Hi we've just put a deposit on a caravan, this will be our 3rd van and this time we've gone for a twin axle, some guys I work with are caravanners and I'm getting a mixed response off them, some saying twin axles are a dream to tow but a pig to man handle whilst others are saying they are a pig to man handle and throw the car all over the place, I find this hard to believe as most of the large luxury vans on the market are twin axles, can anyone please put my mind at ease as we've signed the deal now and I hope I don't live to regret it
Towing a twin axle
- Thread starter Mikey_74
- Start date
I have found a twin axle much more stable whilst towing than a single,it is also not as bouncy
You will never move them on your own or even two of you,but i do find them much easier to reverse than a single axle.
You will never move them on your own or even two of you,but i do find them much easier to reverse than a single axle.
The ease of reversing has nothing to do with twin axles, but depends only on the size of the caravan. I have a 26' 1800kg single axle and I can assure you that it is at least as easy to reverse as an equivalent twin.
Hi,
My expreience is that a short single axle trailer does not want to reverse in a straight line, and a twin axle trailer does not want to go round corners.
If you use the jockey wheel to fift front tyres of the road, you can slew the van round. But it probably isn't good practice.
602
My expreience is that a short single axle trailer does not want to reverse in a straight line, and a twin axle trailer does not want to go round corners.
If you use the jockey wheel to fift front tyres of the road, you can slew the van round. But it probably isn't good practice.
602
I found that any movement on steering transferred more quickly to the vans movements on a single.
Thanks for the reassurance, the van we've just bought is a couple of inches under 26ft, like I said earlier it's our 1st twin axle, somebody who I respect has said twins tow like a dream but then most people with single axles seem to hate them, I'll let you know how I get on when I collect on Friday, fingers crossed.
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Mike
Relax. You will find the TA tows every bit as well as the SA. IMO better in regard to cross winds and slip streams; otherwise no real noticeable difference to the SA. The most important factors are correct loading and nose weight.
I confess to buying a mover. Whilst we could just about manhandle the Pageant SA the Wyoming TA is beyond our combined strength and we are no wimps.
Have fun but remember it will cost you more in tyres and the "one shot" hub nuts.
Cheers
Dustydog
Relax. You will find the TA tows every bit as well as the SA. IMO better in regard to cross winds and slip streams; otherwise no real noticeable difference to the SA. The most important factors are correct loading and nose weight.
I confess to buying a mover. Whilst we could just about manhandle the Pageant SA the Wyoming TA is beyond our combined strength and we are no wimps.
Have fun but remember it will cost you more in tyres and the "one shot" hub nuts.
Cheers
Dustydog
i think it has more to do with length on its own. wheelbase length of towcar, where the axle is on caravan, ive found it harder to reverse a 10 foot trailor than a 45 foot trailor. but found a 30 foot lowloader with the wheels right at the back better than the 45 footer. ray h.
Hi,
A twin axle wants to go in a straight line. Tyres will need to skid to go round corner. A single axle doesn't care where it goes.
OK thats my experience with a twin axle. The rear tyres on my Land Rover were skidding sideways but trailer went straight on. OK the trailer and boat weighed about 2500kgs, trailer was 9 metres long, with boat projecting about 1.5 metres beyond the trailer. (Its a fair cop, Gov!)
Also, travelling over those multiple white lines across the road, sort of rumble strip as you approach a roundabout, the trailer was jerking the back of my Landy up and down. The lines must ave been very thick.
But I would love a twin wheel caravan ...... apart from site operators attitude towards them ..... and the HGV tolls imposed on European motorways. Would smebody like to confirm/deny that latter statement?
602
A twin axle wants to go in a straight line. Tyres will need to skid to go round corner. A single axle doesn't care where it goes.
OK thats my experience with a twin axle. The rear tyres on my Land Rover were skidding sideways but trailer went straight on. OK the trailer and boat weighed about 2500kgs, trailer was 9 metres long, with boat projecting about 1.5 metres beyond the trailer. (Its a fair cop, Gov!)
Also, travelling over those multiple white lines across the road, sort of rumble strip as you approach a roundabout, the trailer was jerking the back of my Landy up and down. The lines must ave been very thick.
But I would love a twin wheel caravan ...... apart from site operators attitude towards them ..... and the HGV tolls imposed on European motorways. Would smebody like to confirm/deny that latter statement?
602
Hello Mike,
I have towed both SA and TA's caravans and trailers, and in my opinion when attached to the car and loaded properly, there is no significant difference between them. I deliberately stated 'when loaded correctly' because if you don't get the nose loads right on a TA, it can make the ride in the car quite choppy.
I have had no problems reversing TA's or SA's but I do observe that the shorter distance between the hitch and the trailer wheels does seem to make trailer turn more rapidly.
On a TA the trailer will turn around the pair of wheel with the greatest contact thrust with the ground. So if a TA is nose down when attached to the car, it will tend to turn around the front axle, and nose up around the rear axle. (though this doe depend on the spring rates)
That might account for the reports of difficulties with reversing.
The biggest difference is when trying to manhandle the caravan into position. The tandem wheels do add a considerable drag factor as one pair of wheels will have to drag across the floor when turning.
Either arrange to have a vehicle to manoeuvre it or get a caravan mover to help.
The jury is still out on whether TA's actually resist instability better or not.
I have towed both SA and TA's caravans and trailers, and in my opinion when attached to the car and loaded properly, there is no significant difference between them. I deliberately stated 'when loaded correctly' because if you don't get the nose loads right on a TA, it can make the ride in the car quite choppy.
I have had no problems reversing TA's or SA's but I do observe that the shorter distance between the hitch and the trailer wheels does seem to make trailer turn more rapidly.
On a TA the trailer will turn around the pair of wheel with the greatest contact thrust with the ground. So if a TA is nose down when attached to the car, it will tend to turn around the front axle, and nose up around the rear axle. (though this doe depend on the spring rates)
That might account for the reports of difficulties with reversing.
The biggest difference is when trying to manhandle the caravan into position. The tandem wheels do add a considerable drag factor as one pair of wheels will have to drag across the floor when turning.
Either arrange to have a vehicle to manoeuvre it or get a caravan mover to help.
The jury is still out on whether TA's actually resist instability better or not.
Hi,
Nose weight should be measured when both vehicles are on level ground.
OT ...... I had several buckets of mixed cement in a trailer, that I was taking up to my field. I was towing with a 250cc quad, which did not have a rear differential. You go round corners by leaning over the OUTSIDE wheel to take the weight off the inner wheel, so it can skid. So I come to this hairpin corner, turned the steering full over. Quad continued in a straight line with both front tyres skidding. Hmmmm, too much nose weight on trailer. Dismount, lift front end of quad, carry it sideways until it was pointing the way I wanted to go. Continue on journey. I doubt that would have worked with a twin axle trailer.
602
Nose weight should be measured when both vehicles are on level ground.
OT ...... I had several buckets of mixed cement in a trailer, that I was taking up to my field. I was towing with a 250cc quad, which did not have a rear differential. You go round corners by leaning over the OUTSIDE wheel to take the weight off the inner wheel, so it can skid. So I come to this hairpin corner, turned the steering full over. Quad continued in a straight line with both front tyres skidding. Hmmmm, too much nose weight on trailer. Dismount, lift front end of quad, carry it sideways until it was pointing the way I wanted to go. Continue on journey. I doubt that would have worked with a twin axle trailer.
602
I have towed both a small single axle and a large twin axle with the same tow car quite a few times. As other posters have written, whilst towing the main consideration seems to be the length and weight of the caravan rather than number of axles. The longer twin axle caravan was much more susceptable to cross winds than my shorter single axle and of course it cuts in more on corners, most noticable perhaps on roundabouts. Manouvering a big twin axle definitely easier with a mover and unless you have a 4 wheel drive mover it won't steer on the mover anything like as sharply as the single axle. Currently towing the single axle but of I were going back to a larger caravan, I would have no hesitation in going for a twin.
One possible issue with twin axles is that they are banned from some French campsites (Usually Municiples) but again this never stopped us caravanning with a twin axle in France
Sorry I commented instead of replying. I'll get the hang of this one day!
Hi
I have towed both a small single axle and a large twin axle with the same tow car quite a few times. As other posters have written, whilst towing the main consideration seems to be the length and weight of the caravan rather than number of axles. The longer twin axle caravan was much more susceptable to cross winds than my shorter single axle and of course it cuts in more on corners, most noticable perhaps on roundabouts. Manouvering a big twin axle definitely easier with a mover and unless you have a 4 wheel drive mover it won't steer on the mover anything like as sharply as the single axle. Currently towing the single axle but of I were going back to a larger caravan, I would have no hesitation in going for a twin.
One possible issue with twin axles is that they are banned from some French campsites (Usually Municiples) but again this never stopped us caravanning with a twin axle in France
Hi
I have towed both a small single axle and a large twin axle with the same tow car quite a few times. As other posters have written, whilst towing the main consideration seems to be the length and weight of the caravan rather than number of axles. The longer twin axle caravan was much more susceptable to cross winds than my shorter single axle and of course it cuts in more on corners, most noticable perhaps on roundabouts. Manouvering a big twin axle definitely easier with a mover and unless you have a 4 wheel drive mover it won't steer on the mover anything like as sharply as the single axle. Currently towing the single axle but of I were going back to a larger caravan, I would have no hesitation in going for a twin.
One possible issue with twin axles is that they are banned from some French campsites (Usually Municiples) but again this never stopped us caravanning with a twin axle in France
What is the issue that site owners have with twin axles? Is this a serious consideration?
Also, I have assumed that a twin axle is better in the case of a blown caravan tyre. Is this the case?
Also, I have assumed that a twin axle is better in the case of a blown caravan tyre. Is this the case?
A twin does tend to churn up the grass and this is why some site owners are reluctant to accept them.
As regards the advantage in case of a blown tyre, there is no data to confirm this and the advantage, if any, is not going to be overwhelming. If it were, there would be a lot more twin axles around and there would not be the current trend among the caravan manufacturers to constantly offering bigger and heavier singles. 1900kg singles are not the big exception any more and I doubt whether it will take long before the first 2000kg singles start to appear.
As regards the advantage in case of a blown tyre, there is no data to confirm this and the advantage, if any, is not going to be overwhelming. If it were, there would be a lot more twin axles around and there would not be the current trend among the caravan manufacturers to constantly offering bigger and heavier singles. 1900kg singles are not the big exception any more and I doubt whether it will take long before the first 2000kg singles start to appear.
I have been towing twin axles for many years and have never been refused entry on any site I have been to ib both the UK and France.
Parksy
Moderator
I've never had any problems in being allowed onto UK sites with a twin axle.
Before I book or in the case of certified sites I always ring to confirm pitch availability and I mention that the caravan is a twin axle and for small sites I have a look on Google Earth or Multimap and use the satellite view on zoom to make sure that there are no access problems.
The only real difference that I've noticed when towing a t/a is that when there are deep ruts in motorway surfaces the t/a tends to move about a bit more but not to the point where the outfit is unstable.
I put this down to the fact that the wheels are in line inside the rutted surface so the effect seems greater.
Before I book or in the case of certified sites I always ring to confirm pitch availability and I mention that the caravan is a twin axle and for small sites I have a look on Google Earth or Multimap and use the satellite view on zoom to make sure that there are no access problems.
The only real difference that I've noticed when towing a t/a is that when there are deep ruts in motorway surfaces the t/a tends to move about a bit more but not to the point where the outfit is unstable.
I put this down to the fact that the wheels are in line inside the rutted surface so the effect seems greater.
Same thing applies to big single axles, too, by the way. On odd occasions I've had problems with my 26' single axle.
Hi Mike Bought my first van 3 years ago, a twin axle lunar, pull it with a terrano 3L Di spot on stady as a rock, both of them. I notice no great differance between the lunar and my 1.5 ton builders trailer, I always inform the site I have a twin axle, you will get 3 replys = sorry van to big for pitch , can I have a land line number, and no problem, befor I site on to a pitch I give concideration to churning the grass up, try for the biggest angle you can, and if you have to ask some one to move there car for access so what,done pollitly its no problem, I have had some very chest expanding pats on the back on some of the pitches I have put mine on mostly by caravan moovers owners though.
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