Peugeot 307 sw - Suspension

[Sam_374394490]

Hi

We have a Peugeot 307 sw 136 Hdi estate.

The car is a 2005 reg, and is capable of towing up to 1400kg.

We have just bought a brand new Adria Altea 542DT MTPLM 1300kg. The tow match for car and caravan is 82%.

To cut a long story short when we hitch the caravan up to the car and have luggage in the boot the suspension at the back of the car is so bad that the top of the back wheel arch sits more or less on top of the tyre. Any ideas what this could be?

The nose weight is correct at 65%, the caravans MTPLM is under the 1300 kg and we only have the minimum in the boot. We also have a roof top box which is loaded up to @50kg.

We have weighed literally every item that has gone into the caravan and the car, as being newbies we wanted to get it right first time. We know that we are well within our weight limits, but this doesn't help the situation whatsoever.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we are just about to advertise the car in the Auto Trader and purchase something with a greater towing limit. Thank you

Sam

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

we had the same car and as soon as we put our first caravan on the back it bottomed out and towed to to the storage really badly. it was an avondale and only weighed approx 1300 fully loaded. the van was empty and you seen the back of the car sink you could just about get your hand under the rear tyre and the front end was right up. the trouble is the wings on that car are plastic and can pop in and out whether that has anything to do with it. cos it was our first van we panicked and sent the car back and bought a second hand 4 x 4.

if you have weighed everything and loaded the van correctly then i dont know what to advise you next. we found out that avondale vans are a bit nose heavy because of where the wheels are positioned. i dont know about your van.

maybe someone else can advise aswell.

good luck and keep me posted on this

jo

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

i didnt read the last paragraph sam i think you are doing the right thing by selling it. what are you thinking of getting next?. maybe we could advise on that?.

jo

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi Jo

Thank you for your advice.

It's really interesting to hear the same thing happened to you.

Our caravan does seem to be nose heavy, all we can store in the front locker is 2 x lightweight gas bottles and the spare wheel. Our nose weight allowance is 65%, and it is spot on.

Not sure what we are going to buy, it's all affordability. We bought the car back in October at the Peugeot dealers and paid

 

[xtrailman]

Sam

What is this 65%, you have mentioned twice? so i presume it is not a typo?

Assuming you nose limit is 75kg, i found with the road cars i towed with, that around 65kg was kinder to the ride height.

Also i fitted rear suspension aids, to help keep the back end up, even then you must expect a 1" drop on a car fitted with normal road springs. That is why sports suspension, or self leveling is preferred.

I would try the rubber doenuts or simular first. And then maybe uprated springs, unless the price is prohibitive.

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi Ray

Our noseweight on the car hitched up to the caravan should be 65% to keep within the legal limits etc, as found in the car handbook.

Our car being a 2.0 HDi sw 136 apparently has the hardest springs that Peugeot fit. I have contacted Peugeot and they have advised me of this. I have also been in contact with a company called Mad Suspensions, as advised by the Caravan Dealers that we bought the caravan from and we can get some springs at a cost of

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

sam what about the seat alhambra and the kia sedona. I know the kia is more juicy but its worth a look and you may get more car for your money. i had a new sedona before the santa fe i loved that car but i had a fault that was eventually sorted but i had already got the santa fe buy then. i do miss the sedona for the room and the huge boot and the huge doors. you never know in a couple of years i might get another one.

what i suggest you do is right a list of cars/mpvs you like get the kerbweights, max towball weights, get the internal sizes for room, boot space etc. check what your % you will be towing at with your van. then go onto auto trader and see what car and year you get for your money and see if you can buy one with a towbar.

keep us posted

jo-anne

 

[Sam_374394490]

sam what about the seat alhambra and the kia sedona. I know the kia is more juicy but its worth a look and you may get more car for your money. i had a new sedona before the santa fe i loved that car but i had a fault that was eventually sorted but i had already got the santa fe buy then. i do miss the sedona for the room and the huge boot and the huge doors. you never know in a couple of years i might get another one.

what i suggest you do is right a list of cars/mpvs you like get the kerbweights, max towball weights, get the internal sizes for room, boot space etc. check what your % you will be towing at with your van. then go onto auto trader and see what car and year you get for your money and see if you can buy one with a towbar.

keep us posted

jo-anne

Thanks Jo xx

 

[xtrailman]

Sam

What actually is the nose weight that you have at present?

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi Ray

It is dead on 65 Kg..........

Sorry, I think I meant KG not % ........ blonde moment ;-)

You can see how much this is stressing me out!!!!!!!!!!

 

[xtrailman]

sam

I would not use less than 65kg.

Either fit a suspension aid, reduce the load in the boot,or change the car.

Have you enquired about MAD springs?

 

[Glenn_5132962]

Hi Sam,

How did you measure the noseweight? The best way is to use a stout piece of wood or axle stand on top of bathroom scales set as close as possible to the height of the loaded towbar on the car. Then using the jockey wheel, slowly lower the hitch down onto the wood/stand & take a reading when the jockey wheel has left the ground.

Another check, an average height, average build man will weigh around 75kg. Get him to stand on the towball of the car & see if the back end drops as much as when the caravan is on.

 

[Guest]

Have you towed the caravan as sometimes the cars shocks will pump back up within a short distance. At 4 years old the shocks could be on their way out.

Probably about

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi

We have decided to put the car into the garage to be looked at on Saturday just to make sure that everything is 100% okay with it, and there isn't a technical fault/failure. We have still have 4 months warranty left, so we have nothing to lose.

We also hitched the car up to my Dad's Bailey Burgundy this afternoon which was empty as it is being part-exchanged this week and the back was even lower.

Thank you for all your replies, I really appreciate it.

Sam

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

sam there wont be anything wrong with the car its how they are but for your pease of mind i dont blame you.

just another word of advise you could put a post on here asking other about cars you are considering. another good site is which car they give good and bad points on cars etc but remember most faults on cars are usually when they are brand new andmost are ironed out on the years you are looking.

jo

 

[Sam_374394490]

Hi Jo

Thanks again for your help.

The car is also going in tomorrow as there is a noise at the rear end which we think is a wheel bearing as it is making a droning noise. Spent all day looking on the auto trader website and have narrowed it down to a Mondeo.

Our Peugeot is a 55 reg and all the 7 Seater people carriers (like the Espace and Galaxy) that we have been looking at, and for the money that we would get from the sale of our car, we would only manage to afford a 52/53 reg. At a push a high mileage 54 reg. Whereas we could get a reasonable mileage Mondeo on about an 06 reg. This has been so totally unexpected, and we feel that if we were to buy an older car 2 or 3 years older than what we already have, then we would be compromising owning a lovely car with high spec and end up with just a car to tow the caravan. If that makes sense.

Any Mondeo owners out there I would appreciate any feedback.

Thank you

Sam x

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

sam they say that the mondeos are a great tow car. what % will you be towing at?. what is the max nose weights on the mondeos?. will it be a hatchback or estate?. great mpg aswell

jo

 

[JulieT1]

Hi Sam

We have an "53" Mondeo Estate Ghia x - 2ltr Diesel 130bhp. The noseweight is 75kg, Kerbweight is 1563kg (think thats around an 83% match with your van.

We've only done 2 trips (both around 60 miles each way) with our 1st van and we got around 29mpg. We might get a bit more if it was all motorway driving.

The estate has plenty of space inside and a very large boot, self levelling suspension and a good spec. It seems to get through the 17" tyres quite quickly but overall its a good family car and tows well. I wouldn't worry about the age (within reason); I'd look for a good, low mileage, higher spec version, rather than a basic newer model.

Have fun searching

Julie

 

[JulieT1]

Hi Sam

We have an "53" Mondeo Estate Ghia x - 2ltr Diesel 130bhp. The noseweight is 75kg, Kerbweight is 1563kg (think thats around an 83% match with your van.

We've only done 2 trips (both around 60 miles each way) with our 1st van and we got around 29mpg. We might get a bit more if it was all motorway driving.

The estate has plenty of space inside and a very large boot, self levelling suspension and a good spec. It seems to get through the 17" tyres quite quickly but overall its a good family car and tows well. I wouldn't worry about the age (within reason); I'd look for a good, low mileage, higher spec version, rather than a basic newer model.

Have fun searching

Julie

Should have added it max tow weight is 1800kg.

 

[Guest]

Sam I have used th e doughnuts in the past and found them very good, worth a try at less than twenty quid.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Sam

I don't know how I missed your post, but I have done some checking:-

The database I use indicates that the 2005 307Hdi 136 estate has a maximum hitch load of only 60 Kg If you are using 65 Kg then you are overloading the hitch, not by much but it is over the limit and thus illegal. You must reduce the nose load by rearranging the items you store in the caravan.

Nose weight is critical and it should be enough to allow the outfit tow safely but it must not exceed the manufacturers stated limit. Glen is quite correct to suggest you check your nose weight measurement. I must add that the weighing must be done on level ground, as any slope will affect the measured reading.

You must check the manufactures loading information for the car. In some cases the boot load has to be reduced if you are towing.

It should never be necessary to add spring assisters. The car manufacture will have done the necessary development to allow the car to perform properly will all loads that are within their specifications. If you need spring assisters then that indicates that something else is wrong, either the car is overloaded, or there is a fault with some aspect of the car's suspension.

You may be right to look for an alternative car, as French car makers seem to offer softer suspensions than may other makes.

 

[Lutz]

By The nose weight is correct at 65%, do you mean 65kg? If you do, John L's reply gives the answer, but if you mean something else, perhaps you can elaborate.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Hi Lutz,

I think you must have mist one of Sams posts, where she says that she ment 65kg not 65%, and some thing about a blond moment )

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Hi Sam.If you are thinking of looking at a Mondeo i personally cannot praise them enough.

I have an 06 2.2 TDCI hatchback and now tow a Lunar Zenith 07 fixed bed model.

We are carefull in what we take away with us and we have an 86% car/caravan match.

Solo,the car returns over 48mpg and towing about 32mpg.

Its a very comfortable drive with plenty of room in the boot with 155bhp there if you need it.

Our caravan is also a bit nose heavy(75kg)unladen but with carefull loading,i can maintain this weight as the Ford manafacturers give a max 75kg weight on the towhitch.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[xtrailman]

In sams 3rd post reference is made to the 65%(which se meant as 65kg)nose weight limit as mentioned in the hand book.

So i assume this is the limit, not 60kg as jl suggests?

Cars with such low nose weights do not make ideal tow cars, but often economics dictate peoples actions, so i endeavour to help, having been in the past in the same position.