Anyone have experience of towing with petrol 4x4?

Our farm truck is petrol (GMC Sierra, V8) and we tow everything with it, it does just fine. Our 110 was diesel but that would pull a tank whatever it was fed on, the Vogue was petrol/LPG and that was good too.

Mind you, if we were paying UK prices for gas we wouldn't be using the Sierra, gas is still about 90c a litre. Diesel is no good over here, not as clean as in the UK and screws up engines pdq. I know people who use ethanol and they say it makes little difference to the towing capability.
 
I've just bought a petrol Shogun to tow with - petrol engines tow great but are thirsty, which is why I'm converting the car to run on LPG. That way you get the benefits of a petrol engine (quieter/faster) with greater economy than a diesel. The conversion is a bit pricey but will have paid for itself within twelve months with the money I'll save on fuel.
 
badgerdog said:
I am thinking of getting a petrol 4x4, but nothing as big as the vehicles you mention. I am jealous!
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Ha! Where I am the GMC is a BABY truck, it makes a 110 look small but is like a mini next to a F350! V8 is pretty normal, my neighbour has a V10. God knows why they are made so huge!

The LPG in the Vogue worked really well by the way, it is like rubber matting, expensive to start with but pays for itself in the long run.
 
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i've towed with petrol, diesel and lpg and they all tow fine = petrol and lpg have less torque but a big enough engine sorts that out ;)
 
posie_honey said:
i've towed with petrol, diesel and lpg and they all tow fine = petrol and lpg have less torque but a big enough engine sorts that out ;)
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Thanks. We tow a lightweight trailer with one horse, and we do only a few miles in a year .I don't think we need a diesel, especially after hearing what you are saying.
 
badgerdog said:
Thanks. We tow a lightweight trailer with one horse, and we do only a few miles in a year .I don't think we need a diesel, especially after hearing what you are saying.
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for a few times a year i'd go petrol - you'll use more fuel but so long as it has the tow capacity you'll be fine :)
 
I have a Landrover Discovery 3.9L V8 petrol which is converted to LPG, havent had it very long and only use it as a tow car - I kept my Punto for everyday driving to try keep costs down.

I have a big 17hh heavy mare and a Ifor 510 and some very long very steep hills to do to get her to our weekly lesson, I find its ok but the torque isnt as good as a diesel. I've previously used a Shogun diesel (which was automatic - mine is manual) so whether that is also part of the difference on the big hill I dont know.

Mine has absolutely loads of power in Low ratio though so if the worst comes to the worst I may have to use it on steep long hills, esp with 2 horses in.

But so far so good - it is coping well with the job and I'm still getting used to it. The people I bought it off also used it as a tow car and had no problems with it.
 
I have a 4.7 V8 petrol Jeep Grand Cherokee that i use as my every day and as a tow car. As an every day car it is fantastic it has all the bells and whistles and is very comfortable and averages between 20 and 24 MPG.
As a tow car it is absolutely fantastic i tow a cheval liberte 2003xl and have had 2 16.2's in there and you wouldn't know you had the trailer on the back even up very steep hills in just keeps going, however it is thirsty and averages between 15 and 19 MPG with the trailer on the back.
I think if you are thinking about going for a petrol tow car you need a nice big engine.
 
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