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 Topic: looking to buy a caravan
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28/5/2015 at 9:28am
Location: North Essex
Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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Max tow weight is 1300kg but you don't want to be towing anything like that weight which would be nearly as much as kerbweight of car. About a tonne would be ok. You can get older 4berths like 1990s ABIs with all up weight of about that much.
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28/5/2015 at 12:51pm
Location: North Essex
Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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You will be ok with about a tonne. Driving technique towing is to pull away gently, go through gears without letting engine labour, change down early on hills, do not allow engine to labour, avoid slipping clutch, clear clutch asap when gear changing, do not try to rush, those behind you can wait.
You have to look at the stress on the whole drivetrain from clutch all the way through to cv joints on driveshafts, gently does it at all times when towing, forward observation at all times, try to anticipate stops ahead to avoid heavy braking.
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29/5/2015 at 3:36am
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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84bhp? yuk..
Check the cars gross train weight, The max tow maybe less if the car is laden.
The 1300kg max tow maybe with just a driver.
As above thought with the weight and power ratio i would keep the caravan to less than 1000kg max laden weight.
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01/6/2015 at 6:30pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Coachman Amara 570 6 + Shogun SG4
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I was staying at a site in Somerset last year. A lady had towed her bailey ranger 460/4 from Manchester with a Renault scenic that was not a grand scenic just the regular sort. She had towed the caravan for the first time, with her children with her, because her husband was in hospital.
I am not saying it was right but she managed it.
I also saw a merc A 180 that had towed a fairly large van to the same site.
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01/6/2015 at 6:51pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Lunar Delta TS 2017
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Quote: Originally posted by welshmatt83 on 30/5/2015
Actually the spec of this vehicle reads 103 BHP
I fear it will struggle, maybe a change in tow vehicle
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Claire and Colin
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01/6/2015 at 7:17pm
Location: Seasonal Pitch
Outfit: Swift Oakmere 2008
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We tow with a 1500 diesel with a lower kerb weight than the Grand Scenic and we don't struggle. The caravan comes in at around a 1000 kg fully laden as we are very weight conscious and keep what we take to a minimum. Ours is a year 2000 lightweight two berth but there are plenty of older 4 berth lightweights around. As Billy says, pull away and build up speed a little slower than you would solo and change down a little earlier than you would when climbing and you won't have a problem with a van that is the right match. Once up to speed we can bowl along at the speed limit with the best of them without straining at all
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