Towing

[missfixit70]

Just spotted this one -

The 2.5 Bongo will tow virtually anything, anywhere but at a cost! I tow a 1400kg Caravan frequently to Italy and prefer to go over the Alps rather than through them, for the scenary (or views if thats not spelt right)
The Bongo never struggles at all but it certainly likes to use Diesel. Be prepared for 18 to 20 mpg
when towing.
I have a temperature gauge in my auto box and the temp does rise slightly more when towing in hilly areas but nothing to be worried about.
The best part of having a Bongo for caravanning is the useable space in the van itself for camping gear, clothes, etc.
Enjoy!

on this thread - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 04&start=0

Interesting feedback on actual towing use.

[wise-child]

O dear, this is all getting very complex!

So basically what you're saying is unless I can afford for someone who knows what they're doing to make an expensive modification, I must trundle on slowly and not overload my vehicle, but may still ultimately reek havoc with the equilibrium of my Bongo's internal workin's.

Btw, idiot guide time [you'd never believe I've a post-grad reading this - but as you can tell its not in mechanics] what's the lower button on my gear stick for? I knew roughly where I was with a manual gearbox...! I only seem to change into a higher gear now if I take the pressure off the accelorator. Is that normal? I'm generally only a maniac when let loose on two wheels or with a 2.5L V6 Vectra so I'm not being pedal happy and hammering my Bongo. Honest.

[Bob]

Correct, you must not overload your vehicle. If you do you will have problems, not least legal ones.

But, if you're towing within limits, in temperate climes, not for huge distances, the experience is the Bongo is a very good tow car.

[missfixit70]

O dear, this is all getting very complex!

So basically what you're saying is unless I can afford for someone who knows what they're doing to make an expensive modification, I must trundle on slowly and not overload my vehicle, but may still ultimately reek havoc with the equilibrium of my Bongo's internal workin's.

Depends what you're towing & how often, but as Alacrity said, even if you decide you need to fit an intercooler it should only cost about £100 & it's a relatively simple job to do, bolt in the intercooler, connect two pipes & top up the gearbox oil I see you're on the south coast, not too far to pop up to Eastbourne & get Alacrity to sort you out I know a lot of people tow with their bongos & haven't had any problems & as stated above John23 has towed a caravan over the alps without issue & has monitored gearbox temp. It'll be interesting to see how the 2l copes with towing, you certainly won't be racing around
I would recommend as a minimum precaution that the oil is changed & filter cleaned in the autobox - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=30096.

Btw, idiot guide time [you'd never believe I've a post-grad reading this - but as you can tell its not in mechanics] what's the lower button on my gear stick for? I knew roughly where I was with a manual gearbox...! I only seem to change into a higher gear now if I take the pressure off the accelorator. Is that normal? I'm generally only a maniac when let loose on two wheels or with a 2.5L V6 Vectra so I'm not being pedal happy and hammering my Bongo. Honest.

Button on the gearstick is the Hold button - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=38644.

[Northern Bongolow]

wise-child you will be fine towing your trailer tent,dont worry,a wise precaution may be like kirsty says change your gearbox oil on your next service if you dont know when it was last done.been towing for three years with ours and no probs.
regards ady.

[helen&tony]

Hi
I don't think the Bongo is that great as a standard setup with regards to towing...most vehicles would need modifying in order to tow...Just because it can tow something, doesn't mean it was designed to have a hook stuck on the back. From personal experience, towing in France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, and the mountains in each, I found the vehicle doing 15 MPG, albeit heavily laden, and I regret not having a trans. cooler fitted...but at that time we were struggling to find a decent specialist.
Before towing anything, make sure the vehicle's cooling system is running properly, and has been checked by someone....same thing with the transmission...and heed what Alacrity has said about a cooler. The Bongo is a home-market only vehicle, and with Japan being very congested, I would hazard a guess that caravans are not used....therefore, the Bongo needs some serious attention.
The towing regulations are a minefield, and check carefully the regs. for any country you are driving in....or you may get trouble. I have heard that police in such-and-such a country are awkward ....er...NO...if you are not complying with their regulations, you are committing an offence, and they are only doing their job.....I get a bit cross when people fall foul of the police, and blame them for their attitude.
Entirely on another note...if I may digress for a moment...I wonder how the regulations on towing seem to be neatly side-stepped on 5th-wheels, as I see some vehicles being rated to tow well over their actual weight with regards to a 5th wheel. I know that they have electrically-actuated braking systems on the trailer, but how on earth can the engines and transmissions take the strain. I don't see that anything other than an American pick-up can tow these things....yet a certain firm is selling them in the UK as an add-on for Jap pickups???
Cheers
Helen

[mikeonb4c]

I think you'd be fine towing a trailer tent under most conditions with the 2l wise-child. Don't forget that people on here like to discuss the finer points of getting a vehicle right - points that the average motorist just remains completely unaware of, often with no disastrous result.

Towing a 1400kg caravan over the Alps is a MUCH tougher job than taking a 750kg trailer tent around the UK and even there the (diesel) Bongo seemed to handle it well (interesting the writer said 'but at a cost' because you don't get owt for nowt and dragging that kind of weight up and down the Alps is bound to consume considerable energy).

Your autobox will be working harder than the one on a diesel as the 2l engine doesn't have the same power and so the box will spend a lot more time in fluid drive (i.e. not in lock-up). But it ought to cope fine I reckon. You could get Alacritys view on the wisdom of fitting extra cooling (and on likely cost/difficulty): I'd be interested to hear if it would make the box slower to warm up and enable lockout etc. as this might be a minor downside.

[wise-child]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and warnings. I have no intention of going abroad, just hauling a few bodies and minimal camping gear not too far afield just so we can have the odd short break - probably within a 100miles normally. In fact since posting I have decided to bid for a small folding caravan as I have all the equipment from my previous caravans/campers and the ad states that is 750kg unladen so should be fine even with a few bits added [sleeping bags, plastic cutlery, crockery etc] And being a seasoned camper I know the sense of not taking excess food or filling water butts etc til I get on site where possible to decrease the hauled weight.
I would very much appreciate Alacrity's oppinion [and he's not light years from where I live] but how do I measure whatever it is you say I need to keep an eye on for comparison? I think the vehicle was serviced last November when it came into the UK so I was planning on getting it done again late spring/early summer as I clock up high milage due to my job. Please ensure any mechanical reply could be understood by a 5 year old!
Btw - I could see that the Bongo fulfilled all my practical needs as a mobile office/camper when I was looking but I did get a full [206 point check] inspection on the vehicle before I bought it knowing my total lack of expertise re the bits that move....!

[missfixit70]

Just because it had a service doesn't mean the autobox oil was changed & if it was there's a good chance the filter wasn't cleaned, it's not a difficult job to do, but I'm sure you could check with whoever serviced it, exactly what that service entailed. If in doubt, get it done, it's not a difficult job, may be worth getting Alacrity to check it out for you.
As for "measuring whatever it is" I assume you mean measuring the temperature of the gearbox/oil? It'd just be a matter of fitting a probe in an appropriate location & a gauge to show the temperature & being aware of what temperature is getting too hot.

[Alacrity]

Kirsty is correct about the transmission oil & filter - most garages will not do the gearbox so it's worth getting it done at some point unless you can confirm it has already been done.

We keep 'temperature tags' here which stick on the sump pan & record the max temp reached. They are a very simple way of telling if the trans is running hot. Simple, cheap & a 5 year could stick it on!

[dave_aber]

Ohh, I like the sound of that - are they available retail?

[wise-child]

A 5 yr old could stick them on - but I have to locate the sump pan first !

There is a Bongo friendly garage within 10 mile radius of here so it may be worth me having a word with them as well as looking at the docs I got with the vehicle. I shall def look into both.

Ohh, I like the sound of that - are they available retail?

I too would like to know whether there is anywhere local to SE Hants or online too. If not you may need to direct me to the correct part of the site where I can contact you [Alacrity] for further info/quote on getting these things done. Thanks.

[Alacrity]

I'd be interested to hear if it would make the box slower to warm up and enable lockout etc. as this might be a minor downside.

It doesn't seem to have made any difference to the warm up 'time to lock-up' (if you know what I mean by that) on mine. I have a strong feeling - but I am not 100% on this - that the point at which lock up starts operating from cold is determined by engine temp not transmission temp. That is certainly the case with a lot of other cars I have experience with. As an example I had a Hyundai in once with no 4th or lock up. The cure? Change the thermostat to get the temp up on the engine. The same is a common issue on the Mitsi Pajero/Shogun when they get a temp sensor failure on the engine, the vehicle looses 4th & lock up then as well.

Ohh, I like the sound of that - are they available retail?

Yes. PM me.

[missfixit70]

I'd be interested to hear if it would make the box slower to warm up and enable lockout etc. as this might be a minor downside.

It doesn't seem to have made any difference to the warm up 'time to lock-up' (if you know what I mean by that) on mine. I have a strong feeling - but I am not 100% on this - that the point at which lock up starts operating from cold is determined by engine temp not transmission temp. That is certainly the case with a lot of other cars I have experience with. As an example I had a Hyundai in once with no 4th or lock up, the cure? Change the thermostat to get the temp up on the engine. The same is a common issue on the Mitsi Pajero/Shogun when they get a temp sensor failure on the engine, the vehicle looses 4th & lock up then as well.

Is there even a temp sensor in the gearbox to feed back such info?

[technophobe]

Maximum weight for a trailer without brakes is 50% of the kerb weight of the towing vehicle. Should not be difficult to calculate. Details in February Camping and Caravan Mag.