Towing Travel Trailer with 2005 LR3?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

towingnoob

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2020
Posts
2
Reaction score
1
Location
California
Hitch Weight: 413 lb.
UVW 3075 lb.
CCC 1238 lb.
Exterior Length: 20' 2"
Exterior Height: 9' 10"
Exterior Width: 92"

Hey Guys,

I was hoping someone can help me out and give me some advice. I'm looking to purchase a Travel Trailer in the next week (information can be seen above). The vehicle i'll be using to pull it is a 2005 LR3 V8. I've read a good number of posts online saying that WDH is not recommended for the LR3 due to the already built in air suspension. I recently just purchased the OEM hitch receiver and now i'm confused as to what hitch i'll be purchasing. I'm worried about the possibility of sway without a WDH. Am I just over thinking the need for a sway controller of some sort since the trailer is light weight? Any insights or recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Would love to hear how people have been towing trailers of the same size.
 

Pb83925

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Posts
2
Reaction score
1
Location
Austin, TX
You are not overthinking it. I have a 2018 Discovery 5 and have struggled with this for two years. The best solution I have found is to use a combination of both a mechanical sway control bar (https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Curt/17200.html) and an electronic sway control (https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution-Hitch/Tuson-RV-Brakes/335TSC-1000.html). This works well for side-to-side sway but does nothing for vertical sway.

Also, I do not believe that the air suspension has anything to do with the recommendation to not use a weight distribution hitch. If you look at a drawing of the of the class 4 hitch receiver that comes with the D5 tow package it is a straight bar rather than a U-shaped design that would be required to handle the torque applied from a WD hitch transferring tailer hitch weight to the front axle.
 

ggrupea

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Posts
51
Reaction score
24
Location
GB
Hi, if your trailer weight is not too much, I think you don't need a WDH (check the manual). After I read your post, I take a time watching a lot of videos of LR3/4, Discovery 2, Range Rover L322 towing and they use the normal tow arm.

One thing you should use, is a trailer with good brakes, innertial or electronic (working with the Land Rover brakes).

About electronic sway control, it can be very helpful, principaly on highway

Hope this can be useful.

P.D. I take a while watching this video, they axplain how it WDH works, and the trailer they use is heavier than yours and the use is very different I think.

 

douglastic

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Posts
163
Reaction score
51
Hitch Weight: 413 lb.
UVW 3075 lb.
CCC 1238 lb.
Exterior Length: 20' 2"
Exterior Height: 9' 10"
Exterior Width: 92"

I have also done the "overthinking" bit.

I have not towed yet, but will be soon with a 3rd gen OEM hitch, OEM wiring, correct rise/rated draw bar/ball, and a tekonsha brake controller.

Your specs above are spot on, and comfortably under the LR3 limits.
I will be towing very similar (almost exact) to the above, with no WDH.
Just like LR recommends.

Adding sway w/o WDH is an option for peace of mind, but I feel that it might not be necessary. Heavier trailers may benefit more (close to or above vehicle weight) - but sway can be stopped with correct techniques of slightly braking trailer only.

Drive safe, use a brake controller, and common sense.
Let us know how it goes!
 

towingnoob

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2020
Posts
2
Reaction score
1
Location
California
You are not overthinking it. I have a 2018 Discovery 5 and have struggled with this for two years. The best solution I have found is to use a combination of both a mechanical sway control bar (https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Curt/17200.html) and an electronic sway control (https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution-Hitch/Tuson-RV-Brakes/335TSC-1000.html). This works well for side-to-side sway but does nothing for vertical sway.

Also, I do not believe that the air suspension has anything to do with the recommendation to not use a weight distribution hitch. If you look at a drawing of the of the class 4 hitch receiver that comes with the D5 tow package it is a straight bar rather than a U-shaped design that would be required to handle the torque applied from a WD hitch transferring tailer hitch weight to the front axle.

Thank you for the recommendations. Curious, what is the weight and length of the trailer you're pulling? If it's not the suspension then I don't get why they don't recommend a WDH. If anything, shouldn't it be safer to use one? Last thing I want is to be white knuckle driving for hours and hours.

Hi, if your trailer weight is not too much, I think you don't need a WDH (check the manual). After I read your post, I take a time watching a lot of videos of LR3/4, Discovery 2, Range Rover L322 towing and they use the normal tow arm.

One thing you should use, is a trailer with good brakes, innertial or electronic (working with the Land Rover brakes).

About electronic sway control, it can be very helpful, principaly on highway

Hope this can be useful.

P.D. I take a while watching this video, they axplain how it WDH works, and the trailer they use is heavier than yours and the use is very different I think.



Thank you for taking the time to do some research, I've gone crazy reading 10+ page forum threads just to figure this out. I'll make sure to watch the video!


I have also done the "overthinking" bit.

I have not towed yet, but will be soon with a 3rd gen OEM hitch, OEM wiring, correct rise/rated draw bar/ball, and a tekonsha brake controller.

Your specs above are spot on, and comfortably under the LR3 limits.
I will be towing very similar (almost exact) to the above, with no WDH.
Just like LR recommends.

Adding sway w/o WDH is an option for peace of mind, but I feel that it might not be necessary. Heavier trailers may benefit more (close to or above vehicle weight) - but sway can be stopped with correct techniques of slightly braking trailer only.

Drive safe, use a brake controller, and common sense.
Let us know how it goes!


Thank you! Would you mind directing me to the draw bar/ball that you purchased? That's the only thing i'm missing at this point other than a sway controller.
 

douglastic

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Posts
163
Reaction score
51
I bought from Amazon, under $30. Bar made in USA.

Rigid Class III 2" Ball Mount Kit Loaded with 2" Ball - 2-3/4" Rise
6000 lb trailer weight and 600 lb hitch weight rated.

Not sure what size ball or hitch height your trailer requires though.
 

dlonesty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2014
Posts
64
Reaction score
24
Location
Seattle
2011 LR4 here...
Haul a horse trailer
use LR wiring, hitch receiver, ball
brake controller
get 550 tongue weight guarranteed
Get anti sway guaranteed as a feature of LR4
per LR North America...
LR 4 definitely does not need WD hitch
and said aftermarket tow equip lowers the overall weight limit of 7716 lbs
 
Last edited:

gabrielef

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2013
Posts
98
Reaction score
39
Location
NorCal
I have towed a lot with my ‘06 LR3 (with 267K miles) and I have never needed an anti-sway device. The only MUST is to have the factory wiring harness that connects to the vehicle. When connected to the trailer’s wiring, a signal is sent to the car letting it know it’s towing and it will adjust the rear suspension and gearing appropriately.

The last time I towed anything (end of May this year), I took a 6’x12’ enclosed Uhaul trailer loaded to the gills, from Sacramento, CA to Denver, CO. Car handling was great, though the high altitudes sucked the wind out of her haha.

The most important factor in towing is load distribution, and that will play a big factor into how your truck handles.
 

maxx4wd

Full Access Member
Joined
May 5, 2016
Posts
111
Reaction score
39
I too tow a lot, I even have 2" rods with 32" tires and I've used both swap control solid arms and no sway control and honestly I think the electronics in the LR work much better with no sway control. It should be noted that my tongue weight is about 500# and I do have kids and bags in the rear (not exceeding 700# but right at the max each time) and I've towed a ton. Some towing offroad but mostly up and down the I-5 Grade etc. Only once was it a bit sketchy but we were driving through a storm in kansas so I guess it wouldn't really matter what we were pulling at that point.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
36,223
Posts
217,584
Members
30,473
Latest member
OnoA
Top