G'day Richard,
Whatever you get - and there has been plenty of advice so far - look
for a vehicle with sufficient weight (and this probably means size) to
able to remain the dominant influence in the towing combination. I know
of several road dramas with gliding trailers where the towing car had
the horsepower - but not the weight - to allow the driver to be in
totally charge of what was happening all of the time, and things went
badly wrong when the trailer took over. There were probably other
factors in the instances I recall, but the common question in those
mentioned was a towing vehicle which on reflection, was probably on the
smaller (lighter) side of what perhaps should have been used.
The downward force on the hitch is a function of how the trailer is
loaded. Most vehicles have a section in the manual about towing
limitations and suggested weights for both the trailer itself, and the
load at the coupling. All of these things are important in managing
the stability and therefore the safety of the combination. An
incorrectly loaded trailer appears to have been the major factor in one
mishap with an otherwise reasonable combination of vehicle and glider
trailer some years ago.
Diesel engines are worth considering, especially in recent years. They
provide plenty of lugging power for towing, and a turbocharger assists
considerably in providing better performance and fuel economy. There is
another worthwhile benefit in having a diesel vehicle. Unlike their
modern petrol engine counterparts, diesel vehicles usually do not have
a catalytic converter in the exhaust system. This means that as a
general rule they are much less likely to start a fire when driven into
standing stubble or long grass, a potentially useful feature when
retrieving in the fire danger season. The obvious downside is that
the fuel is more expensive and does not seem to be subject to
discounting wars to the same degree as ULP. In New Zealand diesel fuel
is considerably cheaper than petrol. The reason why is something of a
mystery.
As in most situations, the final choice of vehicle may well be something
of a compromise.
Regards,
Terry
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