Towing biggish stuff.
- Thread starter Samro
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- lowering suspension t32 towing
You’d be better off putting the awnings over axles of the caravan. If you load up with beer, put that there too!
I’d also consider tweaking the rake of you (van just a little) to raise the rear! Crank it up 15mm or 20mm, perhaps! Others who know more than me about suspension can advise better!
Then there’s the excess baggage, better take tea bags not sure we can get tea in India
+1 for the awning (or other heavy items) over the axle.
I've not travelled outside UK, but do you really need two gas cylinders? Even during the pandemic shortages I've been able to source a cylinder when required.
PS - also an ex Disco 4 owner. Biggest problem with the Disco was forgetting the caravan was being towed!
I'm on a T32 DSG 150 and have been pleasantly surprised by its capability
I've not travelled outside UK, but do you really need two gas cylinders? Even during the pandemic shortages I've been able to source a cylinder when required.
PS - also an ex Disco 4 owner. Biggest problem with the Disco was forgetting the caravan was being towed!
I'm on a T32 DSG 150 and have been pleasantly surprised by its capability
In the UK we could reduce our gas requirements substantially.
The problem is that the only universally available (euro) gas is Campinggaz, which are tiny bottles and not suitable for continuously running fridge/freezer/cooler/bbq for extended periods of time. Availability in some parts of Europe is also limited when compared to LPG Autogas which is broadly available everywhere and cheap.
I used to carry different regulators, but that meant spending an absolute fortune on gas because of the bottle exchange programs that vary between France, Spain and Italy. This was a fairly major pain in the arse!
Refillable gaz is the best option, but unfortunately our European neighbours get funny if the refillable bottles/tanks are not plumbed in with an external filler in the engine body. (Rules out the lighter Safefill bottles, as this would be ideal if permitted across Europe)
These days we just do 4-5 weeks off grid with family if 5 during the summer holidays, but even then we get through the gas like no tomorrow.
So, yes I do need 22 kg of gas on board! We are pretty seasoned tourers with many tens of thousands of miles of travels over the last 14 years.
I was gutted to retire my beloved disco 4. The rumours over their unreliability are not 100% well founded. I used to have mine serviced every 10k miles, and it did land me some major bills, but it never left me stranded and could (and needed to) do things that no other vehicle could ever do! It's satnav was a tw@t and its thirst was a bore!
I expect less from the new van and so far I love it, but fear that I shall soon be forced to compromise between the car-like, lowered vehicle (beauty) that I have now and a slightly less lowered vehicle.
Looks to me like
@JOG, @Insert Coin , @Rompa have this covered and I shall too....... soon!
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You can buy a calibrated nose weight gauge or use a set of bathroom scales and a chock of wood. The thing to remember is the brakes need to be off to get an accurate measurement.
My Adria is usually towed at around 90kg’s, I keep the gas in the van and 390 sized air awning over the axle.
A mate has towed for many many years and never checks anything, he just hooks up and goes, always laughs at my towing ocd.
My Adria is usually towed at around 90kg’s, I keep the gas in the van and 390 sized air awning over the axle.
A mate has towed for many many years and never checks anything, he just hooks up and goes, always laughs at my towing ocd.
Gas in the van or in the caravan?
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Sorry, the gas bottle in the bus, with a magnetic gas on board sign.
Technically you should have the bottle in a locker and holes in the floor for the gas to dissipate should the bottle leak.
Technically you should have the bottle in a locker and holes in the floor for the gas to dissipate should the bottle leak.
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To be fair we don’t travel far at all, I live in Dorset and we have so many good campsites less than 30 mins away from where I store my caravan.
I don't know why most gas lockers are still up front. Our last 'van' was a Bailey Unicorn Cadiz. The gas locker was right over the axle behind the kitchen. Having no front locker also meant that the front chest of drawers was inset, so gave more space for the lounge seats which it turn, made into a massive bed.
I guess it makes sense if you get rear ended, the safest position is it the middle of the train.
Firefighters nightmare, I’d stand back (well back) and let it burn.
Absolutely - a firefighter's nightmare. It they did decide to pull it out (more likely to adopt the "stand well back" approach though) they'd go to the front locker by default. At least @Insert Coin is correctly using a magnetic sign to alert them.
As a side bar, those bloomin "baby on board" stickers are as bad. The purpose is to alert the rescue teams to look for a baby! It started in the US - car in ditch and baby thrown from car. Rescue team weren't looking for a missing baby in the ditch as they were focusing on getting occupants out of the car. Unfortunately, here in the UK it seems to have become a means for smug parents to boast that they're fertile!
*Soapbox is free now if anyone needs it!!!
Our Bailey unicorn Barcelona has the gas locker over the axel,
At first I missed my front locker
But we just place our air awning over the axels.
We go to Cornwall every year and some of the outfits that pass us.
Skoda octavia twin axel caravan came past us at 85 mph
At first I missed my front locker
But we just place our air awning over the axels.
We go to Cornwall every year and some of the outfits that pass us.
Skoda octavia twin axel caravan came past us at 85 mph
It keeps the scrapyards on the M5/A38/A30 busy.
It is -40mm from original.
I think I may be a bit like your mate, but i will check. DO the brakes on make the load lighter or heavier?
