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Topic: Towing issues help please.

madspaceangel

11/5/2018 at 10:41am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 1992 Lunar Venus

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We've had our old caravan for 6 years now and no towing issues to date.

Last trip back from being away we started having an issue.

On each accelleration/pulling away there was a sharp smack from the van behind us (like when you are towing a car on a rope and the slack is taken up if that makes sense).

Some info that might be relevant:

This was our first time out with a new towing vehicle. We have changed from a Chrysler Grand Voyager to a Seat Alhambra. The tow ball position on the new car is higher than the old car and I think because of this I found getting the load balance right more tricky as it seems to need loading up differently from before.

Tow bar fitted after we bought the car using a SEAT approved installer.

The smacking/sudden jerk wasn't noticeable to me on the outward journey only homeward bound (I tried moving things inside the van around to change the weight balance but it didn't solve it)

We had a lot of trouble getting up an incline whilst at a fairly sharp car/caravan angle onto a hardstanding pitch due to waterlogged ground (I'm wondering if this could be something thats damaged the hitch)

I've read it might be a damper issue but I am also wondering if its to do with new car/van combo and difficulties with loading correctly and the position of tow ball to hitch (higher than previously)

Husband insists the removable towball was properly reinstalled by him after fitting the plate behind it.

Hope someone can help work out whats wrong. All trips away on hold till we get it sorted :(

tango55

11/5/2018 at 11:01am
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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The vehicle towball weight limit could be different on the new vehicle in comparison to the old one so you need to find out what the two are to see if there is a difference. If you can provide the year of both vehicles I can check to see what the weight limits are of each and see if there is any significant difference.
However, have you had the caravan serviced recently to ensure that the brakes are functioning properly?
If so then it couild be a damper problem but as you have changed the vehicles it's best to sort the towball weight limits first and eliminate the easy part first.

madspaceangel

11/5/2018 at 11:12am
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The voyager is a 2005
The new car is a 2016

Last had the van serviced in 2016 (i know i know! *insert shamefaced here*)

tango55

11/5/2018 at 1:13pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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A 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager towball weight limit is 80 kgs. and the 2018 Seat Alhambra is 100 kgs. so there's 20 kgs. difference in the two vehicles. As the newer vehicle will accept more noseweight it may be worth checking to see what the noseweight is as it could be a bit lighter causing some issues but the maximum alllowance advised by AL-KO on the stabiliser hitch is 100 kgs. anyway but it's still worth getting a noseweight gauge and checking to see what it is.
Regarding the damper, just push it in and out by hand and see what resistance there is as you can usually tell a faulty damper by this method. If that proves to be satisfactory then it's likely to be that the caravan brakes are not set up properly which the damper is compressing in advance of the brakes operating thus causing the smack of the hitch on the towball.

madspaceangel

11/5/2018 at 4:01pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 1992 Lunar Venus

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Thanks Tango. I had a feel of the dampener, I cannot move it at all.

With regard to nose weight, are you suggesting a little more weight into the nose than we have currently?

Where would I get a gauge to check the weight?

Trying to arrange a service on an old van is proving a challenge. No-one wants anything to do with it :(

Colin21

11/5/2018 at 5:42pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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The age of the caravan shouldn't make much difference. I had no problem getting someone to do a chassis service on my previous caravan, and that was a 1988 Elddis Tornado XL. A mobile service engineer came out and did it outside my house. He was very thorough too.

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin

tango55

11/5/2018 at 7:27pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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Quote: Originally posted by madspaceangel on 11/5/2018
Thanks Tango. I had a feel of the dampener, I cannot move it at all.

With regard to nose weight, are you suggesting a little more weight into the nose than we have currently?

Where would I get a gauge to check the weight?

Trying to arrange a service on an old van is proving a challenge. No-one wants anything to do with it :(

The damper will take quite a bit of effort moving by hand so if you're not sure then just hitch up the towcar and just move to and fro a few inches to see if it IS moving. If it's not then the damper has seized up which therefore you have detected the underlying fault.
Regarding a noseweight gauge, just do a Google search and a list will appear. There are several on the market which only register up to 100 kgs. and not as accurate as the Milenco one (which is what I use) which registers up to 130 kgs. It is more expensive but it's a tool you only buy once. The link below provides more detail about the product.

Milenco Noseweight Gauge

Post last edited on 11/05/2018 19:34:06

navver

11/5/2018 at 8:07pm
Location: West country
Outfit: Mondeo

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Quote: Originally posted by madspaceangel on 11/5/2018

We had a lot of trouble getting up an incline whilst at a fairly sharp car/caravan angle onto a hardstanding pitch due to waterlogged ground (I'm wondering if this could be something thats damaged the hitch)

I wonder if this might have bent something.

cx5man

11/5/2018 at 8:37pm
Location: yorkshire
Outfit: Mazda CX-5 & Unicorn Valencia

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Get the brakes checked and the damper, damper also needs to be greased, I do mine even though I have a AWS fitter service mine yearly.

Thumping at the rear is usually means the damper has gone. But if you apply the handbrake some movement on the damper should be apparent, it needs a lot of pressure to move it.

madspaceangel

22/5/2018 at 12:26pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: 1992 Lunar Venus

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We have managed to get a mobile engineer who usually does trailers to come and service the 'van this week.

We will wait and see whats up with it all.

Thanks for all the help :) :)

Baileyjake

22/5/2018 at 1:22pm
Location: West Midlands
Outfit: Coachman Amara 570 6 + Shogun SG4

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is your towbar a detatchable swan neck type?

is the towbar loose if you push and pull it?

i read on a forum that this had happened to a guy.

the symptom was a lot of knocking over bumps and when starting and stopping.

if i brake hard i can feel the caravan brakes apply so there is a small slack spot before the caravan brakes start to work which could almost be described as a thump. it can only be felt though if i brake hard its not noticable on regular gentle breaking.

it could be that your caravan drum brakes need to be adjusted so that there is less distance between the shoes and the drum. so theres less slack to take up before the brakes apply.

-------------
First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara

madspaceangel

25/5/2018 at 10:58am
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The guy came and serviced the breaks and greased the hitch (or whatever needed it?)

He says we wont know if all thats solved the issue till we take it out and tow it.

We have a detachable ball thats suitable for the Alko hitch (not a swan neck)

We get the thump on the usual acceleration when pulling away from a stop or from slow speed, not as noticeable when braking.

madspaceangel

04/6/2018 at 9:17pm
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It was the damper.

Ordered the part and husband fixed it :)

Colin21

05/6/2018 at 11:32am
Location: East Herts
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Great that it's sorted!

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin

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