Baben
Site Sponsor
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 794
 
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Guys, by the looks of things, we have a number of us who also tow offroad. Not that I am a towing novice (have been towing the Conqueror for 2 1/2 years) but I have a number of questions that need your input please:
1) Wheels & track:
With my previous trailer I had adaptors made to fit the Land Rover wheels, and also widen the track of the trailer wheels to match that of the D3. It was a laborious process, mostly because the "engineering" shop (who will not be named) were completely incompetent - took them 8 months - and I almost gave up. Now that I have bought the new Conquest, I need to go thru this all over again, because the axles and hence the hubs, are not the same as the old models. Obviously I will not be using the shop who did the last job for me. Not only was the job really late, but the adaptors aren't a great fit, and changing wheels is a major chore.
the question is, have any of you done this too? if so, who did the work for you, and can you recommend them? I currently have a guy looking at making a new axle for me, fitting BMW hubs and disc brakes etc. but this is going in a crazy direction!
2) flying stones:
There have been a few posts about protecting the tow vehicle from flying stones, and I got some great feedback from the Oz contingent (they battle with Rugby, but they're a great bunch of guys  ). I'm a lazy  at the best of times, and still haven't made up a net to fit between the D3 and the trailer as was suggested. Has anyone managed to find an off-the-shelf solution to this?
3) What trailers do you guys have, and please post some pics, and details of the customising and extra gadgets? Remap and TTBox available for most vehicles
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 Thu May 17 2007 3:43pm |
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RLD
Uncle Ray
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Location: lancs
Posts: 3053
 
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Hi Barben i have just don this with my trailer just bought some wheel adapters to fit my disco wheels but had to have them milled out 2mm more to fit over the hub cost about £290 for the 2 but worth it as only need 1 spare need to know what Hube's they are or what wheel they fit. is it me your looking for.
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| Thu May 17 2007 8:16pm |
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heine
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 2012
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Baben wrote:
2) flying stones:
There have been a few posts about protecting the tow vehicle from flying stones, and I got some great feedback from the Oz contingent (they battle with Rugby, but they're a great bunch of guys ). I'm a lazy at the best of times, and still haven't made up a net to fit between the D3 and the trailer as was suggested. Has anyone managed to find an off-the-shelf solution to this?
3) What trailers do you guys have, and please post some pics, and details of the customising and extra gadgets?
Echo sells a "stone protection net " which is basically just shade cloth with some elastic attached , but beats doing it yourself
I have just ordered an echo trailer - shh haven't told the defender yet 
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| Thu May 17 2007 8:31pm |
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Baben
Site Sponsor
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 794
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HI Heine
Did you buy the stone protection kit thingy?
If so please lets have a look. I would be interested to see if it will fit between the D3 and my Conqueror.
What made you choose the Echo, if I may ask?
Do these guys have a website, cos I can't seem to find it?
In my case we chose the Conqueror mainly because of our positive experience with their first product. We bought it used and cheap, hence it wasn't too much of a financial risk if we didn't like it. Remap and TTBox available for most vehicles
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| Sat May 19 2007 3:47am |
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Baben
Site Sponsor
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 794
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On the wheels & track issue:
I decided the best way to go was to buy a new custom-length axle from Trailco (about R500) to deal with the increased offset requirement, and 2 new "blank" hubs (about R700 each including bearings) and get an angineering shop to drill and press in the new wheel studs.
A little expensive you may think, but at least I know the bearings will not be overloaded because of the load occuring off-centre, plus I won't have to worry about anything like adaptors breaking or adding extra unsprung weight. This way I also have the spare hubs and axle to fit and get the trailer back to standard if I need to sell it one day. AND its a one hour job to re-fit.
The adaptors I had made for my old trailer weighed about 10kg each because of the 90mm offset! OK, I used them for quite a few offroad km, with no problems.
When I took them off recently I had the same engineering shop look at the bearings, and they are just fine, so maybe I got lucky.
If anyone needs this type of custom engineering, speak to Dave Miller - I can send you his details if you like. He's expensive, but I have been dealing with him since '98 and nothing he does has ever broken. For instance, he built me a 400HP Ford motor for my cobra that regularly dragged and got huge abuse from me (6500RPM burnouts on the New Road bridge  "What, me, officer?"). His front suspension work made my cobra one of the best handling cars on the road. This guy is an engineer, not a grease-monkey, and will advise you on the deep technical aspects of whatever you dream up.
He's a bit direct at times, like when you are asking him to do something really stupid 
And no, he's not family! Remap and TTBox available for most vehicles
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| Sat May 19 2007 4:01am |
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heine
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 2012
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Baben wrote:HI Heine
Did you buy the stone protection kit thingy?
If so please lets have a look. I would be interested to see if it will fit between the D3 and my Conqueror.
What made you choose the Echo, if I may ask?
Do these guys have a website, cos I can't seem to find it?
In my case we chose the Conqueror mainly because of our positive experience with their first product. We bought it used and cheap, hence it wasn't too much of a financial risk if we didn't like it.
Hi baben
I will be getting the stone thingy when I collect the trailer .
Echo has a really useless website at
http://www.echo4x4.co.za/home.htm
Their shop is well worth a visit though
I lked their trailer because it is lighter than most others , has the most off the shelf options and also from personal recommendation from a couple of freinds .
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| Sat May 19 2007 8:29am |
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Deondef
Joined: 08 May 2007
Location: Randburg
Posts: 311
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| Towing with raised suspension |
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This may be something I missed on this forum, but my manual clearly states that vehicle will not raise suspension when trailers electrical plug is plugged into vehicles plug. So solution is when going off-road unplug plug ? or is there an override ?
Have not tried this with new vehicle and trailer yet.
Hopfuly will have enough time tomorrow to discuss trailers, trailing, suspension, etc at Baron ?
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| Thu May 24 2007 11:54am |
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heine
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 2012
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Have to check again , but I'm pretty sure mine did go up when plugged into the black plug
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| Thu May 24 2007 1:54pm |
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catweasel
Joined: 05 May 2006
Location: LONDON
Posts: 4048
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mine goes into offroad height when plugged in, tow pack factory fitted.
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| Thu May 24 2007 3:20pm |
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Deondef
Joined: 08 May 2007
Location: Randburg
Posts: 311
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Did some investigation over the weekend and removed the white trailer socket to determine what is connected, found the following:
Inside the lid of the plugs the terminals are numbered 1-7 and I am using these for reference.
1- yellow/brown wire connected - no idea when this wire is "live"
2- no connection
3- white - earth
4- pink/blue wire connected - live when ignition key is in position I
5- no connection
6- red/white wire connected - no idea when this wire is "live"
7- white - earth
The pink/blue wire connected to terminal 4 is thicker than the rest and is also fused by a 15a fuse in the fuse box inside the rear compartment where the "donkie piel" lives when not in use.
I made up a length of cable with two male trailer sockets (I removed the centre male terminal on the one to fit the white socket) at each end connecting the pink/blue live wire and one earth. My off-road trailer has a female trailer socket and will be connected with the made up cable for either fridge or battery box (or both) inside trailer.
On the Defender I had previously disconnected the rear fog light from the trailer socket and replaced it with a live wire from aux battery for the same purpose.
Can now use trailer with either vehicle while charging extra battery and/or keep fridge running.
Did not have time (rugby started!) to try and locate extra live feed from black trailer socket on D3
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| Sun May 27 2007 5:50pm |
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catweasel
Joined: 05 May 2006
Location: LONDON
Posts: 4048
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pin 1-fed from a 10a fuse in CJB and is operated by the reverse relay so will be live when in reverse
pin 2- unused
pin 3- ground
pin 4- fed from a 15a fuse from the trailer fuses and should be a permanent live direct from the battery via a 30a fuse in the CJB (according to the cct diags)
pin 5- unused
pin 6- is the ignition wire and should be live when the key is in the ignition position (where it returns to after you start the vehicle) and is operated by the trailer/rear wiper relay and is fused via a 15a fuse from the trailer fuses.
pin 7- ground
you can buy a 12s plug for the white socket and wire up an adapter to that.
donkie piel- I assume donkie is a donkey and I know piel is a part of a males anatomy
and to fit it back can be a (excuse how it is written) doo ez (I think)
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| Sun May 27 2007 6:24pm |
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Baben
Site Sponsor
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 794
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Catweasel - your command of the Afrikaans language is awesome!
Yes, the donkiepiel is a real doos to fit.  Remap and TTBox available for most vehicles
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| Mon May 28 2007 7:34am |
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heine
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 2012
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Now to learn a traditional Seffrican phrase of welcome
Say after me
"Jou ma se P#3$"
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| Mon May 28 2007 9:11am |
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Baben
Site Sponsor
Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Kyalami
Posts: 794
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Sies, Heine!
I've heard that phrase a lot in LR dealerships  Remap and TTBox available for most vehicles
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| Mon May 28 2007 9:20am |
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Spysmys
Joined: 05 May 2007
Location: Chessington
Posts: 63
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heine wrote:Now to learn a traditional Seffrican phrase of welcome
Say after me
"Jou ma se P#3$"
Oi, hier is ander mense wat ook afriaans kan praat op hierdie forum.....
Jy bedoel seker : Jou ma se pa !!! Previous: Defender 110 Double cab
Current: MY07 Discovery 3 XS
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| Mon May 28 2007 10:45am |
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