Towing with an RX-300 (harrier)

[m4rkw]

I'm guessing this is a bad idea but just want to ask people who know better. The car is already underpowered (2.4L engine) and if its official specifications are to be believed the gross weight doesn't even allow for four average weight human passengers.

Reason I'm asking is my wife has her eye on the folding caravan trailers which are around 650-700kg.

I think the engine would be ok, it's the transmission I'm worried about.

[royoftherovers]

5 minutes ago, m4rkw said:

I'm guessing this is a bad idea but just want to ask people who know better. The car is already underpowered (2.4L engine) and if its official specifications are to be believed the gross weight doesn't even allow for four average weight human passengers.

Reason I'm asking is my wife has her eye on the folding caravan trailers which are around 650-700kg.

I think the engine would be ok, it's the transmission I'm worried about.

Mark,your towing weight will be stated on your V.I.N.    https://tap.fremontmotors.com/trusted-auto-professionals/find-trucks-towing-capacity-vin-number

[m4rkw]

1 minute ago, royoftherovers said:

Mark,your towing weight will be stated on your V.I.N.    https://tap.fremontmotors.com/trusted-auto-professionals/find-trucks-towing-capacity-vin-number

Haha my car doesn't have a VIN! It's a JDM import, just has a frame number not a vin with encoded information. The V5 has no details beyond the bare minimum (model, colour and the emissions numbers which mattered at the time).

[ColinBarber]

Check if the transmission has an external oil cooler - if not you will need to fit one.

[m4rkw]

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

Check if the transmission has an external oil cooler - if not you will need to fit one.

Any suggestions on a good place to source one?

[Britprius]

The RX300 is rated at 1500kg if fitted with the towing package "cooler". However towing a camping trailer under 750kg that has little in the way of frontal area "and therefore wind resistance" will not require a cooler, and further a trailer under this weight capacity does not need a braking system.
I would be surprised if you noticed any difference towing such a small trailer.

John.

[m4rkw]

On 7/28/2020 at 2:24 PM, Britprius said:

The RX300 is rated at 1500kg if fitted with the towing package "cooler". However towing a camping trailer under 750kg that has little in the way of frontal area "and therefore wind resistance" will not require a cooler, and further a trailer under this weight capacity does not need a braking system.
I would be surprised if you noticed any difference towing such a small trailer.

John.

Hi John

Thanks for this, I have since learned that it's not actually legal to tow anything if the vin plate of the vehicle doesn't specify a towing weight. Being a JDM import mine doesn't, so I'm guessing this is all moot.

[Jaystar77]

I should have a pile of factory brochures here somewhere.  Will see what info they hold and report back.

She's the 2.4 isn't she?

[m4rkw]

Yup, thanks!

[Jaystar77]

Bit of bad news - After checking the main showroom brochures, the vehicle spec pages, the pricelists, and even the optional extra brochures I can find zero mention of a towing capacity.

In fact even the optional extra book should have had some reference to a tow bar but nothing, zilch, zip, hee-haw in fact.

I used Google translate via the camera phone over all the pages but no joy.  Have attached the main pages showing the vehicle specifications in case I've missed them, should be able to run the images through a translator hopefully.

Just wondering about the VIN plate - all my imports have one, shows the vehicle paint code, transmission codes, etc.  You sure they haven't riveted it on somewhere?

In other news, after reading through the later gen3 brochure I now want a fully specced Harrier G-Sport instead of a RX450h.. 😄 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[m4rkw]

Thanks for looking! The vin plate doesn't show anything related to towing, pretty sure towing is a no with these.