Single Axle v Twin Axle

[Lutz]

An honest answer you've given there, Alan. It does seem that quite a lot of people would just have more faith in a twin than a single, but it's pure gut feeling and not substantiated by any proof.

I think most would agree that a small caravan of around 1000kg doesn't need a twin axle and maybe even look funny with one, but where do you draw the line? At 1200kg?, 1400kg?, 1600kg?, 1800kg? I don't think anyone would be able to answer that question objectively. Certainly, simply the physical size (length) is not a factor which determines whether single or twin is better. It can only be weight.

Anyway, does one really have a choice? Out of the top of my head I cannot think of any manufacturer currently offering the same model of the same size and arrangement both as a single or as a twin, so that the choice would actually be left to customer preference. I seem to recall that there was a manufacturer who did some years ago on a couple of models which may have been considered borderline at the time, but I can't remember who.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I guess that the majority of people who express a preference for a TA, believe that 4 tyres are going to be capable of carrying the mass of the caravan better than two. It is certainly true that the load on each tyre will be for a TA than an SA, but as for the durability of the tyre, that has as much to do with its construction and the air pressure to support the load.

Most of us will have seen the Mercedes Sprinter, Iveco Daily , Renault Master and VW types of white vans speeding all over the country, the larger versions have a full 1.5 Tonne load capacity, and the kerbweight of around 2 to 2.5 Tonnes. Possible all up mass of 4Tonnes! How many of these vans only have the single rear tyres? And it is quite easy to work out that each tyre may have to carry a full Tonne each - even more for some types of loads.

The way these vans are thrown around the tyres take quite some punishment, and yet do you see many on the side of the road with blown tyres?

Given the right design, single tyres are quite capable of carrying the weights of caravans we have in the UK.

 

[Jennifer2]

For us the number of wheels simply did not come into the equation, only the layout.