first trip raises questions - help please!

[Liz_374359797]

Hi all

We are new caravanners having bought a 1990 Freedom Jetstream off eBay (and are thrilled to bits with it). Our car is a Vauxhall Astra auto estate. We've just had our first weekend away about 70 miles from home. Everything worked out well - the caravan is amazingly comfortable, all the appliances worked, and we couldn't stop grinning. But the towing experience did raise a couple of questions...

Firstly, I kept the speed down - 40 tops on A roads, and 50 tops on the motorway. I was very careful around lorries, so no snaking. But every bump in the road seemed to create bouncing in the caravan. I packed with great care, low down and over the axle, and put most of the heavy stuff in the car. The ratio of car to caravan must have been about 2:1, so why the bouncing? The caravan weighs 650kg, and the car about 1250kg, and both have been serviced recently so the tyre pressures should be right. Could it just all be new and different, or can I do something to reduce the bounce? Maybe this is normal - I don't want to make it out to be dreadful - in fact towing was loads easier than I had expected. The hitched up outfit before we set off was beautifully level. Any suggestions gratefully received.

My other question is that I routinely get travel plans from the AA website. This would have sent us on some very minor roads if we hadn't got additional directions from the campsite. Is there any source of caravan friendly directions?

ATB

Liz

 

[Jim_5040704]

Hi Liz.

If I were you I would make absolutely sure that the tyres are at the correct pressure.Maybe the enginer took pot luck on the caravans tyre pressures,mind, you the caravan is very light so maybe thats why its bouncing aboutGood Luck and happy caravanning.Jim

 

[Jim_5040704]

Liz,Just an added bit go to the technical section on this forum and I am sure someone will come up with something useful.Jim

 

[swpostie]

Hi Liz,

We are also new to caravanning and had the same problem (still do sometimes).

I found the problem was that the noseweight was too low.

To be honest, when we're travelling light, we have a job to get the noseweight high enough. We don't want to put everything up front and try and keep as much as possible over the axle.

It towed infinitely better when we went away with our full awning in the 'van, just a little forward of the axle. This brought the noseweight up to about 90kg (the max for the car is 100kg and 7% of the MTPLM of the 'van would be about 98kg) and it towed like a dream.

It's just a job to get near this figure when we only take the porch awning away!!

 

[mistermac]

Hi

If your noseweight is too low (particularly if you don't have your full awning with you), then you could always put items like your 240v power lead in the front locker.

Mac

 

[Liz_374359797]

Hi Liz,

We are also new to caravanning and had the same problem (still do sometimes).

I found the problem was that the noseweight was too low.

To be honest, when we're travelling light, we have a job to get the noseweight high enough. We don't want to put everything up front and try and keep as much as possible over the axle.

It towed infinitely better when we went away with our full awning in the 'van, just a little forward of the axle. This brought the noseweight up to about 90kg (the max for the car is 100kg and 7% of the MTPLM of the 'van would be about 98kg) and it towed like a dream.

It's just a job to get near this figure when we only take the porch awning away!!

Thanks for these suggestions - both of which will be tried. We don't have an awning (yet), but there is certainly room in the front box for the power cable!

Liz

 

[AlanChristine]

Hi Liz!

We also found that the AA routeplanner tend to direct you down minor roads.Try RAC website instead.