Discovery 2 Boat Towing Advice
 

I have a 2003 Discovery 2 with a 4.6 engine.

I have a boat on a trailer arriving soon which has a total length of 34ft and both boat and trailer weigh about 9500lbs. The trailer is a 2008 model and is braked.

For short runs taking the boat to/from slip launches not driving more than 40kph, would the disco cope with towing the boat and the trailer?

Also, would it have enough power to pull the boat from a slip incline?

Thanks in advance :)

I have a dozen small boats at the office, from 14 to 28 feet. Some problems to consider:

1. If launching in salt water, you have to deal with tidal conditions at the ramp, low tide exposes slippery goop and 4WD is a great advantage. But you may end up with rear wheels in salt water to the axle. Bad on brakes, wiring, etc.

2. Pulling out requires a lot of torque. The low lock position of the transfer case would be a must.

3. You are asking a great deal of the tranny in towing and haul-out, and of the brakes. Be sure to review your GVWR ratings, and consider the tongue weight of the trailer. If you are not within limits, your insurance may not cover in an accident (the fine print).

4. I use a 94 K2500 Suburban with 454 or a 98 Chevy C3500 pickup for most of our larger boat towing. Old trucks that we don't mind getting banged up. A friend with a 34 foot Fountain (3 300 HP outboards - 300 gallons fuel, feared by kingfish everywhere) has to use an diesel dually pickup to handle the tongue weight and pull that puppy out of the drink.

All that said, I think you weak link will the the tranny.

Did not have an owner's manual for the D2, but found this in a review on line, which would have come from specs:

While Land Rover's midsizel Discovery possesses more luxurious features in North America than overseas, the company points out that any vehicle capable of running in mud up to its windowsills in the jungles of Borneo is more than adequate for a family trip across the state. Discovery is priced squarely in Explorer/Blazer territory, though it has a look that is unique in its class. Towing capacity up to 7,700 pounds and a built-in Class III hitch receiver make the Discovery a viable choice for trailering, while optional rear jump seats increase passenger capacity to seven. Like the Range Rover, the Discovery was available in the rest of the world for two decades before arriving in North America. The current Discovery Series II was introduced for the 1999 model year.

That 7,700 pound rating might bring performance and insurance issues.

I hate to say it, but I would be very careful when trying this. With our 7500 pound limit, you are pushing the envelop, yes you can pull up the ramp in low lock, braking shouldn't be a problem since you have trailer brakes. The tongue weight will most likely be too much for your warn suspension and the 2 spider gears in the diffs may not hold up well.

Thanks for the replies guys - I kinda knew I was pushing it a bit but you know how it is - there are always some owners who have pushed beyond the limits with no issues.
I'm no expert but can someone please explain the 'tongue weight' and how this would affect the suspension?

Also, assuming I replace the brake discs and pads, flush and renew my coolant, what else should i upgrade or renew to at least make up the difference.

My Disco has done 82k miles and has been maintained well. I have replaced the airbags with coils. I live in a pretty flat area with no hills and lots of wide highways. The only thing there are plenty of is speed bumps :(

Also, assuming all is well, does the Disco have any problems in pulling and launching from an incline considering the slope may be wet with saltwater and slime? Is there a chance that, when I launch, the weight of the boat and trailer may pull the Disco back on the slope?

Cheers guys :)

Here's an update guys.

The boat is inevitable and that's a fact.

I can either :

Upgrade my Disco 2 to handle the transportation of the boat and trailer weight. If so, what should I do?

or

I have to sell my Disco and go for a GMC, F150 or similar.

Frankly, I would rather upgrade my Disco then sell it and would consider the money spent in replacing it towards upgrading it.

Any advice hugely appreciated :)

Send me your number and I'll be glad to walk you thru what you can do to tow for short hauls, as well as the much need service it needs.

Thanks a bunch Mike but I'm based in Dubai and wouldn't want to put you out of pocket. Can you PM your contact number and maybe I can call you?

Just to give you a heads up, I imported my D2 from the States because of the better spec and better engine. With this boat coming, I guess I'm trying to make a 'best fit' solution and I must admit - I really really do not want to sell it.

If I was going to do long hauls, I think there is no question I would have had to sell my D2 :(

If I were you I would:
A) I put 2lbs more air in my tires when I am towing. (HELPS WITH SAG) Never more than 2 though.
B) Do you have a transmission cooler??
C) You said that the trailer has breaks, which is great. Do you have the plug in for the breaks on your rover? If not then the breaks won't do a single thing.
Just my 2 cents worth.
I

Actually, according to the owners manual, you should put 8 PSI more in the rear tires. They take 38 PSI at normal loads, and 46 PSI at gross vehicle weight.