Soon to be new to towing

Dec 3, 2018
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Hi everyone, searched but could not find a relevant topic. retiring next year and planning to buy a caravan. Motability car to purchase and have settled on a ford Kuga. Choices are good but limited to keep the advance payment reasonable, Titanium 2.0 diesel 150PS manual FWD seems the best option but would have liked a Powershift model. Only problem is that it would have to either be the 187PS engine and 4WD which is pricey or the 2,0 118PS the latter having a lot less torque than the 150PS. Anyone tow with the lower power engine? Should I just settle for the manual and be happy with the choice. Need to get car sorted then look for a suitable van.
Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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There'll be nothing wrong with your choice as you can see from my profile picture we also have the Ford Kuga 2L dCi front-wheel-drive 150 as have a few more on this site and there is more than enough power to pull what you'll (probably) need or purchase caravan wise as we have a big Sprite Major 6 and pulls with no problems at all . We've had the kuga 2 years now & I'm still happy with it .

2 wheel drive is enough for us as we have never needed the feel for 4wd.



have you started looking for a caravan yet or still gathering info first ?

Craig .
 
Dec 3, 2018
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Looking for 4 berth with side dinette. Quite like the gt60 510/4 which is quite light but the unicorn Madrid is our favoured one at the moment though not the latest 3 berth. Quite a bit heavier though.
 
Dec 3, 2018
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Going for the manual, powershift is not available on the 150PS and next up is the 187PS and 4WD, this makes the cost rather more than I want to pay.
 
Sep 26, 2018
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In the same position, got the car, van on order. The 2.0 TDCI 150 Kuga is great, I can't imagine having an issue towing with it. I have towed previously (2 horse trailer), behind a Volvo 760 2.8, that was pretty good...
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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150PS (basically same as horsepower) will be adequate for quite a range of caravans.
Of more significance is whether to go 2 front or 4 wheel drive and that depends on the terrain you intend to camp on. For all main sites and a high percentage 5 van sites 2 wheel even front end drive will be fine. If it is rallying and some 5 van sites at times when it has been wet there can be a need for 4 wheel drive. Again, its lack is not a big issue with rallies as somebody else will be there to look after you, using some of the more challenging 5 van sites in the wet would probably be best avoided.
But as initially said, keep to "proper" formal sites 2 wheel drive will be fine and its shortcomings in traction go generally unnoticed.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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JTQ said:
150PS (basically same as horsepower) will be adequate for quite a range of caravans.
Of more significance is whether to go 2 front or 4 wheel drive and that depends on the terrain you intend to camp on. For all main sites and a high percentage 5 van sites 2 wheel even front end drive will be fine. If it is rallying and some 5 van sites at times when it has been wet there can be a need for 4 wheel drive. Again, its lack is not a big issue with rallies as somebody else will be there to look after you, using some of the more challenging 5 van sites in the wet would probably be best avoided.
But as initially said, keep to "proper" formal sites 2 wheel drive will be fine and its shortcomings in traction go generally unnoticed.

The only times I have been stuck on a CL was when I had 4WD vehicles one of which was a" full on" Sorento with AT tyres. Wet grass (with fresh mowings) and mud can wicked. My extraction trick then is to off load the noseweight of the caravan and drive it out on the mover (going backwards if required to prevent the nose wheel digging). My co-pilot acts as a nosewheel counterweight. :whistle:

Or get a proprietary Land Rover recovery vehicle like my old Pajero.

41-DA7443-447-D-47-B9-BE6-D-17-E94-ACADD8-A.jpg
 
Sep 27, 2016
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CustardAvenger said:
It seems you need to be careful with the Powershift auto (being twin clutch) when towing.

I have towed many thousands of kilometres around Europe for the last 18 months from Southern Spain to the northern tip of Norway. The Powershift box has given not a hint of problems on the steepest roads including Trolstiggen. I changed the transmission oil recently at 50,000 miles and it was still clean as was the filter. I believe the Powershift boxes supplied in the US are 'normal' torque converter boxes. Mine has dual 'wet' clutches.

Ray

My towing
 
Nov 11, 2009
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raycopper said:
CustardAvenger said:
It seems you need to be careful with the Powershift auto (being twin clutch) when towing.

I have towed many thousands of kilometres around Europe for the last 18 months from Southern Spain to the northern tip of Norway. The Powershift box has given not a hint of problems on the steepest roads including Trolstiggen. I changed the transmission oil recently at 50,000 miles and it was still clean as was the filter. I believe the Powershift boxes supplied in the US are 'normal' torque converter boxes. Mine has dual 'wet' clutches.

Ray

My towing

I think both US and Australian ones are also Powershift dual clutch gearboxes on some Ford models. Hence the class actions in both countries. Like the VAG DSG the wet clutch ones don't seem to suffer the problems as per the dry clutch boxes. My Skoda has wet clutch and the oil is changed every 4 years or 40000 miles. Successful slipping clutch wet transmissions have been used for years. My first one was in a E30 BMW M series, others in Pajero and Sorento. They were used successfully in the Limited Slip Differentials though!
 
Dec 3, 2018
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Thanks for the replies, another question just sprung to mind. Factory fitted retractable tow bar on the Kuga, will it fit the alko tow hitch system OK?
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Rockbyter said:
Thanks for the replies, another question just sprung to mind. Factory fitted retractable tow bar on the Kuga, will it fit the alko tow hitch system OK?

It should do, but just make sure that you ask for it as part of your order.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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Is it not cheaper to be done after you have bought the car as we got ours fitted independently rather than Ford and went for the fixed bar with a scuff plate .
 
Feb 23, 2018
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Rockbyter said:
Thanks for the replies, another question just sprung to mind. Factory fitted retractable tow bar on the Kuga, will it fit the alko tow hitch system OK?

Is it Retractable or Detachachable? Either/or it should be ok as they are usually 'Swan Neck' style. The only one you really need to worry about is 'Fixed Flange' style as on regular versions, the ball is too close to the flange for AL-KO stabiliser hitches.

Craigyoung said:
Is it not cheaper to be done after you have bought the car as we got ours fitted independently rather than Ford and went for the fixed bar with a scuff plate .

It is much cheaper to have 3rd Party towbars installed, but the Retractable ones are cool! (A cool £1k on a new XC60) I didn't like the way the fixed ones looked on my XC60 due to the hole they have to put in the rear bumper. The detachable has cover which matches the panel and hides the 13pin socket.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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I think we paid just less than £300 ours for a fixed towbar and electrics and no holes cut into the bumper and nothing and £5 for the scuff guard which isn't bad if you think how much a new bumper might be if you over shoot the towball !! :eek:hmy:
 
Feb 23, 2018
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Craigyoung said:
I think we paid just less than £300 ours for a fixed towbar and electrics and no holes cut into the bumper and nothing and £5 for the scuff guard which isn't bad if you think how much a new bumper might be if you over shoot the towball !! :eek:hmy:

Sounds about the same as what I paid for my old car. That was a Witter fixed flange + Twin 7 pin electrics + Plate. That one didn't need to cut the bumper either. I think the XC60 has an unavoidable bumper cut on all towbar installations, even the 3rd Party Witter jobs have some bumper being cut away, even though they say it is not obvious... it is!

This is mine: (But with towball paint removed!)
https://youtu.be/or-0M_X5wEs
 
Sep 26, 2018
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If it's a MkII Kuga, there's no need to cut the bumper cover... Also, you will need to rub down the ball for an Alko hitch to make sure there's nothing there to gum up the friction material and therefore stop the stabilisation - no grease either!
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I don’t know about the Kuga but my previous car, a 2014 Forester, and the current Superb both had rear cross members replaced by the towbar. However the rear cross members on both cars included the threaded hole where the OEM recovery/ towing eye screws into. The towbars did not have such a hole. Being detachable towball it then becomes necessary to carry the towball assembly in the car. Skoda provides a location place around the full size spare wheel. They also warn you in the cars manual of this possible situation if having a detachable towball assembly.
 
Dec 3, 2018
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As you say it is expensive at £625, nothing like VW Tiguan though, they wanted £1045 for the same thing. Useful feature of the Ford one is it links in with the car stabilisation system and parking sensors etc. so am going to go with that, just checking it is suitable for the Alto hitch but it seems to be.

Thanks again for the input, certainly not a small venture this caravanning.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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Rockbyter said:
As you say it is expensive at £625, nothing like VW Tiguan though, they wanted £1045 for the same thing. Useful feature of the Ford one is it links in with the car stabilisation system and parking sensors etc. so am going to go with that, just checking it is suitable for the Alto hitch but it seems to be.

Thanks again for the input, certainly not a small venture this caravanning.

No problem , glad we could assist ! You'll be back soon asking about awning sizes and security and a few more questions etc etc probably so see you soon and enjoy your new car ! :p

Craig .
 

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