Snaking Olympus

[loadsadogs]

We tried out our new Bailey Olympus 525 recently, and had an anxious outward journey due to snaking, despite having ATC fitted as standard. Tow car is a Nissan Pathfinder, which is apparently meaty enough to cope. Admittedly we had plenty of stuff stashed in the van, but we'd had a Pageant Vendee before with no probs (similar layout) and I'm pretty careful about the luggage being stable and over the axle, so it came as a nasty shock.

Coming home, we found the stability was fine. Didn't do much different with the luggage, so we're wondering if anyone else has noticed anything or got any thoughts.

 

[Lutz]

First of all, it is physically impossible for the outfit to snake if ATC deploys correctly. Either it wasn't working properly or the outfit can be described as handling 'twitchy' rather than snaking.
Lots of things can affect stability. The noseweight has to be adequate, the tyre pressures on both car and caravan right, not too much heavy stuff in the top lockers. I presume that the load distribution was about the same in both directions and you were driving at the same speed. That leaves cross-wind as a possible source of instability, or was there more turbulence on the outward journey caused when overtaking lorries, for example, with less heavy vehicle traffic on the way back?

 

[loadsadogs]

Thanks for your reply, Lutz. It was more than twitchy, definitely more worrying, like the beginnings of a snake. The Pathfinder is quite solid, but even as a passenger I was instantly aware that something was going on. We were on motorway type roads, at 50-60 mph when this was happening. We'd heard the ATC priming itself when we hitched up and the green light was showing. If the ATC was working correctly, you wonder what sort of journey we'd have had without it! Probably have finished up in a ditch.

On the way home everything was great and OH deliberately took it up to slightly higher speeds to test it further. No probs. Once the 'van was empty, I had a go towing it back to storage, and it was easy peasy handling.

I guess we'll just have to watch the luggage weight in future.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Loads.....
My gut reaction to your post is to suspect that although you say you laoded in a similar manner to your previous caravan, the problem may well be your new caravan is actually substantially different to your old in things like its nose weight and weight distribution.

I suggest that rather than guess its properly loaded, actaully check your nose load and weight limits for the car. Other things to check are tyre pressures. It may be possible that you have a wheel alignment problem - but only a dealer would be able to check that for you.

You might like to invest in shock absorbers for the caravan, these really can make a big difference.

As for external factors, there has been quite a lot blame for stability incidents placed on rutting and tramlines from wear in the road surfaces.

Ultimately, there is nothing that says that every car will tow a caravan easily, some outfits despite the best advice and practice just don't go well together. Consequently if you have one that does not behave well the only solution is tow at lower speeds where the outfit will remain under full control.

 

[loadsadogs]

Thanks Prof, a few more thoughts for me to consider. I'd completely forgotten about the ruts and tramlines in the road, which were quite pronounced at times. I'm sure they were a factor. We should also pay more attention to tyre pressures and suchlike. I admit we took too much for granted this trip, because we've never had problems before. Also our lovely jockey wheel with noseweight gauge was stolen with the last caravan, so we just did what we always do :-((

You also mentioned shock absorbers for the caravan. Could you tell me a bit more pls, as I haven't come across them before?

 

[TD42]

I'm sure the Olympus is already fitted with shock absorbers along with the ATC

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi again,
A car whose shock absorbers are shot (or removed) will if pressed down on a corner and let go, continue to bounce for several cycles before stopping. If you were to try and drive a car in that condition, apart from being illegal, would feel very unsafe, and it would probably have terrible handling. The shock absobers or more correctly called dampers, do exactly that, they damp the natural tendency for suspension springs to want to bounce.

The same is true of caravans., Most UK caravans are sold without dampers, and hence when you tow them on even slightly undulating ground, they tend to bounce around quite a lot. Virtually all Alko chassis (I don't know about ther makes) have the fixing points to add dampers. when fitted the caravan tows very differently, smoother and far less bouncing around behind the car.

On the continent dampers are more prevalent especially in Germany , where the allowed maximum speed of a caravan is higher for those with damers compared to those without.

One of the other benmefits of dampers is the caravan is subject to far less stress and will probably last longer. See the ALKO web site for details.

 

[dougie201]

Hi there
Your Olympus is fitted with shocks as standard from the factory. I know this cause i too have an olympus and they are fitted to mine.

Dougie.....

 

[ProfJohnL]

If it is the case that your caravan already has dampers fitted, then clearly there must be something else that has caused or at least contributed to the instability you experienced.

I come back to checking all the weights and limits you have.

 

[loadsadogs]

Thanks to everyone for replying. At least nobody has said this is a common problem with the Olympus, which is a relief. Next time out I shall try and be more careful with weights and checking tyre pressures etc. Looks as tho we'd taken a bit too much for granted. Thanks again.

 

[StevePeters]

We also traded in our Vendee but for a Pegasus, before we changed I managed to speak to the designer at the show and said that I might notice that the Pegasus is a bit skittish. I am not sure what he meant by this but the first time I towed it was very different to other caravans especially the Vendee which was a dream to tow.
Had an incident on the M25 going past a tanker, side wind caught the van and if it had been any of my previous vans it would have been over but the ATC did it stuff and steadied the van. Not many buttock clenching moments in 15 years but that was one of the worst.
Now that I am used to it there are no problems.
The key issue on loading, my Mondeo only has a Tow Hitch weight of 75kg, so I check the weight every time I move the van. I get some strange looks on site when I use my nose weight gauge as if it is a foreign object.

 

[Royston]

Hi the only time i have experienced what happened to you , was when I was behind a loaded car transporter, they seem to create their own shock waves.
You mention that you did not check the noseweight, All the new range of Baileys appear to have a much heavier nose weight, Baileys have advised this in one of their product It.might be worth getting the Dealer to check out your anti snake towing device you might have a faulty one fitted .
I always check my tyre pressures prior to towing extra 6 psi in each rear tyre as per Vauxhalls handbook.
I have to keep the van on the light side to comply with my owing weight of the car.

 

[loadsadogs]

Interesting comment from Steve 'I managed to speak to the designer at the show and said that I might notice that the Pegasus is a bit skittish. I am not sure what he meant by this but the first time I towed it was very different to other caravans'. As you say, the Vendee was a dream to tow. The only problem there was remembering it was attached to you.

We're hoping to fit in another little local trip in the 'van, which will calm my nerves before we go to France, if all goes well. Not sure what Plan B is, if it doesn't go well :-/