Thread: Towing my caravan with my D2 is very ordinary

ope this works

The van and disco seem to be sitting well.

You may have tried these but I have always found sway is caused by bad weight distribution in the van, not having the correct amount of tow-ball weight (about 10-12%) of the total van weight or uneven tyre pressures in the van.

my van is not as large as yours but it sits rock steady behind the disco even at 110 (although I normally cruise at 90-95).

Cheers
Ian

I reckon the first thing to do would be to work out your tow ball weight and go from there.

as said first job is check your ball weight. I would expect around 150 to 180 kg loaded with that size van and those axle placements. the d2 is rated to 250kg ball weight, so no probs there. my feeling is you possibly have not enough weight on the hitch...?

jc

While I do not tow a caravan with my SLS equipped D2 (yet), it tows my race car on a tandem trailer with very well. The SLS sits as steady as a rock.
I agree with the others, a bit more weight on the tow ball may help.

Hey Sharkee.
You seem to have taken all the usual precautions to prevent the dreaded sway. Like has been suggested, check your ball weight. I have seen a Hayman Reece product that looks like an axle stand, with a weight scale on the side in kilograms. Weighbridge is another option. I have also seen a device that screws onto the adjusting screw on the trailer coupling that shows the BW. What are your van's weighs? It does not appear to have a front boot so excessive ball weight is most likely not the problem rather the opposite I think. Our van, a 23ft Retreat Daydream, weighs in @ 2381 kg's GTM. My D2a has coils and polyairs and I use a WDH. With 20psi in the bags and the bars pulled up with 5 links on the chain, it sits nice and level. I dont have any trouble with sway unless it is caused bt wind. You could also check your towball height in relation to the van coupling when the van is detatched and level. Hope this helps.
Regards
Robbo

Try this if you don't have access to a weighbridge. Most bathroom scales max out at 100-120 kg, this will allow you to weigh things greater than the scales max value. If you place your load half way between the scales and brick the weight will be twice what you read on the scales. Other ratios as per the formula in the graphic.



It will only give you the weight on the jockey wheel. If the jockey wheel is a long way back from the tow ball a few measurements from the center of the axle group of the caravan to the towball and to the jockey wheel and we should be able to work out the ratios. It should be close enough for government work just with the jockey wheel weight.

Thanks to everyone for the replies and advice its much appreciated.I never thought that it could be too light on the ball. Just a question if its light I should be able to lift or near lift the drawbar up should'nt I ? I went out and tried lifting it and its way too heavy for me to even look,like budging it and I'm not a small bloke. Slug burner thanks for the diagram, sounds silly I know but I dont have access to any scales. I do have access to a weighbridge though but how can I weigh just the ball weight only on a bridge? I'm thinking of taking it there tomorrow to weigh it.
One thing I was wondering that might contribute to my problem a little too is, the coupling on the van sits very slightly uphill I feel. So van is not dead level, its not a lot but could this be part of the problem too?.
The van is very low and not a great deal of clearance so I was thinking of underslinging the axles to bring it up clearance wise as even changing a wheel is hard cause if jacked by suspension you cant get the wheel out from under the wheelarch and by doing this that would also give me a downward angle on the coupling which I can rectify with the rear spring conversion to compensate the rear of the disco and level it up with the hayman reece level rides. My annexe walls may not reach the ground but I need to make the whole thing more user friendly.
Thanks again
Steve