A frame

[Les2]

Has anyone removed an A frame drawbar from an Elddis caravan, I’m trying to fit an Elddis 540 and an Elddis 362 into a shipping container.
The internal length of the container is 12m or so I’ve been told, the two caravans combined shipping length is 12.7m but I believe that if A frame drawbar is removed from one of the caravans that would reduce the shipping length by about 800mm, so basically my question is - is it possible to remove the A frame from a 2011 Elddis avante 540 or a 2012 Elddis avante 372 without having to perform major surgery.
First time post.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Beardy]

Has anyone removed an A frame drawbar from an Elddis caravan, I’m trying to fit an Elddis 540 and an Elddis 362 into a shipping container.
The internal length of the container is 12m or so I’ve been told, the two caravans combined shipping length is 12.7m but I believe that if A frame drawbar is removed from one of the caravans that would reduce the shipping length by about 800mm, so basically my question is - is it possible to remove the A frame from a 2011 Elddis avante 540 or a 2012 Elddis avante 372 without having to perform major surgery.
First time post.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Can't answer your question, but would it be possible to put them in nose to nose, raise the nose on one and drop the nose on the other so that they overlap?

 

[Jcloughie]

I believe that the ‘A’ frame forms part of the chassis, but around where both legs bend just inboard from the front, there appears to be a bolted join. So perhaps it could be separated there. But I have not heard of it being done.

Perhaps best to ask at a dealership, or try calling the chassis manufacturer. EG Alko.

Best of luck.

John

 

[toad a caravan]

I don't know about your particular caravan but on mine I would not consider removing the A frame for fear of compromising it's structural integrity

 

[Lutz]

I don't know about your particular caravan but on mine I would not consider removing the A frame for fear of compromising it's structural integrity

I guess it all depends on whether the A-frame, as a chassis subsystem, has any bolted connections to the body or if it's simply a bolt-on extension of the chassis frame ahead of the body structure.

 

[RogerL]

I guess it all depends on whether the A-frame, as a chassis subsystem, has any bolted connections to the body or if it's simply a bolt-on extension of the chassis frame ahead of the body structure.

With an Alko lightweight "wishbone" chassis, the A-frame is fundamental in linking the two side sections together

 

[Lutz]

With an Alko lightweight "wishbone" chassis, the A-frame is fundamental in linking the two side sections together

I appreciate that, but the floor of the caravan should be adequately strong to withstand lateral loads. I would be more concerned if bending moments are applied to the caravan structure, and in that case, I doubt whether the A-frame would contribute very much to lateral bending stiffness. Only if the A-frame were structurally attached to the body would it provide appreciable longitudinal bending stiffness.
A colleague at work had the complete chassis of his caravan replaced in order to uprate it to a higher MTPLM. Even when the whole chassis was removed, the body didn't collapse like a pudding and all chassis attachment points lined up again afterwards.

 

[toad a caravan]

I can hardly believe that just four corner steadies would support a complete caravan shell without the need of strategically placed load bearing equipment

 

[Lutz]

I can hardly believe that just four corner steadies would support a complete caravan shell without the need of strategically placed load bearing equipment

I don't think anybody was ever suggesting that. It should be possible to provide additional supports for the caravan inside the shipping container to compensate for the removal of the A-frame, if necessary. The caravan would have to be tied down, anyway.