HOPE IVE MADE GOOD CHOICE

[ProfJohnL]

With all due respect, the fact that a driver may have an articulated lorry HGV licence and experience is only part of the story.

HGV's do 'tow' at weight ratio's at well above 100% even as much as 400%, but the way the trailer is coupled is very different to that of a caravan and that affects the tractors ability to maintain control of the whole outfit.

Artics use a 'fifth wheel' to couple the outfit. Significantly this is located within the wheel base of the tractor unit. This means any down force created by the trailer on the hitch adds down load to all axles of the tractor unit. The typical arrangement of the trailers wheels also means that a significant proportion of the trailers weight is carried by the fifth wheel and thus the tractor. This means that as the trailer load increases so does the down force on all wheels of the tractor. Increased load on the tyres increases traction which is good for steerage and braking.

By comparison, the nose load of a caravan on a car, is carried by the tow ball which is behind the rear axel and outside the wheelbase. This means the car acts like a see saw, where any increase in the caravan nose load applies additional down force on the rear axel, but a reduced down force on the front steering axle. By design the nose load is typically limited to 75 to 100Kg, which is only a small proportion of the trailers weight. So regardless of the weight of the trailer, the actual down force on the cars wheels is relatively constant. So you do not get the same increase in tractive control that an artic achieves as the trailer load increases.

The skills of an HGV driver will be an advantage when it comes to position on the road, and negotiating bends and obstructions. They will probably be better at reversing the outfit than most car only drivers, and they will have an understanding of how loads can affect the dynamics and controllability of an outfit, but the actual effect that a caravan has on car is very different to that of a trailer on an artic. I am sure they will be quick learners, but it would be foolhardy to assume that HGV experience is going to make controlling a caravan easy especially on the first outing.

 

[Gareth_374362591]

hi john L i was a hgv driver for 25 years and during this 25 years plus an extra 10 years ive been towing caravans so its not my first outing and it is a lot more complicated to drive hgvs than towing a caravan as you might know it is a 2 and hour test to get a hgv licence lol

alan yes iv have changed jobs doing heavy plant mechanics so the l200 will come in handy on building sites i hope.

yes jo-anne im in cc got the magazine yesterday not much in it tho about the l200

many thanks

gareth

 

[Mikey1]

I would have thought the reason that a HGV test is 2hrs is due down to having to be more aware that you are driving something up to 38 tonnes,not complicated.

You could cause a lot more damage than you could in a car.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Gareth

As it's a "tool of trade" hopefully you can claim tax relief on its depreciation and running costs? That might soften the fuel costs?

Cheers

Alan

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Personally from being in the building industry all my working life I think I would have purchased a "banger" priced 4x4 for construction site off roading and carrying tools for working on heavy plant. Fair enough it would have meant two vehicles on the road - one for work and one for family use but I think it would have made more sense as the vehicle is bound to get dirty to a certain degree both inside and out.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

hiya gareth, looks nice but not a great write up though.

if its for work then you really had no choice.

jo-anne

 

[Helen_374372167]

Reading all these comments surely the most important thing is safety on the road when towing. If you are towing over 85% and driving at a reasonable pace you could get into serious difficulties which could endanger yourself and other road users. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are with a heavy caravan on the back and an underpowered car things can go badly wrong. Staying within the 85% range and not overloading your car and caravan has got to make sense.

Helen

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gareth, i do agree with helen on this. you know im a stickler for around the 85-90%.

jo-anne

 

[Gareth_374362591]

hiya helen the l200 is definatly not underpowerd towing

but there is one thing if i put my caravan on the back of my old santa fe which cant pull as much as the l200 dosent have a nose weight as high as the l200 yes the kerbweight might be less than the santa fe but towing i feel more confortable in the l200 than the santa fe. but never mind any way lol

and yes jo-anne i know how much of a stickler you are must be those cheese wires lol

many thanks

gareth

 

[Zafiral]

Re CC insurance, I was told by them when I was with them, that if you have a previous claim that in their mind involved snaking, then they would restrict their cover to only insure you if your ratio was less than 85%. If you have no previous claim, then as long as it is legal, they do not care.

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

gareth, why didnt you just be honest with us. You bought the L200 because you needed to pickup to hold your wifes cheese wires in, lol.

Now for the bad points in my honest view. work purposes you have made a good choice but theres not as much BHP as the santa fe so not as much grunt going up hills. More fuel. The milage you will be doing is alot and its more like an agricultrial motor (sorry but it is) then things will start rattling round more than they would in the santa fe. Also the santa fe is a really comfortable motor. Also you only get 3 years warrenty and the santa fe you get 5 years. I still think you have made a boo boo.

anyway pep talk over, lol.

jo-anne