Long Distance Towing With A Stagea Rs4

[910trx]

i have been offered a job in another state.

the stag is fitted with a factory towbar and what appears to be an electronic brake controller

after pricing up rental vans (folks offered to drive one back) and the associated flight accommodation costs this is an unrealistic option.

removalists charge a whopping amount because i live in a regional centre as opposed to a capital.

the use of an one way trailer hire from uhaul looks to be the way - one of those 6x4 enclosed thingies.

we do not have much to move really. we were lucky enough to rent a fully furnished appartment for the last 2 years saving a lot of hassle.

what we do need to move is:

a queen mattress (mattress only) because its the sweetest thing i have ever slept on and cost us nearly $1000 when we bought it

treadmill - can be disassembled to a smaller size

few tv's - (tube ones)

my fishing gear

PC etc

the missus half tonne of clothing

Desk (can also be dissassembled), and

plates and stuff to eat with.

now the epic adventure according to Google earth in its most direct form is approximately 2,700kms

the stag is in pretty good nick mechanically but i dunno how it will go carrying the load over this extended period.

whether it mattersit is a 4wd auto

i need some advice to whether i should attempt such a journey with the stag

pre-trip checks

loading advice specific to the stag

or general longdistance self moving advice.

sorry for the long post, but i consider it all be important.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Daniel

Edited November 13, 2009 by 910trx

[KiwiRS4T]

Should be a piece of cake. If you have the S1 get an aftermarket trans cooler (ref the thread in the DIY section). Reverse flush your radiator or if it looks dodgy get it serviced at a radiator shop (they will remove the top and bottom tanks and clean it out thoroughly - if they say you need a new core or top tank then do that).

Make sure you have plenty left on your brake pads. Think about changing the brake fluid if you don't know when it was last done (probably never) - I use Motul RBF600.

Unfortunately the electronic brake controller is unlikely to be compatible with your rental trailer but plenty of people are towing cars on trailers behind their Stags. Make sure you get enough weight forward on the trailer to have a decent downforce on the tow bar to minimise fishtailing. Check the speed limits for towing a trailer.

Try and put heavy items in the car (in the middle if you have the back seat folded down).

Carry some petrol, small amounts of oil and brake fluid and some water (for you and the car!).

Oh and raise all your tyre pressures a little and check the spare!

[kidafa]

Stag will do it with ease...

Id be putting a better trans cooler on myself even if I had an S2....

As bob said, Brake fluid and pad thickness and check coolant condition ect.... Id do an oil and filter change prior the trip to.

Any spare space in the trailer put jerry cans! Its gonna drink like its never drunk before mate and in alot of remote places it will be hard to find 98 octane.

[GoldZilla]

Duncan has towed his GT-R race car to Melbourne and back before at least once, and that plus spares must be roughly 1500kg plus the weight of the Stagea itself.

As long as all your fluids are clean and fresh, the brakes and tyres are in good condition, and you take all precautions to keep the car running as cleanly as possible (transmission and engine oil coolers are definitely a good idea).

[rx7gt]

Should be a piece of cake. If you have the S1 get an aftermarket trans cooler (ref the thread in the DIY section). Reverse flush your radiator or if it looks dodgy get it serviced at a radiator shop (they will remove the top and bottom tanks and clean it out thoroughly - if they say you need a new core or top tank then do that).

Make sure you have plenty left on your brake pads. Think about changing the brake fluid if you don't know when it was last done (probably never) - I use Motul RBF600.

Unfortunately the electronic brake controller is unlikely to be compatible with your rental trailer but plenty of people are towing cars on trailers behind their Stags. Make sure you get enough weight forward on the trailer to have a decent downforce on the tow bar to minimise fishtailing. Check the speed limits for towing a trailer.

Try and put heavy items in the car (in the middle if you have the back seat folded down).

Carry some petrol, small amounts of oil and brake fluid and some water (for you and the car!).

Oh and raise all your tyre pressures a little and check the spare!

Good advise form Kiwi rs4 especially radiator and larger trans cooler. I would also suggest not towing with the overdrive button on. and just drive slower in 3rd! Most manufactures recommend not using overdrive when towing. Interesting enough Holden don't recommend towing in sixth gear in their V8's ( sixth gear must be piss weak!) Electric brakes won't need to be worried about with just a 6x4. They are required more for large caravans, large boats, yachts etc.

The safest things I have found with towing is to drive slowly and not be in a rush to avoid the scary as hell! jack knifing or speed wobbles. Have towed many thousands of km's with a large boat and car trailers with two scary exsperiences!! But now I just take it easy! Have a good safe journey

[910trx]

it had a full fluid flush not long ago

every type, everywhere - replaced.

i didn't think about the jerry can either... i'll make sure i'll keep that topped up

i've measured up the treadmill and i think as it is very heavy it should be in the back of the wagz if possible.

unfortunately this means a potentially large unrestrained mass behind us

trans cooler really that necessary?

i am in the middle of no where, so i'll need to track one down and get someone to fit it - not likely in the limited timeframe, considering it too 4 weeks to find someone to change all the fluids!

[910trx]

sorry just to add, most of the speed is at 110

at this speed the stag sits at about 2500 - surely thats enough revs to not be stressfull on the engine and trans

understandably when i drop back to 90 for some sections

getting pretty excited - i'm going home!

[66yostagea]

you can get atranny cooler at any Super Cheap etc. Takes about an hour to fit.

[BensDR30]

It's not about the rpm's, it's about the load on the OD lockup clutch.

You can use OD, but manually engage it once you're up to speed, as soon as you get below 100, press the button to disengage the lockup.

FYI, the S1 drops ot of OD really easily if you're below about 120, this kind of behavior can cause excessive wear with a significant load.

Fitting a bigger trans cooler should be a no-brainer - if you have an auto-parts store or wreckers, you'll find something suitable.

She'll cope fine - where are you moving to?

[Daleo]

All good advice so far except for this bit.

Make sure you get enough weight forward on the trailer to have a decent downforce on the tow bar to minimise fishtailing. Check the speed limits for towing a trailer.

When you pack a trailer, the object of the game is to evenly distribute the load within the trailer.

The further forward you move the centre of balance within the trailer the less weight you will have on the front wheels of the car, this is where your steering and the majority (around 80%) of your braking effort comes from.

Most tow bars have a load rating that refers to the amount of weight the car may pull; usually 1200- 1500kg, but they also have a ball rating; usually only around 100kg. This refers to the amount of load that can be applied directly downward on the tow ball.

A good indicator is, if you can still lift the drawbar of the trailer and the trailer doesn't want to tip back, you've got the balance pretty right. You don't want excessive weight on the towball, but you don't want the trailer trying to lever the back of the car off the ground.

I regularly tow my trailer with two GSX-R 1000's and a bunch of gear, total trailer weight around 900kg and I can easily lift the drawbar of the trailer off the towball by hand. The back of the car drops maybe an inch, if that. Doesn't affect the handling of the car at all, other than lengthen the stopping distance.

Hope this all makes sense, enjoy your trip. Cheers, Dale

[910trx]

i understand that it should be 49/51 front to rear when loading

thats how i did it for years on the farm and when towing motrs etc in a datsun bluebird

ie you want 50 50 but if needs to be unbalanced try and have it to the front

i'll try and have a sus at autobarnz tomrrow for a trans cooler

i am completely limited in tools and facilities btw

i'm moving back to adelaide where - i have all my tools, drills, jacks, wiring kit etc

are trans coolers a universal fit?

the one on there is quite large, about 30 x 15 cms (series 2)

Edited November 13, 2009 by 910trx

[KiwiRS4T]

Dale i don't know why you would assume that my definition of "decent downforce on the tow bar" would be an excessive downforce. Perhaps I should have said an "adequate" downforce which would be more than a 49/51 front /rear bias. When i towed my w/off Stagea 400km back to Auckland on a two axle trailer it had to be loaded backwards so that the engine meant there was too much weight to the rear and it got quite exciting anything over 90km/hr!

And Daniel I think the S2 trans cooler should be OK if its not a stinking hot day with a heap of mountain ranges to climb!

[Daleo]

Dale i don't know why you would assume that my definition of "decent downforce on the tow bar" would be an excessive downforce. Perhaps I should have said an "adequate" downforce which would be more than a 49/51 front /rear bias. When i towed my w/off Stagea 400km back to Auckland on a two axle trailer it had to be loaded backwards so that the engine meant there was too much weight to the rear and it got quite exciting anything over 90km/hr!

And Daniel I think the S2 trans cooler should be OK if its not a stinking hot day with a heap of mountain ranges to climb!

KiwiRS4T, I didn't mean to imply you didn't know what you were doing, was just clarifying the issue a bit. Depending on who's reading these posts down the track, a novice might take it to mean something different. Have been in cars towing some poorly loaded trailers and as you said, it isn't pretty!

Was definitely not having a go at you mate!

Cheers, Dale

[BensDR30]

Dale i don't know why you would assume that my definition of "decent downforce on the tow bar" would be an excessive downforce. Perhaps I should have said an "adequate" downforce which would be more than a 49/51 front /rear bias. When i towed my w/off Stagea 400km back to Auckland on a two axle trailer it had to be loaded backwards so that the engine meant there was too much weight to the rear and it got quite exciting anything over 90km/hr!

And Daniel I think the S2 trans cooler should be OK if its not a stinking hot day with a heap of mountain ranges to climb!

My R31 racecar-to-be died a horrible death due to trailer loading and the subsequent speed wobble resulting in a crash. Both the tow car and the '31 were destroyed. Thankfully my dad who was driving, was ok (albeit a bit shaken!). It wasn't pleasant to watch it develop a wobble right in front of me and then see everything get thrown around like a rag doll...

Observe the hitch load limits, make sure the trailer is in good nick (which can be hard when it's hired...), and don't rush. Oh, and ensure you have adequate in-car-entertainment for the long trek!

[910trx]

went into autobahn today, the young lad laughed when i asked where are his trans coolers and said "ebay"

we had a sus of a trailer equiv to what we need, and it needs to be an 8x6 - slightly larger, same height.

the max tow spedd is 80kms - i think its more of a legality thing, ie you go faster and we prove you were going faster than 80 your arse is theirs. the only way to guage how it will go is really starting slow and winding up the speed as i get confident i know what is going on behind me.

incar entertainment is suplied via a laptop and an ipod to stereo system we got just today.

front brake pads are fine, the backs need a change soon, i'll see if i can get any up here before we leave (2 weeks) and throw them in.

i'm about to go and replace the two rear speakers with a modern equiv as the last factory ones completely blew out. i went the same size to utilise the factory cradle the speaker sits in - pretty good sound from standard so i see no need to change things.

the run is to mostly be highway miles, therefore moderately higher speeds, limited inclines and plenty places to pull over.

i will need to renew my RAA membership and upgrade to Plus b4 i depart - just in case

can you get descent walkie talkies to you can listen to the trucks and stuff ?- i dont want to go fitting a full CB radio to the stag and a massive aerial - although it would be pretty mad!

i will be a slower car on the road and the truckies and other caravan drivers appreciate it if you let them know what you are trying to do, esp if overtaking etc

i also took it for a drive last night in the sticks and never realised but the headlights look like a cross eyed cat - as i usually do urban miles i never noticed it before so time for an adjustment

and finally a full bottle of rainx to assist in heavy rain - that shit is gold!

any thing else? throw the ideas around!

[gerry whtie]

i have been offered a job in another state.

the stag is fitted with a factory towbar and what appears to be an electronic brake controller

after pricing up rental vans (folks offered to drive one back) and the associated flight accommodation costs this is an unrealistic option.

removalists charge a whopping amount because i live in a regional centre as opposed to a capital.

the use of an one way trailer hire from uhaul looks to be the way - one of those 6x4 enclosed thingies.

we do not have much to move really. we were lucky enough to rent a fully furnished appartment for the last 2 years saving a lot of hassle.

what we do need to move is:

a queen mattress (mattress only) because its the sweetest thing i have ever slept on and cost us nearly $1000 when we bought it

treadmill - can be disassembled to a smaller size

few tv's - (tube ones)

my fishing gear

PC etc

the missus half tonne of clothing

Desk (can also be dissassembled), and

plates and stuff to eat with.

now the epic adventure according to Google earth in its most direct form is approximately 2,700kms

the stag is in pretty good nick mechanically but i dunno how it will go carrying the load over this extended period.

whether it mattersit is a 4wd auto

i need some advice to whether i should attempt such a journey with the stag

pre-trip checks

loading advice specific to the stag

or general longdistance self moving advice.

sorry for the long post, but i consider it all be important.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Daniel

Daniel I towed my Anglia racecar behind my Rs4 for 21/2yrs never bothered with a trans oil cooler and just left it in overdrive and never had a spot of bother, used shit loads of fuel though, as for towing a 6+4 trailer wouldn,t even worry about it just drive and forget it

[EvoMitchy]

^

x2

I regularly tow my evo behind the stag. Car= 1235kgs, trailer= 550kgs, + spares/ tools in back. I have towed from gold coast to canberra and back with no problems (other than looking for a servo every 300kms)

[pyro-ns]

It's not about the rpm's, it's about the load on the OD lockup clutch.

You can use OD, but manually engage it once you're up to speed, as soon as you get below 100, press the button to disengage the lockup.

FYI, the S1 drops ot of OD really easily if you're below about 120, this kind of behavior can cause excessive wear with a significant load.

Fitting a bigger trans cooler should be a no-brainer - if you have an auto-parts store or wreckers, you'll find something suitable.

She'll cope fine - where are you moving to?

quick and most likely noobish question, how do you manually engage overdrive? or is this an S1 only thing?

[KiwiRS4T]

quick and most likely noobish question, how do you manually engage overdrive? or is this an S1 only thing?

On the S1: the little button on the side of the Gear selector. As you push it in and out you will see a little light on the dash saying "overdrive off" going on and off. If you turn the overdrive off you not only lose top gear but also freewheeling ...so useful for slowing you down hill when towing etc.

I don't know if the S2 has this feature?

[910trx]

the s2 does not have the od button, but you can force it into 3rd or 4th manually with the gear selector detent.

i have the car booked in for another service (oil) and swap the front pads for something a bit better than oem and new pads on the back - they were really low and probably get to metal half way through the trip.

if there is enough meat, the front the rotors are getting a bit of a machine aswell.

i only have a 5L emergency jerrycan but i might try and get a big one as the trip we are taking is almost directly from Gladstone to Adelaide. We have 4 days to get there towing and no no doubt the AC will be running flat out non stop and chewing the fuel. 98 will be very hard to get in the middle of nowhere.

luckily the 3 inch now gives it a few more miles from a tank but it still drinks like a stagea.

any tips on reducing fuel consumption further? O2 sensor is too much of a task to perform in the limted timeframe. should i run a bottle of injector clean through it on the next fill up?