Single or Twin Axle

Jun 24, 2005
704
1
18,885
Visit site
We've always had single axle 'vans before but are considering changing to a twin. What are the pros and cons of a twin? I've heard lots of views - more stable to tow, harder to level, harder to turn without a mover (what sort do I need?), greater capacity. I've also heard that some sites don't like them (particularly in France). What are the views of forum members.
I drive a Volvo XC90 so outfit matching shouldn't be a problem.
 

Parksy

Moderator
Nov 12, 2009
11,904
2,399
40,935
Visit site
I've owned several single axle caravans before switching to a t/a model.
I've never had any problem here in the UK with sites 'not liking' my t/a and caravan forums carry very few posts about problems in Europe although on some continental sites pitch size can be an issue.
Pros:
More capacity, full sized front benches to stretch out on, fixed double bed and a full sized rear washroom with lots of room to move around in and for storage.
A properly loaded well maintained caravan whether t/a or s/a should be inherently stable so no discernible lack of stability or gain in stability for me.
The unit is heavier so is less likely to be seriously affected by other overtaking motorway traffic.
The caravan is slower to respond to steering inputs when reversing because of the distance between the tow hitch and the axles so reversing is easier.
I use levelling ramps and have no problems with side to side levelling but I haven't got Alko wheel clamps.

Cons:
The most obvious is that an extra axle means more weight which can impact on fuel economy.
A t/a is not something that one could manoeuvre by hand so either reversing skills have to be spot on or a motor mover would be needed, which brings an added weight penalty.
If the t/a has Alko wheel lock receivers fitted there can be difficulties in lining up the wheel-clamps, jacking up the caravan is usually necessary.
A t/a caravan is usually longer so the back end will swing out more and this has to be considered when manoeuvring.
Storage, particularly at home can be a problem unless the property has a large driveway, and caravan insurance premiums can sometimes be higher because of a perceived increased risk of theft.
 
Aug 24, 2012
300
0
0
Visit site
We have travelled throughout Europe with our twin axle and we've never had a problem getting a pitch in France or anywhere else. There are plenty of European single axle vans as long as British twin axles and manouvering has never been an issue. When we bought our twin the mover never got fitted due to an ordering oversight. We took the van as we were going on holiday the day of collection and used it for the summer without the mover. Returning to the dealer a few months later they wanted more money than we'd agreed to have the mover. So they kept it and we've never got around to having one fitted. Sometimes it would be usefull, but we've always managed fine without it and we could have weight issues at times if we had the mover.
Our twin runs on quite low tyre pressures compared to many single axle vans, and we think it gives a more refined towing experience than a single.
Comparing equal length single axle European vans to ours, many of the singles were heavier. We've also found that if you tell your site before arrival that you have a large caravan most will find you a suitable pitch whenever possible.
Space is the biggest advantage for us, If you want maximum space in a UK manufactured caravan I think you can only get it in a twin axle.
 
Aug 23, 2009
3,167
4
20,685
Visit site
With Parksy on most of that, We're lucky and managed to get a Bulldog Max wheel lock before the court case with Alko so less need for quite such accurate lining up, and only use the one wheel lock specified by our insurer. For levelling we use a pair of Millenco wind up levellers so line up for the lock then just slide them under to level. We have the pwrwheel TA mover which works well for what we want. Only really use it for the drive.

At the moment with five of us plus the dowgs I wouldn't want to lose the extra space that the TA gives us. Maybe when we retire we'll go down to something smaller??????
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts