Quote:
Originally Posted by Cav
Load levellers work best by transferring weight from the rear axle to the front axle.
Pump up shocks do not reduce load.
Chains, no matter how tight, are a myth to catch the front of the trailer should it come away from the tow ball.
No matter what length you have on the chains (too little and you can't turn) when the caravan uncouples it moves forward and drops on the ground, chains won't keep it off the tarmac - check to see if your caravan had a skid bar or are there sharp edges that may dig into the tar.
I am also unsure if the breakaway cable is any help once the caravan has a life of its own. Fully braked caravan brakes are of no effect with the wheels off the ground, the caravan on its side or on its roof with debris scattered everywhere acrtoss the road.
When first coupling the caravan, wind the front stand to see if the coupling raises the rear of the car. This ensures it is coupled nice and firm. This is also the time to attach the load levellers.
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I do not believe the chain is their due to stopping it digging into the road at all, dads was dual axel as well, all the chain would do is to hold on to the trailer so it does not come adrift. and as such it would tug the rear of the car side to side when coming into a bend on the highway.
The dual axel trailer of van in that case I believe would steer and then get tugged over correcting to far and what happens is the rear of the car is getting tossed all about I would think and the shorter chain would reduce the savageness I am sure. a empty trailer no problem at all with such but 1 tonne of sand on board would make a difference I would think.
I was at home and the power went out and I said some one has hit a power pole and knocked to power out to our town, then got a call and drove 20 miles away and their was the car on the bend of the highway, power pole snapped in two and trailer sitting empty on it's wheels down away from the car.
She had hit the pole with the driver side front wheel sideways and into it moving into it. so he must of got tossed about by it.
I believe never to tow anything that is more than the weight of the car regardless of the Law. a Idiot mate was claiming his Colorado could tow some stupid amount by the cars manual, I said he was p ing into the wind not to mention by QLD Law you can't regardless of the claim. Oh he claims the Colorado's are so much better than the Ford ect ect I said BS I have driven both of his. I would rather tow with a car that is low to the ground as well than up high like a 4WD.
My dad had towed trailers around for years nearly half the time he was towing, even had a Caravan as well, I would say that he had much experience and anyone could doing say 50.000km a year from 1964 so say about 20.000km with towing a year easy.
In 1978 I would reverse one 2 wheel trailer that he had and it was the best thing ever I could reverse real fast with ease, it had just one tube draw bar to the hitch not a A frame and car like leaf springs on it, sort of a bit higher than the norm had a huge round 3in axle bar bent a bit with a steel plate welded on top say 8in.
Now I would have to reverse down narrow work sights with trailer loaded up and the ground was all over the place up and down and I found some trailers were a real bastard to reverse like that as I believe the wheels toe in and out with the pressure put on one side and then the next, I could see it with them crappy little leaf springs and the rubbish flimsy axel beam you see them have. what is it 1 1/2in box steel.
Some tow real well that you do not bother you at all and some are crap to tow and a constant pain always.