Bessacarr Cameo Cameo 495SL

Nov 10, 2007
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We own the above caravan pulled by a Volvo XC70 Diesel Estate car.I was wondering if anyone else who has this type of caravan has the following problem.

When pulling the van over rough roads, the caravan tends to thump down on the suspension, this in turn is transmitted to the car through the anti pitching stabiliser. The dealer informs me that this is due the weight of the caravan plus the fact shock absorbers are fitted to the van.

This problem first came to light last year when we collected the van new with none of our belongings inside so it cannot be overweight that is causing this. Last year, the dealer eplaced the axle and the shock absorbers, the problem is still there.

Anyway perhaps if anyone has this type of problem they could let me know.

Russell
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I am not familiar with the inside layout of your caravan but I would suspect that it has an end bathroom. Is this so? This type of layout can sometimes result in considerable weight at the rear of the 'van which has had to be counterbalanced by an even higher load concentration at the front. So, although the noseweight may be correct, the actual weight distribution is anything but ideal as both these loads are located well away from the axle(s). This could cause excessive pitching of the caravan.

In the case of twin axles, some improvement may be gained by increasing the tyre pressure of the caravan's tyres. This would stiffen up the pitch mode.

You could also stiffen up the rear suspension of the towcar or change its tyre equipment to tyres with less compliance. However, you would need to contact Volvo first and ask what options are available.
 
Dec 23, 2006
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Russell

The 495SL is a single axle caravan and as you say it has shock absorbers. I assume that your Volvo has self levelling suspension. We had a volvo 850 estate with self levelling and a single axle Bessie with shock absorbers a few years ago and had the same problem.The problem we were informed was the self levelling suspension and the alko staybaliser. They fight against each other so you feel every bump of the caravan through the car. There was nothing we could do about the problem except not using the staybaliser.However we changed the Bessie for a Bailey Senator Twin axle with an alko staybaliser.For one outing we towed the Bailey with the Volvo while waiting for our Shogun to be delivered. The problem had gone.

HAMER
 
Jan 21, 2014
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We owned a Bessacarr 495SL which we towed with our Disco which also has self levelling suspension. We never experienced any problems when towing. As the van will have a MGW of about 1600K, would the nose weight on your Volvo be a tad to much?

Just a though!
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I can't understand how an integrated stabiliser like the AlKo can 'fight' against self-levelling suspension. Perhaps someone can explain. I would have expected that the reaction of the self-levelling suspension to variations in vertical load at the towbar is quasistatic and much slower than the frequency at which the caravan pitches on bad roads, i.e. very quick dynamic changes are not recognised by the self-levelling system.
 
Nov 1, 2005
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Hi Lutz. I don't think it's so much the stabiliser fighting the suspension as the suspension fighting the caravan's pitching. There are a few anomilies about self levelling suspension which are now becoming apparent, apart from what we're discussing now. The main point is what it does should a 'van begin to snake, ie compensate, which I'm sure you know is exactly the wrong thing to do. I know that tests conducted so far have shown that with self levelling suspension you have virtually no chance of recovering from a snake since the vehicle automatically tries to balance the lateral pulling force on the rear, effectively steering the vehicle and exaggerating the condition until the inevitable. I know this has little to do with the thread, but I find it interesting.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Self-levelling suspension works in a vertical plane - I can't see how it has any effect on any lateral aspect of the car's suspension.

The rate of change of self-levelling suspension is normally so slow that it doesn't effect the dynanic performance of the suspension.

Hamer posted similar problems with a Bessacarr when towed by a Volvo with self-levelling suspension but no problem with a Senator towed behind the same car.

I'd suspect the caravan - the fact that the dealer replaced the axle and suspension (not a cheap task) would indicate that the dealer suggests caravan rather than car.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Yes, I'm with you 100% on all counts, Roger. Perhaps Russell could tow the caravan with a different car and see if the effect it still there.

I find it rather strange that the dealer should apparently so willingly have replaced the axle and shock absorbers. As you say, this is not a cheap task and would normally have been a last resort. In any case, I don't see what the axle has to do with the problem unless the suspension was close to bottoming out and required more travel.
 
Nov 10, 2007
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All

Many thanks for all the feedback, I think I opened up a topic of great discussion given the feedback received. I will certainly look into some of the suggestions and if they prove benificial I will let you all know.

Once again the forum is a great way of communicating concerns and receiving practical feedback.

Thank you all again

Russell
 

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