Outer Limits 4x4 Board

G'day folks, I have been searching for a towing capacity, and have come up with two different figures.

JX 96 vitara.

One says 500kg, braked or unbraked ??

The other is 1,200kg braked, and 500kg unbraked

Seems strange to me that braked or unbraked is the same, hope its just a typo. Can anyone confirm.

I have searched South OZs Transport web site, useless.

Owners manual says 500kg braked or not, my Hayman Reece towbar on my 95SWB says 1200kg, in QLD at least the law is manufactures limit or I think if thats not stated 1.5 tomes the GVM.

So for me at least 500kg is the limit, not sure if SA would differ.

I'm wondering if the 500kg braked or unbraked is a typo, the manuel says this, but everything I can find says 1,200kg unbraked.

I have never known any car that cannot tow more with brakes than without.

Its not a drama, just want to know.


1996 SUZUKI VITARA JX

Car Details
Make: SUZUKI
Model: VITARA
Variant: JX
Series:
Year: 1996
Body Type: 2Door SOFTTOP
Seats: 4
Engine Specifications
Engine Type: MULTI POINT F/INJ
Engine Size: 1.6L (1590cc)
Cylinders: INLINE 4
Max. Torque: 133Nm
Max. Power: 71kW
Power to Weight Ratio: 15.42:1 kW/kg
Bore & Stroke: 75x90mm
Compression Ratio: 9.5
Valve Gear: SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM
Drivetrain Specifications
Transmission: 5 SP MANUAL 4x4
Drive Type: FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
Final Drive Ratio: 5.125
Fuel Specifications
Fuel Type: UNLEADED PETROL
Fuel Tank Capacity: 42L
Fuel Consumption (City): 9L/100km
Fuel Comsumption (Hwy):
Not Provided

Weight & Measurement
Kerb Weight: 1095kg
Gross Vehicle Weight: 1500kg
Height: 1665mm
Length: 3630mm
Width: 1630mm
Ground Clearance: 200mm
Towing Capacity: Brake(1200kg), Unbrake(500kg)
Steering & Suspension
Steering Type: BALL & NUT
Turning Circle: 10.8m
Front Rim Size:
Not Provided

Rear Rim Size:
Not Provided

Front Tyres: P205/75R15
Rear Tyres: P205/75R15
Wheel Base: 2200mm
Front Track: 1395mm
Rear Track: 1400mm
Front Brakes: DISC - VENTILATED
Rear Brakes: DRUM
Front Suspension: Independent,
Rear Suspension: Live axle,
Standard Features
Exterior:
Interior:
Driver:
Entertainment: Radio Cassette
Comfort:
Safety:
Security:
Optional Features
Exterior: Metallic Paint
Interior:
Driver:
Entertainment:
Comfort: Air Conditioning
Safety:
Security:
ECO & Safety
ANCAP Crash Test Rating:
Not Provided

Green Vehicle Guide Rating:
Not Provided

Green House Rating:
Not Provided

CO2 Emission:
Not Provided

Air Pollution Rating:
Not Provided

Other
Discontinued Date: 30-Apr-2000
Service Interval: 12 months / 10,000 kms
Warranty: 36 months / 60,000 kms
VIN Plate Location: Front Driver Side Chassis
Country of Origin: JAPAN

I wouldn't have thought a Vit would pull 1200kg...whether it's rated at that or not...

Mine works hard enough pulling 2xbikes and light trailer (don't know wieght)

is your vit a 1.6 or 2l
1.6 can tow (700kg-750kg cant rember )unbreaked 950kg breaked as from suzuki australia about 2 months ago.
i think the 2l is 1200kg breaked

sorry that was for a 4 door as well .
but it all goes out the window if ur tow bar isnt rated to that much

We went through this a few years back when my father was looking at replacing his Sierra with something that could tow his boat (760kg braked). Initially a Vitara looked like a good option, but the true towing capacity was a PITA to determine. QLD transport were no help at all, just saying whichever is lower; Vehicle manufactures or towbar manufacturers stated rating (but they could not (would not?) tell us what the manufacturers rating was). So we gave up Vitaras and bought him something else that we knew would be able to tow, both safely and legally.
Having towed near the legal limits in my SWB Sierra, I'm not sure I'd want to tow over 500kg in a SWB Vitara anyway, maybe a LWB wouldn't be too bad?

The reason I am trying to find out is I regularly go out get wood and also soil, 25 Jarrah sleepers at a time, and 750kg of soil, the quarry will not put more than 750kg in an unbraked trailer as they can be held accountable.

The little girl does it fine, 5 gear up and down hill, not a drama, I sit on 80-85 never faster as it gets a bit wobbly.

My father saw the wood load, 25 sleepers x approx 100lbs each, over a ton plus trailer weight, sed, thats a hell of a load for the little girl, so it got me thinking.

My bar is rated at 1,200kg, so I thought that was the legal level, looked deeper, seems no definitive answer.

I'll ring Suzuki today, as I cannot believe braked or unbraked is the same rating.

I have rung Suzi Oz, melbourne, initially he sed 950kg, then sed I how is it that there is so much on 1,200kg on the net, so he looked it up and sed yes, 1,200kg.

So I spoke of the book and how in section 7-1 it says 450kg braked or unbraked, he cannot understand this, he asked my tow bar rating, its genuine suzi, 1,200kg.

So he is delving into it deeper, as its a mystery, as I sort of suspected it would be and is why I asked if anyone knew from here.


[/i]

Suzuki Motor Company never made a tow bar for the Vitara, and so, they rated the max tow, braked or unbraked at 450kg

When they stared making tow bars they rated them at 1,200kg for vehicles, and rated the vehicles at that.

Sadly the Vitara is rated at 450kg and thats it.

I can load my trailer (300kg) with my weight 130kg, and thats about it.

Anyone want to buy a low km vitara, she is up for sale as of when I hung up from suzi 5 mins ago.