I know this is not a rig that I am going to be using off road, that is what my jeep is for. I am looking into getting one of these 1999-2001. Now for my questions is what is the horse power and torque the motor has. Also what is the difference between the SERIES II, Discovery SD, or SE. Also has anyone here ever pulled a trailer with one? How much will it pull? I know that most of them come with a tow hitch, but do they have any other kind of tow package. I went to land rovers site and didn't find much. Right now all I have is my jeep and I need to get something else to drive everyday. Thanks

Jeren

well I found the HP but not the torque. and the SD is the lower model than the SE but I don't know what the difference is. I would still like to know answers the rest of the questions if you may have the answers.

Go here:
http://www.discoweb.org/

Well I found almost all the info I wanted. The HP on the 4.0 is 188 and around 240 lbs torque. It has about a 10,000 lb towing capacity. But I would still like to know if anyone tows with one at all. I know its not going to tow like a superduty or anything but I am not going to be towing with it all the time. Thanks to all for the help.

That 10k is generous at best. I have towed with mine, and it is pretty anemic. I think you will find if you check the manual that you have a 5500lb limit if memory serves me right.

The 10k figure is for low range with a 35 mph speed. (going from memory). If you are pulling 5k, don't expect to go more than 50mph up any decent hills.

j

I towed my RRC (the junk I use as an avatar...best use yet!) on a U-Haul dolly with my D1. It was very sluggish...very. Going up certain grades around town, it was taking me minutes to get to 40 mph. I could get it crusing to 60, but again, it was taking some time to get there, and there were no big grades really holding me back (e.g. if there were, I'd be held back). I would have gone even faster had I used a trailer with brakes, but I was not daring on that day.
Not to dissuade you from buying a Disco, but why not look into similarly priced trucks capable of pulling that kind of load. I see the Disco doing that on a very occasional basis, but in no way do I picture it performing as a "tow rig." BTW, I'm assuming you're planning on towing big weight (like your Jeep on a trailer), but I imagine for lighter towing, it may be feasible.

The tow rating is 5500 not 10k!:eek: I pulled my Gar Wood (3900 lbs) around Tahoe the last two summers with my 96. It's no power house at 6200ft . I can use Low range on the steep ramps and not worry about using the 4wd on hard surfaces.

I pull my Arabian around Stockton with little problems. The trip to the river is less than 6 miles and the boat/trailer is 5200 lbs. I have never taken it for a loooong haul and being lifted makes me not want too.

http://pics.montypics.com/Old_Scout/2002-10-29/arabian.jpg

http://pics.montypics.com/Old_Scout/2002-10-29/gar.jpg

My 900lb sailboat is a breeze for the disco.

:D

Right now all I have to drive is my jeep sitting on 39.5 boggers and it sucks to drive around. I was looking into getting a ford supperduty power stroke. But they are huge and also not economical. Then I Started think about getting a new car with AWD so that I don't have to put chains on when I go skiing, and an older truck as a tow rig. That is still my thought, but instead of a car I was thinking of getting the disco, and in the mean time until I get the older f 250 I could use the disco to pull the jeep around on a feather weight trailer. I think it would be around 4000-5000 lbs. they would be trips from Santa Rosa to the rubicon etc. It would be around 5-10 trips a year. Thanks again for all the info, it is really helping.

Where I got the 10k was on a site that said that the tow was 4000 kg and that converted to close to 10k lbs.

You didn't search!:flipoff2:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22660

You got me, I didn't do a search:emb3: . I did search the rest of the enternet:D , That was all the info I was looking for. Now all of my questions are done. Thanks a lot to you old scout.:beer:

If a Dodge/Cummins is not an option then get the superduty/powerstroke, it will probably get comparable mileage as a Disco empty and better mileage when towing. Towing a Jeep on a trailer with a disco is an accident waiting to happen, your nerves won't like it at all.

"But they are huge and also not economical"

A disco get the same mileage (or worse) than a v10 F350 and runs on 93!

If you want to tow with it get an 2003 with the 4.6.

Yes 4000kg in UK or europe in the US they only rate them for 5500lbs but its the same truck.

I tow everything with the 96 discos that we have and they do ok, but you can't hold 75 like you could in a small block chevy vortec or better engined truck. With the 03 disco it would be a lot better though.

Ron

Old Scout that is an awesome boat

I would suggest a look at a 1999 bosch equipped range rover. I have towed behind both a Disco and a Range Rover and I must say that the Rangie beats it hands down! I dont know what it is, same engine and all, however, I think the gearing and overall quiality of the Rangie's transmission helps. Also, the extra wheelbase cetainly aids in towing. One can be had for not much more than a Disco 2, I'd say a 1999 is running around 28-33K right now.

Originally posted by untrakdrover
I think the gearing and overall quiality of the Rangie's transmission helps. .

So a rangie doen't use a ZF HP22 like a Disco/D90 does?

Thanks Dee

I dont know whether they are the same, since you question, I assume that you indeed know they are! In this case, I only raise the fact that the drive, shift points and gearing in the range rover are quite different when compared to the disco, hence my assumption that the transmissions were different.

Along the lines of towing. To add better cooling for the ZF has anyone added a larger “Plate & fin” type transmission oil cooler. It looks to me the small round cooler that LR uses is very inadequate for any heavy towing.

yes I have the 15K towing cooler from pep boys think it cost like 58 bucks. There is a really trick one from cool flow (or someone like that) that you can get at race shops that is twice as thick as the one I have and is about the same price (think it was 72 bucks) I can figure it out if neccessary. I tow with my 90 a pretty decent amount and it doesn't seem to get hot.

-ben

Up on towing soap box so bear with me:

Even though the Disco is rated for towing something close to the combined weight of the trailer and trailer queen, I would recommend against it.

Many will come forward and say: "I have towed 20 bazillion pounds with my Disco and it does just fine (some lame asses even without trailer brakes)". Those in Europe will also tell you that it is fine and works well.

But just picture in your mind driving down the interstate with a Disco/trailer/rig at about 70 mph (if you can get going that fast) with a stiff crosswind, and are just getting passed by 3 successive semi-tractor trailer rigs. I can tell you from first hand experience (pulling with a newish Tahoe) that this is white knuckle, butt clenching time.

With an SUV (with a relatively short wheelbase like the 100" Disco), the trailer weight distribution becomes an extremely important factor. If the towed rig is too far forward, then with too much tongue weight the vehicle will sit ass end down, and your braking and steering will suffer.

If the vehicle is too far to the rear of the trailer, then you will waggle with abandon at highway speeds without CONSTANT steering input and correction. It is self perpetuating, and can escalate to dangerous levels (especially in the aforementioned example with the semi's).

This makes getting the trailer weight distribution essential. You will still have MUCH more driver input and needed concentration when towing with this setup as opposed to say a full size long wheelbase pickup (or a suburban/excursion).

We switched from a 2000 Tahoe to a Chevy 3500 HD dually for trips and towing. And the difference is astounding. I was usually physically/mentally fatigued to the point of wanting to throw in the towel on long tow trips with the Tahoe/Trailer/D90. With the truck it is a totally different experience. I did not feel safe during emergency maneuvers towing the D90 with the Tahoe (with tow package, load leveling rear suspension and all). Now with the truck, it is as if the trailer is gone (except for some decrease in mileage and power (although not much power loss with the 496 ci gasser).

IMHO, your tow vehicle should weight close to or more than the trailer/rig you are towing (using a pull behind trailer). It should be of as long wheelbase as possible. You should have good functioning brakes, and brakes on at least one trailer axle. With gooseneck trailers this weight rule does not really matter as the dynamics are very much different. Trailer lights and safety chains go without saying.

To sum it all up, bigger is certainly better for a tow rig. Get some big detroit iron to haul your trail rig. Plus, you may get better around town mileage with a Super Duty, Duramax, or Cummins, and certainly better towing mileage. And you will be much safer towing that jeep.

Billster

:flipoff2:

dont do it!!!

I used to flat tow my CJ with a 95 Disco, it sucked.

go pick up a cheap 2wd 1/2 ton with a couple hundred thousand miles on it. it'll tow 10 times better and probably get better gas milage.

:flipoff2: