What To Go For

Apr 11, 2005
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I am a bit stuck what to do nest when it come to get a new van.

To go for a twin ales van or single ales.

It seem that the twin ales is round 3 foot longer the single ales. Is it wrath that little bit?

Can you give the good and bad so I can consider the pork's that you put and then I can cum to a answer. To which one to have. Please

Mark
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Some sites refuse entry to twin axles I have read,especially in France.

They are also harder to manoeuvre by hand

It used to be said that you could tell owners of twin axle vans because they were the ones with bad backs!!!

Haven't owned one so can't give any plus points.

Hopefully someone will reply with a positive response.
 
Apr 11, 2005
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I all redy got a bad back.

It seem now day the best thing to do is to triy and do the thing that you whont to do and not let your bad back stop you.

Mark
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Sam,

Twin axles are more stable to tow.

They are easer to manouver with the car as they are less "twitchy"

They can be hand manouvered quite easily by either not putting the jockey wheel down (the 'van will put most of it's weight on the fron wheel) or by winding the jocky wheel down enough to take some weight off the front wheels.

The can take more load.

The nose weight is a lot more forgiving.

There may be a few sites in France that don't allow them but I have never been turned away and don't know of anyone who has.

It's not "game over" if a wheel is lost or tyre blown.

You don't have to keep widing the steadys down if you need to get in.

They go over ramps without the 'van bouncing all over the place and emtying the lockers.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I've missed a few things.

Pete
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Sam,

Twin axles are more stable to tow.

They are easer to manouver with the car as they are less "twitchy"

They can be hand manouvered quite easily by either not putting the jockey wheel down (the 'van will put most of it's weight on the fron wheel) or by winding the jocky wheel down enough to take some weight off the front wheels.

The can take more load.

The nose weight is a lot more forgiving.

There may be a few sites in France that don't allow them but I have never been turned away and don't know of anyone who has.

It's not "game over" if a wheel is lost or tyre blown.

You don't have to keep widing the steadys down if you need to get in.

They go over ramps without the 'van bouncing all over the place and emtying the lockers.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I've missed a few things.

Pete
Nice to hear some plus points for a change.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I assume you have a car heavy enough to tow a twin axle. They do weigh substantially more than a single axle.

Some more pointers:

What are the insurance requirements i.e 2 wheelclamps, alarm, tracker system etc.

Where is is going to be stored, is there room to get it in and out. I have a mover on mine for getting it back into storage, between a Swift Conqueror twin and an ABI Statesman twin.

My Bailey Provence is more than adequate for my needs as 18 1/2 feet internal and 23 ft 10 inches shipping, 5 berth and separate shower, all towed by a Mondeo TDCI. It all depends on how much space you need.
 
May 25, 2005
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Not all twin axles caravans are of great length - I have seen several on sites recently that have been around 20' (including the drawbar).

I agree they may be easier to tow but manouvering the thing without a motor mover can cause many problems.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Honestly Ann, they're no more difficult to handball than a single axles, so long as you move the weight either to the front of back axle.

Pete
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Know what I like about twin axles? It is really silly, and unless you think about it, you don't even notice it. It's the walk. "Eh," I hear you cry (didn't know your microphone was still on did you!) It's the pleasure of walking perhaps ten paces from one end to another and thinking, I managed to tow this leviathan here and not get it wrapped round a roundabout. It's still an achievement as far as I am concerned. That 5 or 6 paces of a single axle just don't give the same chest inflating feeling. Told you it was daft..
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Not daft at all mate (in my opinion). I usualy have the same feeling in bed, err, here me out on this one.

I sleep at the very front of the 'van and, in the mornings, look down the length. That's when I think "god it's big", the 'van I mean.

Talking of daft thoughts, I love looking at the zig unit in the quiet moments when not on mains hook up. Knowing that the small 110 amp battery and a bit of gas can keep my family of 5 happy and warm for weeks. Gives you much more appretiation than just plugging something into a mains socket.
 
Jul 14, 2005
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As a regular visitor to France I can tell you that a lot of sites over there will not permit twin axle vans for two obvious reasons.

1. Most travellers use twin axle vans and these people are banned from most sites but using the International camping card will prove that you are a Bona Fide caravanner.

2. More importantly, most of the pitches are grass (in fact I have never seen a hardstanding pitch in France) and a four wheeler will plough up the grass surface whilst reversing onto the pitch and this damage can take weeks to recover.

Also the comment made about lifting the two front wheels off the floor by lowering the jockey wheel....count me out on that one,sounds like its fraught with danger.

And finaly as for them being more stable I totally disagree if anything is badly loaded you can stick as many wheels as you like on it and it won't make a blind bit of difference, correctley loaded/weighted and it can be four or two.

Cheers
 
Apr 11, 2005
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I am rely coming round to have a twin ales now.

As for going to France with the van I just thick that is not for me. Althea I am thinking of going to Yarrows Disney for the second time.

I now I would have to have a mover fitted to it. The trouble now is which one has I have seen two lay out that the wife and me like. Which are

The new Bailey Senator Carolina

We like the back bathroom.

The Abbey Spectrum 620

With it to sitting ends.

One of the bad thinks of the Abbey is the cost new for one. So it's looking like the Bailey at this time.

His there any think ells I shud now about twin ales?

Mark
 

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