Thread: Caravan stability control

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Shane, you appreciate French vehicles, get one of this and kiss goodbye the towing vehicle.
I love to see the grey nomads with them in the Bruce hwy

Caravan with Renault 1.4 turbo engine

I've always wanted a little Renault 5 turbo

Originally Posted by Chucaro

I guess that towing a caravan that the weight it is not over the 85% of the towing vehicle loaded weight is a good start.

It's mostly the layout of the caravan too. Front kitchen and storage hatches, rear lift up bed and storage hatches allows all the weight to be concentrate right at the ends. So you have the kitchen, fridge, gas bottles, front boot and god knows what else bolted to the drawbar, and a big lift up bed up the back edge that all the big heavy stuff can be stored under, two massive heavy spare wheels swinging off the very rear edge of the caravan, and a rear boot.... Insanity.

The poms dont' even fit front or rear boots any longer for fear of them being loaded with anything heavy. My parents Bailey has the gas bottles mounted over the axle (so is under the sink in the kitchen area). everything that is a hefty weight that can be moved, they have located over the axle. even the spare wheel is under there.

just look at the quality of all the fittings (turn the sound off)

[ame]https://youtu.be/VJzrb140Fkc[/ame]

Single axle ... about 20foot long, full sized ensuite, twin gas bottles (mounted under the sink if you look), big payload (the aussie sold ones have upgraded ALKO chassis and suspension units).

The trouble with importing these 'vans like my brother did is they have bugger all payload (about 250kg from memory) and dont' have the upgraded heavy duty ALKO chassis/suspension units of the locally sold caravans. So you add a water tank (100kg), air conditioner ( 60kg ), roll out awning (50kg) ........ How is your payload looking now ??

seeya
Shane L.

I was looking at the Unicorn coroba video and it is very impressive.
Regarding the chassis on the UK vans , the Germans are using the same chassis and some of the manufacturer back up their vans for up to 10 years including water leaking,
IMO these vans are so well deigned inside that soon will be used as a granny flat in many parts of Australia.
Just to think that nursing homes are asking $300000 deposit or more plus 80% of the age pension the old timers will be better of paying $200 a week in a caravan park or in some relatives back yard and living in a caravan like these.
That it is what happens in USA now even with middle age people that losts their job and in many cases their home.

I have an 09 Disc 3 towing 2600kg 22 ft tandem axle van. Before looking at forking out big bucks for an ESC I would first look at the tyres. Are they the right ones for what you want to do. The dealers stick on ones that are about 70/30 but for most of us. Some are worse than useless in the wet and are often not inflated to the right psi. As others have stated the correct balance and fit out are the basics to start with but most of us just kick the tyres.

Originally Posted by forwari

I have an 09 Disc 3 towing 2600kg 22 ft tandem axle van. Before looking at forking out big bucks for an ESC I would first look at the tyres. Are they the right ones for what you want to do. The dealers stick on ones that are about 70/30 but for most of us. Some are worse than useless in the wet and are often not inflated to the right psi. As others have stated the correct balance and fit out are the basics to start with but most of us just kick the tyres.

Is that the loaded weight? The 22.5' 'van I have here reckons it's only 1600kg on the compliance plate.

seeya
Shane L.