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Subject Topic: Volvo v50 R design towing car
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Personandyd99
30/12/2015 at 11:20pm
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Recently brought our first touring caravan, a 1998 Elddis ex select 450/4, MIRO 867, maximum authorised weight 1100kg.

I have a 2009 Volvo v50 R design 2ltr diesel 134 bhp, kerb weight 1489kg.

I have towed the caravan with it twice moving it from where I brought it from, then to storage and it towed ok (I'm a beginner towing caravans).

When I'm doing low speeds in 3rd or 4th gear, it does tend to judder a bit. Is that me just not changing my driving habits and not changing down early enough??? I suppose what I'm trying to say is would this happen in any car if I was driving in the same manner 😳😳😳

Also, the rear suspension looks quite low on the r design which concerned me a bit, but didn't seem to effect it in anyway when the
Caravan was on the back, so hoping it's the same when were loaded to go away in February for the first time!!!

Do many people use the diesel v50 for towing their vans with? What's the overall view on them as a sturdy row car??


PersonOpensauce
31/12/2015 at 8:32am
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You will have to change down earlier when towing. Don't allow revs to drop so low it judders, particularly when hill climbing as it stresses dual mass flywheel. Always remember you are towing, build up speed gently, don't accelerate hard away from slow speed.

In slow traffic, particularly up hill, don't trickle along slipping clutch. Allow gap to open up then move off clearing clutch asap.


Personcheckley1973
31/12/2015 at 9:16am
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Open sauce is right with gears, you will need to keep revs higher when towing especially if your Volvo is petrol. Check your nose weight too as this is the weight the van places on your rear suspension. It could be too high causing the can to be too low at the rear. As a rough guide you should be able to lift the nose of your van by hand with reasonable ease, if you can't it's likely too heavy and should be measured with scales.

My Audi s-line sits low but it's low without any load as it runs on sports suspension.


PersonBig Al
31/12/2015 at 11:00pm
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Dont let your engine speed drop much below 1800 revs and you will be fine
my caravan is quite a bit heavier and longer than yours and have been towing it for nearly 6 years without mechanical issues..


PersonGrampian91
01/1/2016 at 1:35pm
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Unsure on the powerband of your car but when not towing you maybe down around 1200rpm before you change gear.

With the caravan attached you may want to change around 1800rpm, when changing up through the gears you may want it to go a bit higher so when in the higher gear its still around 1800rpm.

If you change up and its closer to 1000rpm then you probably need more revs before changing.

In my car i dont use 6th gear when towing, even though the revs are lower it uses more fuel. You car maybe different.


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Personandyd99
04/1/2016 at 6:19pm
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Cheers for the advice guys. Opensauce has just hit on something im a bit concerned on now. I've only had the car 8 weeks and 3 weeks ago it had to go in for new dual mass fly wheel and clutch kit at a cost we didn't really want!!! Now the car already had a tow bar on it when we brought it and I've only towed our van twice with it!!! Could this be from previous owners towing it and caused it to go???? Don't want to go through the hassle of replacing this again in the future. In two minds whether to sell it now 😢😢😢


Personbillyboggins
04/1/2016 at 6:49pm
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Do you cruise control on your car? if so, just use this and then no probs ..i use it all the time with my v70 automatic with exceptional mpg with a 1700kg van on the back

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billyboggins


Personandyd99
04/1/2016 at 7:27pm
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It does have cruise control, but it's a manual. Does that make a difference???


PersonOpensauce
04/1/2016 at 7:58pm
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Any similar car that you can tow your caravan with will have dual mass flywheel, it's usual to replace clutch & dmf together so either could have failed. Driven properly should go 100k miles or more, abused & a fraction of that. Drive as suggested when towing & it should go the distance ok.


Persontango55
05/1/2016 at 1:09am
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I also tow with a V50 except that mine is the Volvo 2.4 (180 BHP) 6 speed manual diesel. However, regarding the rear suspension being quite low, it's a must that you check the caravan noseweight before hitching up as the V50 (all models) only have a maximum towball weight limit of 75 kgs.
If your noseweight is somewhat heavy then this will of course have some influence on the rear suspension so what I did originally was to purchase a noseweight gauge and adjust the equipment inside the caravan to create the required balance. However, it's easier said than done as it does require some common sense where to actually place and secure the items because although placing everything at the back end will assist with the noseweight but can create a pendulum effect which would make it unstable. It's a matter of juggling things around sensibly till you get the balance right in connection with the correct noseweight.


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Personbillyboggins
05/1/2016 at 10:12am
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Good advice tango

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billyboggins


Personstevo1
05/1/2016 at 2:17pm
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Quote: Originally posted by billyboggins on 04/1/2016
Do you cruise control on your car? if so, just use this and then no probs ..i use it all the time with my v70 automatic with exceptional mpg with a 1700kg van on the back


I notice you tow with the V70 ! looking at one of these as a poss tow car, as would like a heavier caravan. ! How do you find it ? Good tow car ?



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Personbillyboggins
05/1/2016 at 3:41pm
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-----------------------------------------------------------I notice you tow with the V70 ! looking at one of these as a poss tow car, as would like a heavier caravan. ! How do you find it ? Good tow car ?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I tow a 1600kg Geist ,my V70 with the 2.5 diesel engine doesn't even know its behind us ! No kidding ,it does, but i have to say its tows easily, i get about 30 mpg on a run which for a heavy car and 'van i think is pretty good and as i said before i always use cruise

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billyboggins


Personstevo1
05/1/2016 at 6:39pm
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Thanks

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Personandyd99
06/1/2016 at 7:19pm
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What's the best site for a car/caravan towing guide? I can't find my make of caravan anywhere??? I'm still in two minds wether to keep my v50 or sell it for something else????! The only thing bothering me is how low the back suspension is without the caravan on the back. Tango the advice about the nose weight is spot on and I will buy a nose weight gauge for that. Any advice would be great. Cheers.


Personbillyboggins
06/1/2016 at 10:06pm
 Location: norfolk
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have a look here....http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/6678669/noseweights-mo.pdf

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billyboggins



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