Manouverability, twin or single axle?

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Euro,

I write as I find, I have had to manoeuvre many different caravans and trailers behind cars or small vans, and I cannot recall finding TA easier to reverse than SA's. I did find the longer a trailer was between the tow ball and wheels it easier it was.

As TA's tend to be longer caravans it may be that factor that affects the reversing rather than the number of axles.

I do not believe that most caravanner's would detect the TA's added resistance to turning through the controls of the car, and that in its self in my opinion would not make it any easier.

I see no reason to make a big issue out of this, each to their own experience and conclusions.

,

 

[Parksy]

When I drove lorries we used a couple of short trailers which enabled is to access a particular loading bay at a steelworks and they could sometimes be, ahem, challenging to reverse into the twisty turny loading bay because they reacted to steering inputs faster than our normal 40 foot trailers.

One of the short trailers had three axles and the other one had two and apart from differences in tyre wear the actual number of axles made no difference to the reversing characteristics.

The major difference was that the longer trailers were easier to reverse because the short ones could catch you out if you tried to use the same steering input.

 

[ShadySadie]

Lady caravanner, having had twins for a good few years all without movers as they would be a waste of money.

Have never once thought we needed one. Re twin axle reversing, my first twin was quite small compared to today's and I found that easier to reverse. On uneven ground twin axles seem less prone to trying to turn when riding over bumps and divots.

Twin axle is easier to keep in a straight line as far as I'm concerned and is easier to control on the turn. I've towed and reversed singles since having twins and reversed a girlfriends long German single axle van at sites.

Sorry boys, twin for me wins and motor movers can await my seventies or eighties.