LG John

On friday morning (early ) I'll be setting off to tow our (me and my mates) caravan up to Achmelvich from Edinburgh. This is usually a 4-4.5h drive without a van so its a bit of a tow with some challenging roads in the highlands. I've only ever pulled a small trailer before so I could do with some general advice. The car will be a 2.0 saab so I don't have the luxury of power to drive 10mph the whole way given I might need a wee run at some of the meat hills.

Advice apprecaited

S.B.

Don't do it it's sad

LG John

PMSL And so is cracking jokes on an intergeek forum

David_Dickson

Slow and steady. Watch the braking distances, if it starts to snake, take your feet off all the pedals and try to keep the car straight and it should come good.
Overtaking or being overtaken by lorries is a sure way to get some serious wiggling going on, so be carefull. Watch your speeds on downhill sections as this also can provoke snaking.

It all depends on the height of your towbar and your weight distribution, but most vans tow best if they are slightly nose-down, rather than sitting level.

Im sure you know how it feels to be stuck behind a caravan, so if you build up a queue, pull over and let them past every now and then. Costs you nothing and may prevent some rash overtaking maneuveres.

Scooby96

Get a stabiliser bar

Dazza01

Hmmmmm
1st, Attach caravan to car and set off.

2nd, stop approx 2 miles from ur house.

3rd, Lift bonnet of car and make render it useless

4th, Call AA/ RAC / Greenflag who will come and rescue you and take car & caravan to destination on back of trailer or low loader.
Thereby saving you the hassle of doing it yourself

oh yes please make sure u are up to date with ur subscriptions first

RRH

From experience towing race cars and trailers all over Europe the best way to safely get out of a 'sway' is to very gently accelerate. slowing down, and particularly braking, can accentuate the sway. no disrespect to DD intended

Dazza01

ok which is it

do you speed up to stop the "SWAY" or slow down

Not being funny here, but i've seen a caravan over turn and it's not a pretty sight, if u get this wrong serious **** could happen

ajm

Most guides recommend that you let the vehicle slow down without using the brakes and keeping the wheel straight to correct sway.

However, using more power to correct sway does work if you know what you are doing. If you don't know what you are doing then it can get worse (which is why most guides recommend the former method!)

RRH

either way its scary no matter how many times it's happened to you. just take it easy, load the weight to the front so the car takes the majority, and you should be fine.

oh, and fit those crappy door mirrors and post a photo in member gallery so we cal all have a laugh

seriously matey, you'll be fine.

Jye

This post should be deleted, it's a bloody disgrace

Freak

change yer username.....
Caravan boy (formerly know as saxo boy)

ajm

Looking forward to the "Caravan Surge" story on Monday!

TheManOnTheStreet

Chemical toilet spill more like.....

Taff107

Amen!......

IWatkins

If you get the snake starting, just gently slow down, do not lift suddenly. Well, that is what the old man reckons anyway. He has been a pain in the **** to motorists between Berkshire and West Wales for decades.

Accelerating hard is what you are supposed to do in a flat spin in an F15 isn't it ?

Cheers

Ian

logiclee

Hope your not towing the 26' twin axled van with that Saab.

Load as much heavy stuff into the car as you can without the back being on the floor
Load the van with the heavy stuff over the axle, don't put stuff at the front or the back to balance the van. Aim for a nose weight of around 70kg (Use a bit of wood and bathroom scales at the tow hitch at tow height). Aim to tow slightly nose down, not with the nose dragging on the floor and never nose up.
Make sure tyre pressures are spot on and the cars tyres inflated for maximum load as per the handbook.

The fully laden weight of the van should not exceed 85% of the cars Kerbside weight if your inexperienced and never more than 100%.

Just drive steady and if it's all loaded correctly you shouldn't have too many problems. When big lorries pass it will tend to pull you towards them so be ready. Braking downhill also causes stability problems so take it steady at first.

When you are behind a big wagon you'll think you have a lot of power spare but you will be in the slip stream, pull out and you will wonder where all the power went when all the air resistance hits the van.

A good stabaliser is worth it's weight in gold, poor ones are useless. If you do get into a snake come off the power gently, dip the clutch and steer best you can, don't brake.

Enjoy the holiday.

Lee

matty01

See if the caravan club has a web site ,they should have a FAQ hopefully ,make sure the nose weight of the caravan does noe exceed about 80kg 70-75 bieng about right ,if you can get an anti sway bar fitted i would,they are supposed to be quite good,leave early the last thing you want to be is in a hurry whilst towing ,on the m'way i'd stick to 56mph to limit hgv overtakes if one trys to overtake you hoof it ,only kidding slow down gently and let them get past keep loads of braking distance ,and keep any weight in the 'van really low to the floor

matty01

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdon...aravanning.pdf may be of help (pdf)

what would scooby do

..I didn't realise you where 75 years old Saxo Boy

FASTER MIKE!!

see if you can get a van with a aks2000 or even ask for one on, it'll make the towing alot easier. trust me

mike ex caravan fitter

Dream Weaver

Caravans are the new nightclubs The best way to get away from it all for the weekend.

DW

Graz

Note: I don't condone this sort of behaviour......


.....however my Dad has been "shed dragging" for many years, I remember us getting into a snake, its not nice and I still amazed to this day that he managed to get out of it without turning the whole lot over.

Ever since then he has always used a stabliser. Never had any problems since. These things can be lifesavers.

logiclee

Don't be too frightened by all the snake stories, yeh they happen but not that often.

Poor loading is the main reason for instability (Refer to earlier posts) a well matched and correctly loaded unit is very stable. Stabalisers do not stop snakes but act as a damper on the caravan movemnts on the tow ball so can cut out a snake should one start and the best are very effective.

Back to the 85% malarky, if your inexperienced and not got the setup experience then sticking to the 85% rule will ensure thaat the car has a hold over the caravan during a snake and should be recoverable. Experienced caravaners who get the setup spot on, can recognise danger situations and avoid them and have the best kit can go up to 100% max caravan weight/cars kerbside weight but never over or the caravan has control of the car. If that had been the situation in Graz's example they would have probably ended up off the road or overturned.

Not sure which Saab you have but a MY98 Saab 9-3 2.0 has a Kerbside weight of 1300kg so the maximum design weight of the van you are towing should be no more than 1105kg. That would put you in the region of basic light weight 14' designs. Never go on the caravans unladen weight, they soon get fully loaded with gas bottles, batteries, water/waste containers, pots & pans, bedding, clothes, awning etc. etc.

Cheers
Lee

Abdabz

Remember to attach the caravan to the car before driving off.

Father ted forgot the trailer and his holiday was left in tatters - "Little cow for away"...

Dream Weaver

Further to Lee's point, make sure you have a new stabiliser as well for any towers on here.

My first time towing we used an old stabiliser and it never felt that stable. Recently invested in a new one and the difference is unreal.

andypugh2000

Classic

Senior_AP

Do's and don'ts.


DO - Have nice car(s).

DON'T - Tow caravnas.

....and definately DO NOT admit to it on here!!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Wouldn't want to pitch up next to you on the campsite then...

unclebuck

Some caravan towing ******* nearly wiped me out on my bike at the weekend. AND had the afront to hoot back at ME when I let the **** know.

PLEASE USE YOUR MIRRORS WHEN CHANGING LANES!!!!!

UB