I'm picking up 6, 2.6 x 120 x 250 new oak railway sleepers next week and I fancy using the 2011 full fat for the job. Any advice from any of our FFRR friends in so much as the weight and leaving the tailgate down etc. I've got some lashing straps to secure the load and shall put a red rag on the back. Should let I put a block at the rear to keep weight in the boot area rather than the tailgate?

Any thoughts comments etc much appreciated as I'm a novice, a 48 year old novice!

I think the most important factor in this is driving with the tailgate open. Even if it is raining, all windows must be fully open and if you have it, I would tilt the sunroof as well....

One of the reason exhausts must be sealed front to back is because CO is a 'silent' killer. If you've ever been in a convertible car with no wind deflector behind the front seats, you'll have felt the air 'pushing' from behind as it were. With the rear open, there is a high chance for fumes to be 'pushed' inside the vehicle....it's to do with pressure differences, I believe.

As for the load capabilities, I personally wouldn't want to put too much stress on the tailgate...it's not just about strength with a static load because you will be moving and bumps/jolts will make the weight on the tailgate greater, if that makes sense. In my opinion, of course.

If they are lying flat, I wouldn't have thought excessive weight on the tailgate - I would have thought a block would concentrate the weight more.

How far are you transporting them ? If in doubt, make 2 trips

+1 on the properly venting the cabin

I've driven with loads hanging out the tailgate. Those have been ones where the bottom tailgate is down and the upper one is in the closed position.

The car senses why you are doing and stops beeping after a short while. I would have the rear seats double folded over so the boot space is totally flat and not use any blocks. The reality is that the lower tailgate can take full size adults sitting on it so spreading the load you describe across the boot floor and tailgate is no issue.

That being aaid I've not done it for more than a few miles. I wouldn't want to. Do it for anything more than 20mins of driving personally. V8 or else ...

if you have the tailgate down you can't see the reg number which is illegal.... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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If you have a towbar you'd be better hiring a trailer.

The payload for a 4.4 TDV8 is 375 - 500 kg per my brochure, 375 - 460 for 5.0SC, so check you plus the sleepers is OK. Tumble the rear seats so you have as much as possible inside the vehicle and a flat load area. Secure the load properly, it would be dangerous if a sleeper fell out, as well as an offence. I have driven with the lower tailgate open and the upper closed for shortish distances, one does get fumes into the cabin, it can be unpleasant and open windows and good airflow are definitely advisable. You do need to display a rear number as well as something to show where the loaded vehicle ends. Only Range Rovers since 1988

If the rear seats are down and the beams pass over the hump you'll put more weight and stress on the lower tailgate straps thanif you use even 1/2" riser blocks before the tailgate flap. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I don't reckon the sleepers will be much more than 50kg each. I have just had some 9"x4" oak beams to make mantles out of, they were easily man portable. I don't think loading will be an issue. The load Bed with the seats folded is only about 1.7m so they will stick out of the boot about 900mm so should overhang the tailgate by about 200mm appx.

I agree that if you can rent a trailer, then do so, if you can get them delivered then do that as even clean new oak will make a mess if it's straight out of the sawmill. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Thanks for the replies guys. I've got a witter bike rack for the tow bar, so shall use this to give her that extra length, as well as keeping the number plate visible.

Thanks again, happy motoring!