Tow Rig D40

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Hi there team, getting a new Cosmic Black D40 ST 2.5 Auto with 20's for use in towing my enclosed trailer that I cart my Late Model speedway car in.

Have friends over West with 6 Navara's between the 5 of them and they all rate the Navara as the best tow vehicle they have ever used.

My last tow vehicle was a GMC Duallie with a 7.4l on petrol so looking forward to not stopping at every service station. Used to joke that we could towing the trailer pass anythjing on the road except a petrol pump.

Looking to possibly enhance diesels performance with the usual supspects, chip, exhaust, intercooler etc.

Keen to get any advice for towing with a D40. Especially airbag options, load levellers etc.

 

[Jason]

Hi Bruce, welcome to the forum.

Checkout the D40 fuel economy thread here: http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=39
It's a bit of a read!

 

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Thanks Jason.

So far reading in here makes me think that I will at this stage be:

1) Cancelling my order for the Nissan towbar and getting a Hayman Reece towbar as I intend to use some form of Load Levellers. (Mate who owns a trailer busienss recommended Haymen Reece setup)

2) Getting a chip. Steinbauer perhaps. Know as much about this as i do Steinway piaonos.

3) Fitting a 2.5" exhaust.

Things still to think about and decide on:

1) Possible upgrade of intercooler.
2) Sourcing the right exhaust system to be fitted by exhaust shop.
3) Making sure that the auto cooler is up to the job of towing needs.
4) Looking at brakes and improving the stoppers.
and 5) Shock horror. Looking at Kings lowering kit springs for a couple of inches. I will never be 4WDing with Navara as wifes Cayenne can get that duty if ever requried.

 

[SOLID D22]

Welcome to the forum.
If more power and better fuel economy is what your after then look into fitting diesel gas, you wont be dissapointed. I regurlarly tow a tandem car trailer too and the gas system helps heaps.

 

[Old.Tony]

Welcome aboard!

I tow my 1.8tonne caravan with my Nav, and in its near 12,000km life so far probably 8,000 of that has been towing. Let's see how much mud I can throw in the works!

* Hayman Reese hitch is the only choice, the geniune Nissan one can't tolerate the torsional stress of the load leveller and will rip itself a new one in short order.

* Upgrade your rear suspension. The stock Nav can take 150Kg in the back, tops. Ball weight is going to exceed that and that's before you've thrown your thongs and a change of underwear in the back.

* Consider diesel gas.

* When wiring up the electric brakes (required for the load you're talking about), insist on 6mm (60Amp) wiring with a 30Amp thermal breaker located near the battery. Do not let them talk you into 4mm (30Amp) cabling "because even with all 4 wheels braking at maximum, you're only drawing 24 Amps".

Let me explain this for everyone. When current (power) is drawn along an electrical cable, the voltage drops the further along the cable you go, and to produce the same amount of power (like a proportional braking system would try to do) the current has to rise. Suddenly 6A is now 10A and your 30A wire is carrying 40A and melting its insulation just as you reach the dangerous first curve going down Bulli Pass (or wherever).

60Amp (6mm) cable does not have the same voltage drop over the same length of cable, hence it doesn't cause the resultant heating. Since the most important component on the vehicle is the brakes, this is an area to not skimp on.

If you get a proportional brake controller, be careful that they fit it so that it can be properly adjusted. Even the hall-effect proportional controllers need to be something relative to horizontal - my Voyager has to be within 70 degrees of horizontal. Make sure they do that, and give you the instructions on how to adjust it (failing that, the PDF document explaining this is available on the Tekonsha web site).

Personally, I'm not touching my exhaust, I'm not chipping the engine, I won't be installing diesel gas. I am seriously considering a misting system for the intercooler and upgrading the intercooler piping to metal. I am also considering upgrading the turbocharger intake to a mostly metal tube as well, to avoid collapses.

But then, I'm probably strange.

 

[belle]

hi bruce. welcome along.

Great info there tony. even I can understand all that! awesome

 

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Hey thanks for the information guys. Was at the dealership today to look at all the bits and pieces.

Tasks completed today.

1) Cancelled the Nissan tow bar.
2) Ordered this morning all the Hayman Reece items as well as the Tekonsha brake controller and will also ensure the wire is the right rating.
3 )Happy with the 20" wheels and Cooper tyres so they are a go.
4) Drove an Auto for the first time and was happy with how it took off etc.

Talked to sales guys and they all said Gas would probably be the best thing to look at first before chip exhaust intercooler etc.

Doing research on diesel gas this weekend and will look at costs early next week.

One thing I need to think about is whether to get the seats done in leather given that we do get dirt etc and the mesh fabric will be harder to clean than black leather.

That said I am very happy with my choice and get delivery this time next Saturday.

Any sage advice and direction on
1) diesel gas greatly appreciated and
2) rear springs and air bag options

 

[SOLID D22]

My diesel gas system is the older converter type, nowdays there are more companys installing diesel gas and you may be able to get an injection type setup, use google to find out more info on installers.

 

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Well team I have had my D40 for three weeks and the family and I love it.

No joy here when the kids tell mum they prefer Dad's Navara over her Cayenne.

It was left today at Pedders in Brookvale to get the first round of work done.

Hayman Reece tow bar, Hayman Reece Digital Brake controller, Charge wire setup for the battery in the trailer, Firestone air bags for the rear, DBA slotted rotors and Bendix 4WD disk pads up front.

Looking forward to getting it back Friday as we are racing on the weekend.

Finalising chip and pipe at moment. Most likely DP (over Steinbauer) and Beaudesert 2.5 exhaust.

Intercooler is next item to be studied and the the ugly beast that is Diesel Gas.

I have been to Loch Ness and there is more myth over Diesel Gas than about Nessie.

Still yet to find a definitive source of information on this. They either have anecdotal evidence but cant point me to someone who actually blew a motor or they are trying to sell it and make ludicrous claims.

 

[KraftyPg]

Still yet to find a definitive source of information on this. They either have anecdotal evidence but cant point me to someone who actually blew a motor or they are trying to sell it and make ludicrous claims.

That just about sums up the entire motor industry...and probably so many others.

 

[Old.Tony]

Great to hear the car's appreciated!

Re the diesel gas - the experiences I've seen relayed here in these forums generally go along the lines of "fine if you use it as it was intended".

Basically if you over-gas it you could have troubles. If you under-gas it you simply go back to normal power levels as the gas input drops off to 0.

 

[Dave]

Just seen this thread.

Welcome mate, I was thinking wonder if you know a mates dad who does off road rallys in the buggy. Anyway there team Guy, but I think your into a different form of racing. His dad runs a Chev 1500 with the 5.3L Chev V8.

Can you give us a run down on the car and a few pics of the Nav.

Dave.

 

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Hey Dave, I race speedway. Cars that are are called Late Models. Left hand drive space frame deal. 410 cube Mopar, 788Hp and 640NM in a car that weighs 1000kgs.

 

[Bruce Mackenzie]

Now to the disapointment of the day. Got the Navara back and wrapped with the towbar, airbags and electric brakes.

Not so wrapped that DBA dont have disks to suit the D40 ST. Basic line from them is that they are saying that the car is too new and they dont have the disks for Thai built D40's yet.

 

[Dave]

Jeez mate, you would wanna be holding on tight. Thats some serious power.

Mate give them a month or 2 and you may have some new rotors. Wear the origals out first.

Dave.

 

[Jason]

Wouldn't mind seeing some pics Bruce.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm thinking that (like with my caravan) if the trailer's brakes are adjusted properly, the Navara's factory brakes aren't bad. The brake dust is a beeyatch, but the car + van stops just fine.

If that controller you've had fitted is decent, setting it up won't be a problem and neither will adjusting it, to the point where you almost don't feel the weight of the trailer behind when braking.

And those Thai-built STs are *very* new. No surprise here that DBA - or anyone else - don't have specific parts for them yet.

I'm interested in how the airbags go. Going to need to beef up my rear suspension one day soon so I'm looking closely at the options available.