Towing up steep drive

[Mary jones]

I’ve seen there’s other threads about towing up steep hills, but I’m wondering whether I will be able to tow up a steep drive.
For context, I’ve just bought a horse and the drive out of the yard is very steep, and quite tricky to get out of as you have to come to a full stop before pulling out onto the main road (It’s also gravel)
It’s definitely possible, but my car isnt the strongest car in the world and I’m worried it won’t make it up? Does anyone have experience on this?
cars towing capacity is 2200 the horse and trailer will equal around 1200 total.

 

[scruffyponies]

The limiting factor isn't the towing strength of the car, but the available torque - usually just a matter of being in the right gear. In fact, too much power is a disadvantage as it will cause you to wheelspin. I manage fine with an old Skoda Octavia (Front wheel drive, manual) and a trailer which weighs more than yours. Some kind of AWD will prevent wheelspin, and an automatic will make hill starts easier and probably extend the life of your clutch.

Incidentaly, the only time I have had a problem was an exceedingly steep farm track on a deep layer of fresh scalpings. Poor car was still driving, but the stones weren't giving us anything to get traction on. We had to wait until a couple of heavy lorries had compressed them a little and take another run at it.

 

[dixie]

Are you sure your trailer and horse after only 1200, that seems on the light side?
Is the car automatic or manual? Does it have 4WD?

 

[AmyMay]

It might be that horse will have to be loaded and unloaded at the bottom of the drive.

Having had experience of a very steep drive, there’s no way anything other than a land rover (or similar) would have done the job fully laden.

 

[Mary jones]

Are you sure your trailer and horse after only 1200, that seems on the light side?
Is the car automatic or manual? Does it have 4WD?

it’s a very lightweight trailer at about 800kgs horse is more of a pony so probably around 400 ish. And it’s a automatic 4wd

 

[Mary jones]

It might be that horse will have to be loaded and unloaded at the bottom of the drive.

Having had experience of a very steep drive, there’s no way anything other than a land rover (or similar) would have done the job fully laden.

That’s the problem, ideally we would do that but it’s straight onto a main road with no other little roads nearby.
it is a range rover so strong ish but I’m just unsure!

 

[Sprig]

Is your car a 'proper' Range Rover? I guess not with that towing capacity. Is it an Evoque or something? A standard Range Rover would do that no probs. I imagine all RR variants have plenty of torque so you should be fine. Your tow set up isn't v heavy. How deep is the gravel? Is it really gravel up the hill? I can't see how that works on a steep hill, surely it all ends up at the bottom? Do you have different terrain modes you can select? I do in my Freelander. Maybe try different modes. Mine has a sand/gravel mode.

 

[tda]

Put it in low box 4wd if you can just until you get going, or if it's electronic gravel/slippy surface mode

 

[holeymoley]

I’d say if it was tarmac you could pull off to the moon if you had to, but if it’s gravel or stones then you might struggle with traction. I almost destroyed my old car at the last yard I was at. The hills were awfully steep and layered with stones on one side or if you took the shallower side it was gravel, some delightful soul had closed a gate part way up the shallow side- no idea why as it never got shut, it only marked the boundry, but I had to get out to open it and ended up getting towed by a tractor as I just couldn’t get any purchase to get going again.

 

[COldNag]

I had the same situation with a steep gravelly drive and similar weights. It was actually OK.

Could you try it out with empty trailer first, and then load it with heavy stuff (but not a horse) to get a feel for whether you feel it is ok?

 

[Annagain]

I'm guessing it's a Velar if it has a towing capacity of 2200kg?

Generally I'd say Land Rover / Range Rover are better at towing than most vehicles in their class (so a Freelander / Disco Sport would be better than a Honda CRV for example) but only the full on 3.5t capacity Defender / Discovery / Range Rovers give the really good towing performance. The only way you'll really know is to try it. Empty at first and then if that's ok, with some extra weight (sandbags / water containers?), then the horse on board. Choosing the grass/gravel/snow option on the terrain response should help. At least with an auto you won't burn out your clutch, that's usually the biggest issue. If you have help when you go out you could get them to stop the traffic so you don't have to stop at the top of the drive?

 

[SOS]

I had to tow up a similar driveway at a yard I worked at, I made it with a Defender and with two horses in a large iFor trailer but I wouldn’t want to do it if I was in a less powerful vehicle. I also have half road/half off road tires on so more grippy than those just for the road.

Low gear, steady revs and don’t stop!

As for stopping I am no expert but you shouldn’t have any trouble stopping on the hill at low speed if the trailer weighs less than the car surely? If you’re worried about stopping on the drive going down then I think you may need to have a look if your towing combination is suitable or whether you need a different combination… someone else can advise better!

 

[Mary jones]

Thanks for all the responses, tried it out up a similarly steep track, stopped and started again so should be fine, wish me luck!

 

[snowangel5]

Good luck with driving up the steep hill

 

[Mary jones]

It was fine, thanks everybody, just me panicking !

 

[Renvers]

Maybe practice the drive and junction without a horse on board a few times, that will help you judge how best to drive it

 

[Bernster]

It was fine, thanks everybody, just me panicking !

Nice one! I’ve had a few hairy moments with 2 in the back pulling out of our steep road right handed onto a busy main road - have stalled it twice, one of those I rolled back a bit as I didn’t realise I’d stalled, and generally have given myself a conniption ?. When it’s busy I’m going to turn left and head to the roundabout instead, save me having an anxiety attack!

 

[Mary jones]

Nice one! I’ve had a few hairy moments with 2 in the back pulling out of our steep road right handed onto a busy main road - have stalled it twice, one of those I rolled back a bit as I didn’t realise I’d stalled, and generally have given myself a conniption ?. When it’s busy I’m going to turn left and head to the roundabout instead, save me having an anxiety attack!

thats exactly what I was scared of, luckily all was okay and road was quiet enough! Glad It’s over though!