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Towing with 21" wheels

11K views 58 replies 22 participants last post by  Greig800nm 
#1 ·
Hi

Still gathering information for our upcoming purchase.
Have read that many of you have a set of 18" wheels for towing the caravan and off road adventures.
We would spend 90+% of our time on bitumen and occasionally stay at free camps, station stays requiring dirt road travel with the van and sight seeing on dirt roads without the van attached.
Still trying to decide between the V8 Rline and V6 TDI which have 21" and 20" wheels.
Is anyone successfully towing a caravan with 21" or 20" wheels ?
If so what tyres are you running ?
Any issues towing with this size tyre ?

Regards
Kym
 
#2 ·
Hi Kym,

I tow around 3.2t on a regular basis on the stock Rline 21" wheels and so far I have had zero issues. Keep in mind that the standard wheels and tyres are load rated for the task so the only issue really is the relatively low profile however bearing in mind the side wall is 40% of 275mm so its not exactly licorice straps that your rolling on, so short trips or detours on smoother gravel roads are quite ok in my opinion however they are most certainly not suited for extended gravel road use! My logic suggests that if I were to get a puncture in a rear tyre that I couldn't fix on the spot I would swap one of the fronts to the rear and put the space saver on the front and proceed to the nearest big town and settle in for a few days waiting for a replacement tyre (or two) Fixing tyres on the road is a relatively easy task, and kits are available at most auto stores, there is also plenty of 'how to' video's on youtube. Also worth considering is the standard tyre size (275 40 21) isn't common and is only available in the major brands and they are not cheap. To fit a cheaper tyre you would need to go to 295 40 21 and I'm not sure they would fit on the front as there is very little clearance already with the 275's. The cheaper tyres may not have the correct load rating either?

In short I would not be worried about towing on 21's provided your not planning an extended trip that will include regular use of 'B' grade roads.

Hope that helps.
 
#37 ·
Hi Kym,

I tow around 3.2t on a regular basis on the stock Rline 21" wheels and so far I have had zero issues. Keep in mind that the standard wheels and tyres are load rated for the task so the only issue really is the relatively low profile however bearing in mind the side wall is 40% of 275mm so its not exactly licorice straps that your rolling on, so short trips or detours on smoother gravel roads are quite ok in my opinion however they are most certainly not suited for extended gravel road use! My logic suggests that if I were to get a puncture in a rear tyre that I couldn't fix on the spot I would swap one of the fronts to the rear and put the space saver on the front and proceed to the nearest big town and settle in for a few days waiting for a replacement tyre (or two) Fixing tyres on the road is a relatively easy task, and kits are available at most auto stores, there is also plenty of 'how to' video's on youtube. Also worth considering is the standard tyre size (275 40 21) isn't common and is only available in the major brands and they are not cheap. To fit a cheaper tyre you would need to go to 295 40 21 and I'm not sure they would fit on the front as there is very little clearance already with the 275's. The cheaper tyres may not have the correct load rating either?

In short I would not be worried about towing on 21's provided your not planning an extended trip that will include regular use of 'B' grade roads.

Hope that helps.
Yes all need to be considered as stated above I replaced my tyres with cayenne fitment 295 35 21, and they fit awesome there is plenty of room and choices , multitudes both cheap and expensive.
the Rline v8 is and effortless tow car.
 
#3 ·
Whilst I concur that you can (and I have), towed a 3+t van on 20" inch rims, the question that needs to be answered is why would want to do that, and especially why would you ever consider doing that on 21" rims?

We also need to establish that by "towing" we mean travelling some thousands of kilometers in all types of Australian roads (not offroad but some dirt roads) and not just say, short runs in your city or town on a shakedown trip or going for a caravan service etc.
Is it a question of not wanting to fund "appropriate" rims and tyres to best do the job or it it trying to maintain the "esthetics" of your Touareg at the expense of other important benefits?
How can anyone justify spending up $100+K on their "tow" vehicle and then have "contingency" plans in case of tyre issues whilst on the road which in the end may cost more than a set of appropriate rims and tyres in the first place to best do the job.

In my view if you want to do any serious towing you need 5 or 6 rims (leave the spacesaver where it belongs, at home) in 17/18" size with LT tyres fitted with profiles of 60/65/70 and tyre load rating of 116+ to minimise your chances of heat induced blowouts and rim/tyre damage when suddenly confronted by that pothole in an otherwise good road at speed.

I don't think that when towing you need the handling benefits that those big rims and low profile tyres have to offer at the expense of towing safety margins, anyhow if this turns into a serious towing/tyre best rim size discussion, that's my opinion on the subject.


TonyB
 
#4 ·
Tony, I don't disagree with the points you make however in my case I have no interest what so ever in subjecting a $120k luxury wagon which also happens to be my wife's everyday car to any sort of 'off road' activity so the 21's are fine for my trips (usually several thousand km's at a time) and the 21's are absolutely 'fit for purpose' so I see no need to leave them at home. If I had any interest at all in exploring further onto 'B' grade roads I would have purchased an older model and fitted it out for that purpose but I don't so I didn't.
 
#7 ·
That's a rediculous statement to make, you are making no contribution to this tread...., do you realise you are exceeding the max tow rating on your vehicle, why don't you post a pic of you towing a Jumbo jet?

Hardly an example to be making to people who may be new or don't know this vehicles towing ability.

Do you tow those loads for 500 to 700kms on a single run, as this is what I see the OP asking of his tyres?

Realistically the Touareg is not the ideal 3000K+ tow vehicle but does the job, in my case it is the most versitile vehicle I've owned in 50 years of vehicle ownership, BTW there is a difference in short to long haul towing, I would like you to bring the trailer, vehicle and load to Australia and see how you go with that set up here.


TonyB
 
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#9 ·
Cmon mate, dont let this put you down.
I respect your views contribution and camaraderie
 
#10 ·
Whilst 21s would work for your limited offroad use i would personally go for 18 or 19s and match the size with the trailer.
If you can afford then v8s pretty good with power and towing, else v6s are quite good as well.
 
#11 ·
TonyB you have raised some of the issues I was grappling with.
Yes we will be travelling thousands of Kms with the van probably 12 months full time initially and then slowing down to 2 to 3 months at a time with the other 9 months in suburbia with a small possibility we will go full time like we have for the past 4 years. I don't want to have two sets of rims and tyres.
We are not into doing the Gibb or anything like that but corrugated dirt roads into station stays and free camps occasionally with the van.
Sight seeing on dirt roads in national parks etc without the van but not serious 4wd rock hopping.
I will be carrying a spare for the Touareg on the back of the van, not keen on temp repairs or waiting days or weeks for a tyre to arrive in a small country town.
I am very keen on getting a Rline for the Power and Torque but the 21" wheels are a concern hence I asked the question.
Having 50 or 60 profile tyres is no guarantee against a tyre failure when towing, blew a tyre and threw the tread on the Chev on the Newell Hwy last year with 265/60R20 121 Goodyear tyres, a little more weight involved but the tyres were rated for the load.
If the 21s are up to the task then I would try to negotiate an extra rim in the deal if purchasing from a dealer, if I decide I was going to get 18s then I wouldn't get them from the dealer.
Rline 275/40 21 tyres have a sidewall 110mm high
V6 TDI 275/45 20 tyres have a sidewall 123.75mm high
275/50 19 tyres have a sidewall 137.5mm high
275/55 18 tyres have a sidewall 151.25mm high
I can see the gain in going from 21s to 18s for the extra 41.25mm of sidewall but is it really worth changing from 20s to 19s or 18s ?
Will going to 18s give a much larger choice in quality tyres ?


Kym
 
#12 ·
In your shoes I would buy six 18 inch wheels and consider going for all terrain tyres at 30 inch OD rather than the standard 29 if the former are cheaper and more readily available.

I'd also make sure the tyres I purchase are not likely to be replaced by another model as you already know the tyres on a Touareg must be identical.

I'd add a decent tyre string kit but get an old wheel and tyre to practice on before setting off on my trip.

Then I'd either carefully clean and store the 21s in a cool, dark place, or sell them to recoup my outlay on the 18s.

Altetnatively you can always sell the 18s later if you keep the 21s.

Don't buy 19s. Like 21s the choice is poor and the cost high.
 
#13 ·
I meant to add that given you are away long term, if it's just the two of you travelling, do you need the rear seats in the car?


One European adventurer removed his, put a second battery in the car, installed a decent fridge, removed the spacesaver to make a secure area under the boot floor and made a box for the full sized spare though personally I'd carry it upright strapped to the passenger side in the boot like the original Range Rover.


With the other spare on the rear of the 'van, when you leave that on a campsite you'll still have a full sized spare wheel on board the car and cold drinks!
 
#14 ·
We tow 2.5T with the 2010 TDI running 20" Zeta Azuras and have had no issues at all, in fact a far better ride than on the previous Hankooks, We're principally on bitumen but with the occasional foray off on dirt/gravel "just to see where it goes".We also have a set of 18s shod with the same rubber and there's no noticeable difference.
We also keep a full sized 20" in the rear luggage compartment as the thought of a spacesaver that has to be inflated, then kept at 80km/hr with a 'van behind gives us the horrors
 
#17 ·
Thanks for all the replies plenty of food for thought.
From what I have found it appears the 18" Touareg rims are 8" wide as opposed to 9" for the 19, 20 and 21s.
Will have to look into what tyre choices are available for each size rim before making a decision.
Don't want or need a full off road tyre, probably don't even need all terrain tyres for the small amount of time we would spend on dirt.
Will be looking for a tyre with good on road performance but capable on dirt and sand but must be quiet so a all terrain biased more towards on road may be the go.
 
#20 ·
I put these Yokohama GeoLander G057 snow/mud tires about 6 weeks ago (at Bob Jane T-Marts in Melbourne).

They drive pretty well, are very quiet and were priced at $400 each for the 275/40/21's.

https://www.yokohama.com.au/our-range/tyres/geolandar-x-cv-g057

PS. I won't be going off-road/snow, but feel more confident parking on grassy areas (when taking my son to soccer games). 0:)
 
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#18 ·
As some have indicated, your biggest issue with the 21” wheels and tyres will be getting replacements in regional and remote areas. You could potentially be stranded for several days waiting for tyres.
They are also frightfully expensive, at around $550 each, so you dont want to be ripping them up on poor roads.
 
#19 ·
No problems towing on or off road with 20'' rims. Just get another set of rims and some more aggressive touring tyres.

I have a MY2013 7P (V6) and I got a new set of 5 x 20" Audi Q7 rims on ebay( for about $400). Keep your eye out as some people change their rims when they buy a new car and burn them on ebay.

I then purchased a set of Cooper Zeon's (same rolling diameter as OEM tyres) to put on the Audi rims. Got some VW centre caps and presto. The Coopers have been fantastic. When I go away I swap to the Coopers and when home put the 20" OEM rims with the road tyres back on.

We are just completing 9 weeks over in WA towing our van all over the state. Completed over 13,500 kms in this trip all on the 20" rims with Cooper Zeon's.
 
#21 ·
KandC, I note quite a few of the contributors to your post have missed the point that you do not wish to have a second set of wheels/tyres.
We have 20's with no issues (3.3t van). Once off the tar/asphalt/bitumen drop your tyre pressures (max 32psi) and drive to the conditions.
I admit it is a bit of a worry when you have 1-ply sidewalls, but stick to the above and you should have no issues.
You will need a full size spare (mounted) and I would also carry a spare tyre (only) due to the rarity of these sorts of tyres outside of large centres.
Good luck and travel safe. Dub
 
#22 ·
Hi I tow a 21’ van and have a 2017 V8 Rline. Replaced my 21 wheels and tyres with (4 + 1 full size spare) 18” wheels and pirelli tyres. Very happy with outcome. Hasn’t really had much impact on tow ability but gives me peace of mind in the outback. The V8 is a beautiful motor and more than enough power. My fuel economy has improved but can’t really say it’s a direct result of the wheel/tyre upgrade. The original wheels/tyres are resting in the garage. ?
 
#24 ·
Thanks for posting, must be food for thought for those that want to use the 21's for towing, would not be unusual to stuff up a rim and tire in the same incident.


TonyB


PS, why don't you update your profile with the location for future reference?
 
#25 ·
I did thousands of kilometres towing my 2.7T van around south east Queensland on my standard 21's on my V8tdi R-Line. Didn't have a drama at all. And I also use a mild form of weight distribution hitch as well. Not a full on one like a hayman reese. I then got myself some 20's and put all terrain tyres on them (plus I got a 20" spare to mount on my roof platform as well) and they have been fantastic. No dramas whatsoever. Goes off road fine, goes on the beach fine. While I did love the 21's, dropping to 20's has been a great addition for me. Would happily recommend 20's as I think they still look nice and big as well.
 

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#26 ·
Thanks Snerlo
After reading many tyre reviews and a few PM conversations I think I have decided that 20" rims will be suitable for our intended adventures. Quite a few forum members towing on bitumen and dirt with 20s without any problems so for the small amount of time we would spend on dirt we don't need to go to 18s.
I am leaning towards the Cooper Zeon LTZ in 275/45 20 at this stage.
Just need to find a buyer for the 5th wheeler so we can move on to the next chapter in our travels.
Kym
 
#29 ·
I'm looking at the new model, which comes with 20" rims as standard (no smaller size options). I was hoping to keep my 18" rims to fit when towing, but I see from this post that the 18s are 8" wide whereas the 20s will probably be 9" wide. This plan would seem therefore to contravene VSI NO 9 which does not permit rim width reductions unless described on the tyre placard. Any thoughts?
 
#30 ·
I've just checked the wheel hole pitch details on a web-site, which appears to show that the 2019 models have gone the way of the Q7, with 5x 112mm hole pattern. Can any of the new owners confirm this please? If true, then my plan of keeping my 18 in wheels goes out of the window anyway!
 
#31 ·
Steve, what did you end up doing? Did you get the new model Touareg? if so, what did you do with the 18's?
 
#33 · (Edited)
Can someone please confirm that the MY19/20 model has in fact changed to 112 PCD?

Thanks, TonyB
 
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