behaviour of different vans on the road

[belinda]

There have been various discussions on the site about couplings and load equaliser bars, and our small van certainly behaves much, much better with them fitted.

However, Jim (Melbourne) made an interesting point that is worth exploring.

We assumed our 10' van hopped about because it is very light, sits on springy springs and rides very high on its early Holden wheels.

Jim feels that such a light van should actually tow quite easily without equalisers, and that the load levellers may be covering up (rather than fixing) a more fundamental problem. Investigations are continuing.

In the meantime, as a comparison I'd like to hear how other similar vans behave on the road. To see our van look at "Belinda and Robert's Pride and Joy" on the members' photo album. What experiences have other members had towing these little vans, either now or in the "glory days" of the fifties?

[Roehm3108]

Hi belinda
What does Jim mean when he says a "a more fundamental problem"??
I guess my van is nothing to go by, as it tows like a trailer, and I have never considered equaliser bars for it.
Being a very simple person, I would have thought these bars would only be necessary when a van drags the back of the car down, because of the ball weight, even when internal weight is well distributed.
I suppose you can get a lot of skipping around if the van is equally balanced or even rear end heavy when attached to the towbar.
My neighbour had problems with his 16ft van, claiming he had no steering control despite equaliser bars. He had a fairly large toolbox on the rear bumper bar, with some pretty heavy gear in it. I suggested he try emptying that out. He went one further and took the tool boxes off as well - result a much better handling unit all round. Perhaps that's what Jim is referring to.
Regards
Ray

[belinda]

Hi Ray,

you asked what sort of "fundamental problems" Jim is thinking about.

One possible culprit is the springs. He says:
"It's possible the springs are bound up with rust and muck and doing nothing but
connecting the axle to the body.
It's also possible the springs may be way over rated and again are doing nothing other
than being connecting pieces."

This weekend I'll send Rob under the van with a torch. Expect a report when he comes out again.

Considering that your van tows like a trailer and ours tows like a jack-in-the-box, what do your springs look like?

cheers

Belinda

[Tickos]

Hi Everyone

This is an interesting subject. ::)It also depends on your loading techniques as well. I always try and load any weight over the axle area and towards the front of the van . We do have sway bars, which also assist stabilising and leveling. We tow behind a Rodeo and the Chevy and have no problems. Both vehicles have different ball heights. I never put anything heavy towards the rear, as this makes the van difficult to control. all towing techniques vary, but this may assist. ;D
Tickos

[Geoff]

Belinda,
Check your weight on the towball with a bathroom scale. It should be within the limits of your towing car loading limits. Anyone who believes that 10% weight being on the towball is all that is needed to make your caravan safe to tow, also believes in the tooth fairy. Good suspension is what counts.
Assuming that your van has a solid axle and leaf springs, check the height of the wheel centre and the height of the front eye mounting of the spring. The greater the height difference between them , the greater will be the effect of "axle steer" on your van. Putting in different springs, to bring those dimensions closer in line, will reduce axle steer but also interfere with ground clearance, so your best option might be to fit shock absorbers. Try a Jayco dealer for shockers designed for caravan use. You must fit shockers that have the same length of travel as the axle movement. If your van "metronomes" (sways from side to side) your springs may be too soft for the job.
Geoff