flat deck trailer with a WDH for towing behind the LR4 to tow my 110 SW down to Moab in September.

My2.

[SpeedyJ]

My only experience towing with our LR3 was with a UHaul car trailer with my 109 on it. I did not have a weight distribution hitch and I was using a UHaul/Curt reciever, not the OEM LR unit.  I towed the empty trailer from Airdrie to Crowsnest, loaded up and towed the loaded trailer back to Airdrie via Hwy 22/2/Stoney Trail.

The UHaul trailer forces you to load the towed vehicle at the front of the trailer, so the tongue weight was higher then ideal. This combined with the axles being pretty far back made it a bit of a handful on twisty two lane highway. It was ok, but definitely got squirrelly above 105-110kms/h. Once I was on four lane divided highway it pulled like a champ, 120kms/h was comfortable (incidentally, this is the fastest my 109 has ever gone).

With an appropriate tongue weight and a weight distribution hitch you should be pretty happy, I won't pull like an American truck, but it's definitely acceptable.  It was certainly a lot better then my 100 Series on coils. We're still running factory air suspension on the LR3.

If memory serves I averaged about 15.5l/100kms, which is better then you'd get with an Eco-Boost F150.

[Mark]

This is exactly the feedback I was looking for! Thanks guys!

[Matt H]

These units have been 'king of hill' as tow cars since they first arrived in Europe. Winning many awards for "Best tow car of the year" etc.

It's worth remembering however that most European trailers are set up a little different to their North American counterparts. Axles tend to be more centred in the trailer frame and carry more of the load so a high hitch/tong weight rating is not needed. Trailer stabilizer attachments are popular though as as correct loading of this design critical and many folks experience unwanted trailer sway.

North American trailers tend to have their axles further back thus transferring some of the load to the tow unit. Having more distance between the rear axle on the tow unit and the 1st axle of the trailer helps with stability (don't really need a stabilizer) but it does impart a high hitch/tong weight. A WDH is a useful addition as some of this additional weight is now transferred down the chassis to the front axle of the tow unit and down the trailer chassis to the trailer axles.

Clear as mud?

[Mark]

Clear as mud?

Yes! That's perfect and makes total sense! Thanks!!