Au ute for towing

[epson]

Hi, im looking at getting a manual au ute. The problem is the ute will be occasionally used for towing a 1600kg boat. Ive been told that the clutches are only rated to tow 500kg. So I was wondering if anyone knows if you can get a heavy duty clutch or something, or if I will need to get an auto.

[SSD-85]

the autos are rated for greater towing capacity, it would be a cheaper option id imagine.

[bodes-sh]

manuals are rated to tow 1200kg, autos with the correct towpack, 2300kg...

[V8falcons]

Originally Posted by epson

Hi, im looking at getting a manual au ute. The problem is the ute will be occasionally used for towing a 1600kg boat. Ive been told that the clutches are only rated to tow 500kg. So I was wondering if anyone knows if you can get a heavy duty clutch or something, or if I will need to get an auto.

A manual AU ute is only rated to 1200kgs and is ilegal to tow any heavier,but thats only if you get caught.
I had a XR6 manual au and used it to tow my RS and other cars to events,it towed loaded car trailers fine.I prefer manauls for towing my self.
I was going through the owners manual one day and saw the 5 speed manual is only rated to 1200kg,so i rang my insurance compay just to check what they would insure and they new it was 1200kg before I finshed asking the question and wouldnt accept a claim if i was towing anything over 1200kgs,so be careful as if you tow more than the rated kgs you wont be insured.
My ute was replace with an AU auto wagon not long after I found this out.

[au2sw]

your best off to go with an auto for heavy towing. you will find that no matter what, you will go through clutch plates fairly quickly as it will work harder under that sort of load. an auto can tow heavier items due to the torque converter taking up the tension of the load and reducing impact on the bands/planetaries. if your worried about the autoover heating under the load, you can purchase heavy duty "radiators" for your trans fluid that mount infront of the A/C condeser behind your front bar.

[OzJavelin]

Do *NOT* buy a 1-tonne unless you need to tow/carry a lot. While they are good utilitarian vehicles, their specifications make legalities difficult for suspension/wheel/tyre mods. Just buy a "normal" AU auto ute (AUs are CHEAP!) with 2300kg hitch and happy pulling ... (hmm?)

[epson]

Alright fellas thanks for your help, looks like it will have to be an auto. I was also wondering would it be possible for the ute to have around 140rwkw and still be able to tow???? because I was thinking of getting one of those jim mock dev kits.

[au2sw]

shouldnt be any reason why not....go for it

[blue terra]

just wondering then i have an au manual ute and my tow bar says it can take 1600kg. just wondering about it, its a ford tow bar to.

[JC]

Originally Posted by blue terra

just wondering then i have an au manual ute and my tow bar says it can take 1600kg. just wondering about it, its a ford tow bar to.

Yes, the bar is rated to 1600kg and is the same as used on autos and manuals. The limiting factor in the manuals is 1200kg.

I happily towed a 17" 1700kg boat using my 2300kg HR HD tow bar on a manual AU1 XR8 I had, until one day coming through Qbn, The clutch slipped all the way between 2 sets of lights, and needed to be replaced soon after. I got the clutch fixed, and traded the XR on a V8 auto.

[blue terra]

Originally Posted by JC

Yes, the bar is rated to 1600kg and is the same as used on autos and manuals. The limiting factor in the manuals is 1200kg.

I happily towed a 17" 1700kg boat using my 2300kg HR HD tow bar on a manual AU1 XR8 I had, until one day coming through Qbn, The clutch slipped all the way between 2 sets of lights, and needed to be replaced soon after. I got the clutch fixed, and traded the XR on a V8 auto.

thanks for that JC. clears it up now for me.

[Mechan1k]

The clutch is the weak point.

But ... if towing heavy loads ... hi-stall converters are a no-no ... unless you love doing massive burnouts trying to tow a heavy load ... LOL.

If towing and wanting more power ... don't go for a setup that increases top-end power ... look for a set up that will increase low-mid-range torque (as you are never going to rev the guts out of it towing all the time).

If i had the cash ... I'd have a supercharger bolted to the front of the engine ... then I'd hav no issues with lack of torque when towing.

A decent trans cooler is a must for towing ... and make sure the auto is serviced regularly. Also tow in power mode (can leave it in D though ... as power mode will ususally keep it in 3rd for most times and drop into top gear on the flats.)

Also ... if towing more than 700kg ... you must have a brake controller if towing a trailer with electric brakes ... also it's a good idea to upgrade the brakes on the tow vehicle as well ... every little bit helps.

[epson]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

The clutch is the weak point.

But ... if towing heavy loads ... hi-stall converters are a no-no ... unless you love doing massive burnouts trying to tow a heavy load ... LOL.

If towing and wanting more power ... don't go for a setup that increases top-end power ... look for a set up that will increase low-mid-range torque (as you are never going to rev the guts out of it towing all the time).

If i had the cash ... I'd have a supercharger bolted to the front of the engine ... then I'd hav no issues with lack of torque when towing.

A decent trans cooler is a must for towing ... and make sure the auto is serviced regularly. Also tow in power mode (can leave it in D though ... as power mode will ususally keep it in 3rd for most times and drop into top gear on the flats.)

Also ... if towing more than 700kg ... you must have a brake controller if towing a trailer with electric brakes ... also it's a good idea to upgrade the brakes on the tow vehicle as well ... every little bit helps.

ok I will want my ute to have a bit of power but i also want it to be used for towing a 1600kg boat, and travelling down the highway daily. What do you guys reckon would be a good set up for it. as i said i was looking at getting a jim mock dev kit. ONe thats around 140rwkw. Does anyone know if it would make alot of differencre to an auto????? And also i couldnt afford a turbo or super. Can someone help me please used:

[bodes-sh]

of course it's going to make a difference to an auto. the stock torque convertor isn't that bad, more power will help, just try and get it tuned to have a good mid range for towing, either that or get a flash tune done aswell and get a tune made up for when you want to give it some, and another one for towing, and just take it easy