I am just curious to know whether the tests carried out by the publications include towing up steep hills and up steep hills in the rain.
The entrance to our site has a steep tarmac hill, and I am truly amazed just how many cars struggle when towing up it.
We very often end up using the site 4x4 either to tow up from the bottom for those not confident to tackle it, or rescuing those stuck half way up. The latter being more often when it is raining. Lack of grip to the front wheels is very often the cause.
Now, ok, so our drive is quite steep, but if customers came to us along the A470 there is an equally steep hill after Dinas-Mawddwy, which has tight corners in it thus preventing drivers from taking a run at it.
We do try to educate customers by suggesting that they leave their cars in first or low gear, and to resist the urge to change up a gear even if the engine is red lining, but alas this advice is often ignored.
Any car's maximum tow weight as stated in manufacturer specs is arrived at based on the ability of the car to start with trailer of that max weight on 1 in 8 hill I think, presumably in dry conditions on normal road surface. Any tests carried out by magazines would assume driver competence, condition/wear & make/type of tyre will also be a factor.
Its fair to say that anybody would get stuck on a hill if there is no grip on the surface, main public roads are generally resurfaced when surface wears smooth, often an extra grippy surface is laid on difficult sections, hills etc.
Surely if a car can't pull its tow up a hill then its unsuitable for the job it's being asked to do, I'm constantly amazed at the badly matched outfits I see every day (I'm in a tourist town with 3 very popular sites nearby)
The towing tests the CC carry out include hills/hill starts
Perhaps if you told us just how steep the hill is then we may be able to comment. I do not know the A470 but it is not one of the roads where caravans and the like are banned, so it can not be that bad, but as has been said the towing capacity in the cars handbook is stated as the weight that a car laden to its maximum gross weight can start on a 12% slope whilst towing. There are not many main road hills that are steeper than 12% so every car should be able to cope with every main road hill and if your driveway is within these parameters drivers should not have a problem. If the car can not cope with a hill then one of several things apply firstly the hill must be extreme and involve difficult turns, or the car the car is overladen, or the driver is in error in the way he/she is using it or finally there is something wrong with the car.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
The front wheels only have so much grip. The more revs
you use the more power you have to overcome that grip.
This is amplified by the use of a low gear. This is why its easier to spin the wheels in 1st than it is in 4th etc.
Too many revs in a low gear is the problem.
It will vary between different cars, Petrol diesel etc.
2nd gear and lower revs or 1st gear and just enough throttle to keep it moving.
Maybe make a note and see how many have caravans exceed the cars legal towing weight.
Sometimes the figure is derived from being able to start on a 1 in 10 hill as well as other factors.
Janus,
The A470 is the main trunk road from Cardiff to North Wales, and no-where are caravans banned along it. The steepest section is a short length near Dinas Mawddwy (north of Machynlleth) and even that isn't that bad.
I would suggest Campsiteranger that it is just poor drivers, but I don't know exactly where your site is.
The steepest site I have been to was near Lyme Regis, but that just needed a sensible approach.
Quote: Originally posted by LlaniDavis on 04/10/2012
Janus,
The A470 is the main trunk road from Cardiff to North Wales, and no-where are caravans banned along it. The steepest section is a short length near Dinas Mawddwy (north of Machynlleth) and even that isn't that bad.
I would suggest Campsiteranger that it is just poor drivers, but I don't know exactly where your site is.
The steepest site I have been to was near Lyme Regis, but that just needed a sensible approach.
That was what I thought.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Steepest hill I have ever towed was on a french site. Steeper than I have ever seen on a public road. loose surface and so steep I had to slip the clutch to maintain pwer but I did not loose grip. Just some wheel spin. We got up ok although the clutch was overheating.
My point is the car/caravans in trouble on your hills must
be poorly matched or loaded.
surely we need to know the gradient not just the fact that it is steep and not steeper than elsewhere. Given the above info - I would be reluctant to visit this part of the world.
The steepest campsite I have had to encounter was val de Cantobre. i asked the office for them to use their 4x4 and when they did, their clutch did a wonderful burn. Far betterr them than me! One visit and that was my last. Years before it was a site in Opio near Cannes. Their 4x4 was a compulsory pull. No problem. I would go back to that site.
Yes, I have encountered campsites in France where they tow your caravan in with tractor or old 4x4 kept for the purpose. Rather their clutch than mine. I wonder how many miles that nasty burning smell takes off the life of a clutch?