Tips for starting off on steeeeeep hills

[Gary_374358511]

Hi everybody,

Our storage facility is right inbetween two roads with an incline of around 40 degrees. The first time we took our caravan to the storage site we had to wait out side for the bloke to arrive to talk us through.

It was only after about five minutes of sitting in the car and facing UP this hill that the though occured to me that I will need to a serious hill start to get moving.(Dooogh). I though it best to try this before the bloke arrived to save a bit of face. I tried to pull away the once, stalling the car badly so gave it up, reversed the car & caravan 100 yeards back down the hill and round the courner. I then went up the other side in first gear, round the back and down so I was now facing down the hill ready for the bloke to arrive.

My question is this :- Should I be able to pull away on such a steep hill or is this vertualy impossible. I only tried it once because I didn't want to burn my clutch being in such an awkward possition and all.

Is there a technique or would I need a 4X4 for this kind of towing.

My caravan is a Sterling Eccles Moonstone(1465 MPTLW) and my car is a 2.0 TDCI Mondeo(115bph).

Thank you all again in advance for any tips on this.

Regards

Gary

 

[RogerL]

40 degrees? Few 4x4s can cope with a ramp angle like that. Car towing limits are based on ability to restart on a 12% hill (1:8) which is about 8 degrees. With a front-wheel drive car that will probably be a realistic limit.

If it's practical, I'd look for a different storage facility.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

I am not saying that it will work on your hill, but if you slightly jackknife your out fit, then start driving, your car will get some movement before you start to pull the van.

The same applys if you are trying to start off on a muddy pitch

 

[Bezzer]

As said jackknifing it will work or stick a chock under the van wheel so it won't roll back when you start. Most plastic ones have a handle/hole in them so you can tie a piece of rope to it and somewhere on the van so you drag it behind you until you get to more level ground and can retrieve it.

 

[Gary_374358511]

Thanks guys, I would have never have thought of that. Jack nifeing would make perfect sense. I suppose once the car is moving, your off.

I did get stuck on a bogged down field a couple of weeks ago and the tractor had to pull me out. I think the jack nife thing would have worked then as well.

Thank you again

Regards

Gary