Towing a Caravan

[old red dog]

How Important is it to set the ride height when towing a Caravan ?

[daf11e]

My manual for 2000 model states to lock it into standard ride height. I have on occasions locked it into highway mode to have the trailer level. Having the swan neck towbar I have no adjustment.

[Keithy P38]

I have towed heavy loads with it in highway height (my default height when the blue P38 was lifted). Did not feel any different to towing in standard. The attitude was the same.

Cheers
Keithy

[DoubleChevron]

If it's a big heavy caravan, I'd be locking the height in .... and getting an adjustable hitch tongue that ensure the caravan is level. Dunno about you guys but a caravan that wants to sway 'cos it's not towing level scares the hell out of me :wasntme:

seeya,
Shane L.

[Ghind]

In terms of will the car explode if you don't lock it in standard? It's not the end of the world

However you should lock it in standard height because if you hit a hard bump you need air pressure and length of travel to absorb it. Otherwise the bump stops and the chassis have to take it

How big is the van? How heavy? What are the circumstances you are asking about?

I tow a 3 tonne 27ft van with my p38 and have done maybe 15,000kms that way. I use load levelers (it would be deadly without them)

[Keithy P38]

If you read the owners manual it specifically says not to use load leveling devices on P38's.

The suspension levels itself for a reason :-)

On any vehicle with self leveling suspension it is not advised to use load levelers.

Cheers
Keithy

[davidsonsm]

That's the beauty of the EAS. Its arse doesn't sag when towing. I tow a camper trailer and have towed a caravan (2.5 tonne) before. To get the trailer nose slightly down, I use highway height for all road driving. But i do have a 2" lift kit fitted. I've never bottomed the suspension out, even when loaded to the max.

[mtb_gary]

For me i regularly tow my tandem axle boat trailer. Like Keith i also have the height locked at highway height due to the suspension lift. Tow ball weight of the trailer is approximately 100Kg. Tows without a problem :D

[DoubleChevron]

I'm saying I would lock the height, because if the car lowers itself at speed, it'll cause the caravan to sit nose down .... you want the caravan level at all times to reduce the likelyhood of swaying.

seeya,
Shane L.

[old red dog]

Thanks for all the information.
I'm towing a single axle caravan with electronic stability control. Tare 1930 and ball 190.
I now understand the need to lock it in.
Once again thanks

[Pedro_The_Swift]

If you ever participate in an event where the caravan ESC cuts in,,(and I hope that never happens:angel:)
Please write it up.;)

Its interesting to have an older LR towing a new van with stability control,
usually its a LR with its own software doing the helping.

[Ghind]

If you read the owners manual it specifically says not to use load leveling devices on P38's.

Keithy I know thank you. What I don't know is why they say that.

Air bags relevel the car but don't change the physics.

When you hook up you can see the front of the car lift. Not only does the back axle take the ball weight but also some more of the weight of the front of the car. That extra weight on the rear axle is not great but what is worse is the reduced weight on the front axle

Putting more air in the rear springs makes this worse. With a tandem axle trailer, As you lift the back of the car it will take more weight off the trailer axles and put it on the towball. This means more weight off the front wheels

The problem is that you don't want your front wheels to be hardly touching the ground. You don't want them to be lighter than an empty car. You want them stuck down. This matters a lot when you are towing something long, with big windage which is heavy.

While I don't use load levellers for 20ft 2 tonne vans or boats I would never tow my big van without them

Wether a spring is made of steel or air it doesn't change the physics. Anyway that is why i do what I do but i know some people won't agree