Mounting items back of Expanda,
- Thread starter kolega
- Start date
Mounting items such as spare wheels, jerry cans etc to the rear of a caravan will make caravan sway/jack knifing more likely I think - the extra weight hung out the back is the culprit. Check out caravaners forum and posts by Collyn Rivers - makes interesting reading.
My brother bought a second hand Supreme Getaway (only 13 or 14 ft I think) - it had a spare mounted on the rear bumper and was disconcerting to tow - when he removed the spare from the rear the van behaved much better.
I would suggest be cautious.
Regards
Bill
My brother bought a second hand Supreme Getaway (only 13 or 14 ft I think) - it had a spare mounted on the rear bumper and was disconcerting to tow - when he removed the spare from the rear the van behaved much better.
I would suggest be cautious.
Regards
Bill
What Bill said is right but if you are offsetting the weight on the rear with a front drawbar load it's not as much of an issue. I find our Expanda tows better with about 20kgs more weight on the front. As for Jerry can holders I think there is statutory regs about carry fuel etc there?
Every Thing in Moderation 
as they say
I am no structural Engineer or Physics expert but if someone is going to tell me that putting a slightly heavier bar and spare wheel on the back of my outback expander is going to cause it to fall apart or significantly increase chances of it jackknifing etc. then I will need some real scientific evidence. After all the bar and wheel don't really extrude that much further out than the rear boot and I can guarantee most people load that up with more weight than would be attributed to the bar\wheel.
Add a couple of jerry cans, a gennie a tool box full of crap and a couple of bike then we have a different discussion
as they say I am no structural Engineer or Physics expert but if someone is going to tell me that putting a slightly heavier bar and spare wheel on the back of my outback expander is going to cause it to fall apart or significantly increase chances of it jackknifing etc. then I will need some real scientific evidence. After all the bar and wheel don't really extrude that much further out than the rear boot and I can guarantee most people load that up with more weight than would be attributed to the bar\wheel.
Add a couple of jerry cans, a gennie a tool box full of crap and a couple of bike then we have a different discussion
like i said i added 22kg to the drawbar and it towed better imo so i think it would be fair that if you added 22kg to the drawbar it would be noticable? that siad the only reason most people are relocating there spare to the rear is to load more don't be rude on the front, then its pretty balanced. I think a bigger issue is people not paying attention to there payload
I have a pole carrier on my custom rear bar and most times I have 3 bikes in a bike rack which mounts to the bar. On the odd occasion when I have no bikes I can notice the difference, slightly more stable to tow and that's with waeco, BBQ, camp chairs and maybe cavas walls all up the front inside van. It does take a bit of experimenting to get it right!
For those interested have a look at the following link - 22kg at the rear of the van is not the same as 22kg on the drawbar in terms of the effect on towing stability......
Bailey of Bristol - Caravan Stability Studies
Caravan Stability Studies Research by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath in partnership with Bailey of Bristol.
www.towingstabilitystudies.co.uk - Cached
Bailey of Bristol - Caravan Stability Studies
Caravan Stability Studies Research by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath in partnership with Bailey of Bristol.
www.towingstabilitystudies.co.uk - Cached
I don't know guys but I'm still not sold that any human towing a 2000kg trailer with a 2500kg vehicle can effectively tell the difference on whether there is a 22kg weight on\off the draw bar of the trailer - I reckan you'd have to posses Spidey Sense's to be able to pull that off.
So I say, If having a 22kg weight on your draw bar makes you feel safer and feel like you your towing a more stable load then always have it on the van.
I my case, having a Prado that has got a sub tank practically under the tow bar - I should ensure that my tank never go's under half.
Maybe here is a business opportunity...
Caravan Stability Control Device - Guaranteed to improve towing stability. With new improved design that incorporates air channels to reduce wind drag.
Special to Expandadownunder Forum Members - $200 Supplied with hd attachment Strap..
LOL - Just a bit of fun dont attack
So I say, If having a 22kg weight on your draw bar makes you feel safer and feel like you your towing a more stable load then always have it on the van.
I my case, having a Prado that has got a sub tank practically under the tow bar - I should ensure that my tank never go's under half.
Maybe here is a business opportunity...
Caravan Stability Control Device - Guaranteed to improve towing stability. With new improved design that incorporates air channels to reduce wind drag.
Special to Expandadownunder Forum Members - $200 Supplied with hd attachment Strap..
LOL - Just a bit of fun dont attack
I had a close look at these studies, and if you can find the one where they tested with 4 cases of wine, the studies showed that poistioning them either right at the front or a similar position at the back of the van, had the same effect on stability.
IMO the person loading the van has the greatest effect on stability as it's practically impossible to know precisely how the weight of the load is distributed inside the van.
For myself, I've been looking at the carrying capacity of my vehicle and the van, and trying to keep withing the recommended loadings. It does involve some work as it requires me to have a realistic idea of what the major items weigh. Even then, trying to distribute the load evenly in the van is somewhat hit and miss. If I get measurable sway, I'd know I messed up.
I am no physics great but I am aware that sway of towing caravan/trailer is due to the distribution of weight and the balancing of the van. I have swing away bike carrier on rear, and in front two gas bottles, ten ltr Jerry can, generator box and spare wheel and the expanda tows like a dream behind the patrol. My thoughts.
See you outback
Russell
See you outback
Russell
Balanced load is the key, try and keep the draw bar weight the same as it is empty too much weight behind the axel causes sway and too much weight on the draw bar causes the front wheels on your car to lift and makes the steering vague. I tow trailers for work nearly every day and always try to balance the trailer and if need be err on the front heavy side and pump up the air bags. Sorry seemed to stray off original post there, Legal dunno, But yeah as Bush Palace sad probably not a good Idea to strap Jerry cans filled with fuel to back. Have a look at me Mate Tim's here http://expandasdownunder.com/album.php?albumid=41&attachmentid=6913 there is a fair bit of weight on this one and it doesn't seem to affect his handling too much, but he does seem to have a few gadgets on the from to balance it out!