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Subject Topic: caravan brakes is this normal Post Reply Post New Topic
Personbri70123
15/4/2014 at 12:32am
 Location: Newcastle upon tyne
 Outfit: vango icarus 500 swift charisma 560 View bri70123's Profile View Profile   Reply to bri70123 Reply   Quote bri70123 Quote  
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hi

towed for the first time the other week, is this normal for caravan brakes, when braking hard (after some lady pulled out in front of me only to drive at 15 mph for a short distance then stop me again by waiting to make a right turn FFS!?!!??!) is it normal to feel a shunt as if someone has slammed into the back of you or should it be slightly smoother. obviously its over a ton behind you coming to a sudden stop, but does this indicate that the brakes on the caravan dont work as well as they should or is it normal.

thanks


PersonLobeyDosser
15/4/2014 at 1:42am
 Location: Argyll Scotland
 Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4 View LobeyDosser's Profile View Profile   Reply to LobeyDosser Reply   Quote LobeyDosser Quote  
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No it is not normal and I think you should have your Hitch Damper checked out pronto!

-------------
Lobey.


Personbirdman101
15/4/2014 at 6:45am
 Location: Milton Keynes
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Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 15/4/2014No it is not normal and I think you should have your Hitch Damper checked out pronto!    

-----------------------------------------------------------Or need brakes adjusting as hitch is moving to far before they are applied-

Post last edited on 15/04/2014 06:51:43


Personmichell8
15/4/2014 at 9:03am
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Probably hitch damper had it, this is shock absorber inside hitch. With caravan uncoupled, get hold of hitch & push back, compressing bellows. It should need a lot of effort but it should push back slowly & smoothly & when released slowly come out again. If it is easy to push back or difficult but sticky & lumpy, its probably had it.

New dampers are around £60-£80 depending on hitch, you can diy if you can use tools & draw tube & bushes will probably need cleaning as well. A workshop will charge an hour or more labour + parts which may include new bushes as well.


Personbri70123
16/4/2014 at 10:15pm
 Location: Newcastle upon tyne
 Outfit: vango icarus 500 swift charisma 560 View bri70123's Profile View Profile   Reply to bri70123 Reply   Quote bri70123 Quote  
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didnt know it had a damper, i thought i was asking a stupid question, ill look into it... Is it hydraulic like a car shocker?

It was serviced last november wouldnt they have checked this?


thanks


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Personmichell8
16/4/2014 at 11:15pm
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It looks like a gas strut like in car tailgate but shorter & thicker, it is specific to hitch, you have to get correct part. They may well have checked it at service & found it ok,ish. Hitch dampers tend to fail gradually, if yours is ok apart from heavy braking then its up to you if you want to change it. If you do you will notice difference, braking will be much smoother. Workshop will charge about £120 to replace, labour & parts.

Its fairly straightforward diy if you have tools & understand what you are doing.


PersonLobeyDosser
16/4/2014 at 11:29pm
 Location: Argyll Scotland
 Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4 View LobeyDosser's Profile View Profile   Reply to LobeyDosser Reply   Quote LobeyDosser Quote  
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We had the hitch damper changed last Aug and that was £80.

The mobile service engineer spotted it during an annual service, took the old one out so that he could obtain the correct replacement then went back to the storage yard where our van was at that time and fitted the new one. I thought that considering the double journey, the new part and his labour that 80 quid was a good price.

When we went there to tow it home, our first tow with what was a new to us van, it towed like a dream.

-------------
Lobey.


Personlisterdiesel
17/4/2014 at 9:25am
 Location: Rushden Northants
 Outfit: Mercedes 614D Conversion View listerdiesel's Profile View Profile   Reply to listerdiesel Reply   Quote listerdiesel Quote  
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Older vans have units like shock absorbers but most manufacturers went to gas struts as they work at any orientation.

As far as the operation goes, you can check the strut quite easily by seeing if it is easier to close or open in one direction.

Our trailer does give us a bit of a shunt if we brake quickly, there is a reaction time involved, but a faulty gas strut will give you a hard 'bang' if it has failed, even under deceleration.

Most struts fail on the closing stroke, we've had one out of four fail on the opening stroke.

Get the number off the strut, then look on Google.

Two bolts to change it, 30 minutes.

Peter



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