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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2008 0:46:19 GMT 10
Back in 96 when I did my first caravanning trip accross Australia, my father gave me the tip on watching the mirrors for trucks, back off the go pedal a tad when they are approaching, then accelerate whilst they overtake, to "drive" the caravan forward and prevent sway .......he should have known, he's been caravanning since 1954. Interestingly, though, he himself got caught out in 2001 ......he was in a new VX Commo towing a new 16 footer with toilet & shower (bout 1450 kgs worth of van) ......driving the world's longest stretch of straight road (West of Ciaguna WA) when he wasn't watching his mirrors, a road train overtook his rig, the "suction" effect caused his rig to sway uncontrollably resulting in the car & caravan jacknifing, doing a 180 degree turn and ending up in a ditch off the side of the road facing the opposite direction to which they were travelling ......they were OK, but it frightened the crap out of them Another tip he gave me was to not go car & caravanning accross Aus (8000 to 10000 kms return) for a short holiday (few weeks) .......he said that the cost of additional fuel, the added responsibility and care required to tow a caravan, plus the extra time you need to tow a caravan, the added stress & strain on the car, and the risks involved are simply not worth it .......far better to either drive without a van and stay in cabins / motels ......or fly Whereas, if you're driving accross Australia for an extended holiday (two or three plus months) then the caravan is the way to go, because the additional costs / risks become alot cheaper and worth it via having your own accom attached to your car. Isn't that interesting
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2008 8:12:13 GMT 10
Mark wrote: "Another tip he gave me was to not go car & caravanning accross Aus (8000 to 10000 kms return) for a short holiday (few weeks) .......he said that the cost of additional fuel, the added responsibility and care required to tow a caravan, plus the extra time you need to tow a caravan, the added stress & strain on the car, and the risks involved are simply not worth it .......far better to either drive without a van and stay in cabins / motels ......or fly " Ummmmmmm .......but then it wouldnt be a caravanning holiday . It would be a fly in visit, and the cost of buying all your meals and paying extra for accomodation , hiring a car ( if ya didnt drive there) would soon outweigh the costs of bringing your own van/bed/kitchen/accommodation along with you ;D Not sure what your dad may have meant by added stress and strain ......The stress and strain remains the same on your car and van wether you are going 10 ft or 10,000 miles. whether its a weekend away or an around Australia adventure these factors are always going to be there. Will definitely take on board his words of wisdom about accelerating slowly as the truck is overtaking me. Its one of the few things that scare me when towing a van... especially in the wet or going down a hill. Paddles.. i agree with what you are saying. Towing a horse float full of fragile , expensive cargo requires added awareness by the towcar driver. Stopping in a hurry, roundabouts or just simply going around a bend all take concentration when hauling a fully laden horse float. Horse floats are a totally different ballgame to a caravan . the load is constantly shifting and swaying in the float. 1 horse alone weighs more than your average vintage caravan. add a second horse and the weight of a float , and you really do have a massive towload. Look after them GG's. Reddo
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Post by willyn on May 29, 2008 9:53:50 GMT 10
Maybe Im one of the lucky ones or perhaps smarter ones Caravaning to me is purely about comonsense You can listen to people and end up dead or dont listen and end up dead In 1998 I was driving along tonkin highway sitting on 90 ks sitting in the left hand lane driving a toyota ute with a pack rack and a loaded ute (not towing) a guy who we found out later was travelling at 140 ks an hour ran up the back of me pushed me into a truck and rolled me 4 to 5 times nothing I could do about that one way or the other the accident that caused my back problem in 2005 I was sitting on 70ks and a guy pulled across the road directly in front of me and stopped me dead he was driving an a U ford and thats what it looked like a U when I hit it again not my fault nothing I could do as you have read I have travelled across the nullarbor thirty times and towed vans across around 12 times as well as up the coast to queensland several times This is what I do for what it is worth whenever I tow I arrange the load and do a test run according to the car the van and the load I am carrying each car and each van have there own quirks use reccomended tyre pressures I do around twenty kilometres on a set of roads with varying conditions before I am satisfied it is safe to tow and arrange the load to suit the cars capability when I am driving on country roads I pull to the left when there is a build up of traffic and let them by periodically when I see a truck behind me ready to pass I slow down to to let it pass stay At that reduced speed level and keep my foot on the accelerator at the reduced speed them slowly rebuild the speed when the truck has performed the overtaking task keep as far left as possible in a lot of cases I get a truckies nod of approval by a left right flick on the indicators I have never accelerated when anything particularly a truck overtakes me I have never been in a compromising position nor have I ever had a van get out of control I drive to the conditions that are presented at any time and if the conditions present any kind of danger I stop I have towed a 35 ft newlands from victoria to Perth a 22ft viscount across Australia and assorted vans of various sizes under those two larger Vans over a 250.000 kilometres towed a 32 boat with flybridge from Perth To Victoria and a 37ft bus bus with trailer in all of that towing I have never had an incident that caused me a raised heartbeat and I have never used tortion bars apart from the 35ft newlands so I guess its up to the driver to find his or hers formula that one is mine and so far touch wood it has worked for me Will
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Post by getaway on May 30, 2008 20:14:07 GMT 10
Being a professional "B-double" driver I have a tip for caravanners.
We (truck drivers) use it and it may be beneficial for folk towing vans.
If a semi or B-double is overtaking, when the back of the last trailer is safely past you, flash your lights on high beam. This will indicate to the truck driver that he is past you and it is safe to re enter the lane you are in. (it is very hard to percieve distance in a rear view mirror). The truck driver will usually flash his right hand blinker twice then his left hand blinker twice. This is our way of saying "thanks".
Of course if you have a U.H.F when the truck is safely past you let him know it is safe for him to pull back in. "Bring it back in when you're ready mate" will usually do. They will be very gratefull!
Someone had a query re truck horsepower. When I drive a "single" (semi trailer) I drive a Mack 400 hp. When I drive a "double" (B-double) It's either a Freightliner Argosy or a Western Star both 550 hp.
There is a lot of "bad blood" between truckies and other road users. Yes, we have tight schedules and usually not enough time to do it in but the majority of truckies are courteous professionals. I do admit there is a few "cowboys" out there but thankfully they are in the minority! Contrary to popular thought, we don't wish to have or cause an accident! and are pretty easy to get on with.
Next time you see a truck on the highway, call them up on your U.H.F and say hello! You might just be suprised! Long distance truck driving is a lonely existance a chat with a "fellow" road user can be a rewarding and beneficial experience!
P.S. I have been driving trucks on the highway for 38 years, not one traffic infringment, no demerit points and no accidents. Have only had a van for 12 months. My wife and I hope to head off on our "first" van holiday late July.
I hope this has been helpful to some of you.
Mick.
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Post by JBJ on May 30, 2008 20:28:20 GMT 10
Thanks mick,
Thats good info. I'm sure it will be put to use by a lot of us. I've personally never had, or used, or wanted, a CB, but flashing lights I can manage
Jailbarjuice
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Post by tinnie on May 31, 2008 0:37:56 GMT 10
Gday, I am interested by the whole truck suction thing. I have only ever experienced it a couple of times and didn't think it that bad. Having said that, I take Will's suggestion and in thinking about it, that's what I do. Generally I am not going real hard (90kmh perhaps). And if a trucks gunna pass me I back off a bit to let him go (providing it won't stuff my run at a big hill). And, road size permitting I stick well left and keep my foot on the gas (but not accelerating). Only time I can see an issue is going down hill, when your foot is off the gas and the van is pushing the car, the safest cure there, watch your mirrors and slow down before the truck gets to you, then your speed is lower and you have the speed buffer to gas it up to pull it back into line if needed (generally once the truck is almost passed or has passed). Another thing I generally do with a van is load the weight on the car (but not enough to dump the rear too much - don't wanna loose weight off the front wheels). Unless your towing something light like a TD, (or you're hercules), you should not really be able to lift the front of the van on your own. If you can, chances are you don't have enough weight at the front of the van, manufacturers suggest around 10% ball weight. Likewise I have only used 'level rides' a couple of times, and would not bother again unless towing somthing really big (like 2 tonnes). Each to their own, but i tow/drive within my own, my vehicle and van's limits, weather & road surface conditions, traffic level and 'other idiot' limits. Having a newer car designed to be driven at 100k in overdrive (and I do not tow in overdrive) I find a huge fuel difference when towing in "3rd" between 90k and 100k; depending on wind and road levels. Safe travels! Gristy
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2008 1:22:30 GMT 10
This subject is getting more interesting Will says: when I am driving on country roads I pull to the left when there is a build up of traffic and let them by periodically when I see a truck behind me ready to pass I slow down to to let it pass stay At that reduced speed level and keep my foot on the accelerator at the reduced speed them slowly rebuild the speed when the truck has performed the overtaking task keep as far left as possible in a lot of cases I get a truckies nod of approval by a left right flick on the indicators I have never accelerated when anything particularly a truck overtakes me I have never been in a compromising position nor have I ever had a van get out of control I drive to the conditions that are presented at any time and if the conditions present any kind of danger I stopGristy says ........I believe what Will says The first time I experienced the suction effect was in 1996 driving to Wave Rock (Hyden) WA ......my first ever caravanning trip. The road to Hyden back then was a single lane bitumen highway with gravel verges......when a vehicle came in the opposite direction, the car & caravan had the left wheels in the gravel, and the right wheels on the bitumen .....that in itself took a bit of getting used to . As for the overtaking "suction" effect, the closer the overtaking vehicle is to your rig, the greater the suction. My first experience was on the road to Hyden whereby I had a tourist bus on my rear for many kms ......because the road was single lane bitumen road, he couldn't get round me .......until we came accross a salt lake crossing where the road widened barely enough for two vehicles ......the tourist bus took the opportunity to overtake ......there was absolutely no room for me to move over to the left, and the side of the tourist bus was probably about half a metre or less to the side of my 16' Millard ......the suction effect was enormous ......I had my 12 yo boy with me, and very nearly lost the whole show ......the steering wheel on the HT Holden van was turned at 180 degrees in an attempt to prevent the caravan from kissing the tourist bus ......I've done alot of circuit motor racing, but no motor racing incident ever frightened me as much as my close caravanning encounter with a tourist bus. At least in motor racing, you have roll cages, helmets, fire suits etc, and you certainly don't have your 12 yo son with you On telling my father about that incident, thats when he did his speel about the backing off & accelerating thing ........... As Will says, loading the caravan correctly and testing ......very important .....I used to load the front of the Millard with three blocks of tinnies (90 cans of beer) ......worked perfectly for the trip to the destination, problem was though the blocks were usually empty for the trip home ;D ;D ;D
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rodp
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Post by rodp on May 31, 2008 5:06:58 GMT 10
If I have the time available and an alternate route is available I always take it to avoid the busy highways and the B Doubles. It's got to be one of the worst things about caravanning(being overtaken by B Doubles) The scenery is often more interesting on the quieter roads.Hate the Hume Hwy.
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Post by getaway on May 31, 2008 7:36:24 GMT 10
Good advice rodp!
As previously mentioned, I drive a "B-double" for a living and I too hate the Hume and Newell highways.
My wife and I are off on our "first caravanning trip" mid to late July. Elmore to "Hattah national park" just north of Ouyen.
We shall avoid the Calder highway as much as possible (there are plenty of alternative routes. Most very scenic!
We must rejoin the Calder at Sealake and then proceed north to Ouyen.
Re this "suction" thing when being passed by a big rig. Don't panic, it does happen but it won't lift your caravan off the road! It may be a bit scary at first but you will get used to it.
It also happens to big rigs. When my "B-double" is fully loaded I gross 62.5 Tonne if I am passed by a big rig (semi or B-double) this suction thing still occurs. If you have concerns, pull over to the left a little bit. Nothing drastic. Keep your van and tow vehicle on the bitumen. Aim to have your left side wheels on the fog line. This will help reduce the suction effect.
Mick.
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Post by Roehm3108 on May 31, 2008 14:34:59 GMT 10
Anecdotally, I have heard that this suction effect as well as the buffeting from passing trucks has caused quite a few rigs to come to grief on the Bruce Highway in the single lane sections. Do wish the authorities would conduct a study on this and come up with some good scientific remedies as far as what to do, especially as more and more grey nomads use the roads and the rigs themselves get bigger. With the rigs I've seen on my recent tripping around, I wonder about people being allowed to drive/tow them with no greater experience than an ordinary car licence. Personally, I think you shouldn't be allowed to tow anything longer than a 16ft van on a car licence, as I believe that when rigs are longer than that, many different dynamics come into play, and there should be driver training before they can be used.
Ray
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rodp
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Post by rodp on Jun 1, 2008 6:49:25 GMT 10
Tell us Getaway, What sort of fuel consumption does a B Double get @ 62.5 tonnes gross?
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Post by firefighter on Jun 1, 2008 8:58:31 GMT 10
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Post by tinnie on Jun 2, 2008 22:05:15 GMT 10
Hey Geoff, That's a big spoon you seem to have there ;D ;D ;D Cheers, Gristy
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Post by firefighter on Jun 3, 2008 8:48:38 GMT 10
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Post by tinnie on Jun 3, 2008 21:56:42 GMT 10
My apologies F/F.............and Getaway (Mick). It seems I am aware of some van info from the classic caravans site that you arent Geoff. I am probably totally off track, and like myself Mick has vans that are post 1970 and vans that are pre 1970. My place is 50/50 at present, but working hard to correct that gross imbalance! Cheers Gristy I go pull my head in now...........
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bobt
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Post by bobt on Jun 14, 2008 0:06:57 GMT 10
Hi All, first time I have spoken up. I have been dragging caravans around for 20 odd years. Have always worked on the theory that you should travel at a speed that is safe, for you and your rig. Always give those that want to go fast plenty of room to get past you. My car is most capable of towing the caravan at 110k comfortably and safely. I usually sit on a 100. If your set up is correct, even an old van will handle "Quick" speeds safely. As a little fella I remember watching the speedo in my fathers car hanging around the 75 - 80 mph even with the one of those new fandango shiny franklins on the back. We did a lot of trips from Melb to Cairns and back. As for when trucks over take you on the open road all you need to do is apply a little bit of power this will help prevent the caravan getting up a sway and should not be enough for the overtaking truck to notice. Keep on cruising.
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