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Topic: Caravan shakes when I go over 60

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corni

19/6/2017 at 9:07pm
Location: Doncaster
Outfit: Peugeot Autocruise Starfire 2 berth

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Hi.
Coming home from Devon yesterday I noticed that the caravan would start to shake when I got to about 60 mph.
There were no other vehicles next to me at the time.
It also happened on an uneven short stretch of road on the A38.
Scared me to death.
What am I doing wrong?
Cheers.

Paul_B

19/6/2017 at 9:14pm
Location: Yorkshire
Outfit: Car & Caravan

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Have you had the wheels balanced, also check the wheel studs for tightness

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tango55

19/6/2017 at 9:40pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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I agree that it sounds very much like an unbalanced wheel if it happens at around 55 mph. so the advice is to get them checked at a tyre fitting depot as as soon as possible. Also check the internal door hinges to see if any of the screws have come loose as severe shaking can cause cabinets and drawers to be affected as well.
Remember the speed limit is 60 anyway and applied for a valid reason so don't get caught out by ignorance as the shaking may lead to something more severe next time.

Kelper

19/6/2017 at 11:26pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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Shaking or Snaking?

trog100

20/6/2017 at 12:27pm
Location: None Entered
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yes a more accurate description of what is meant by "started to shake" might be helpful..

trog

corni

20/6/2017 at 1:26pm
Location: Doncaster
Outfit: Peugeot Autocruise Starfire 2 berth

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It was more snaking than shaking.
Caravan serviced 3 weeks ago.
2 new tyres day after service.

I thought maybe I was loading wrong and this was causing wobble.
Cheers

Bob61

20/6/2017 at 2:09pm
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Snaking could be caused by any number of things from binding brakes to uneven or wrong tyre pressures, badly loaded and even bad driving...jerky accelerator pedal movements which can be a habit with some people and they don't realise it.

It is worth noting that many if not most caravan accidents are caused after the caravan snakes uncontrollably when speeding. You have titled the thread '...when I go over 60'.

Bearing in mind the speed limit when towing in the UK on dual carriageways and motorways is 60mph and on all other roads it's 50 mph perhaps if you kept to the speed limits you wouldn't experience the problem

oxter

20/6/2017 at 2:23pm
Location: NE Scotland
Outfit: Bailey Phoenix + CRV

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Also no description of outfit so there may be a miss match with towing vehicle too light for caravan?

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Mick S.

20/6/2017 at 2:34pm
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I also thinking the car is maybe too light, or overloaded as well?? Too many tow cars sat on their ar$e on the roads today.

the black fox

20/6/2017 at 4:46pm
Location: flint north wales
Outfit: swift challenger 480se 2002

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have you checked to see if it gets worse or better at 75mph

ye gods man i tow a fairly lightweight van with a 2.5 litre volvo turbo diesel and 55mph is comfortable 60 is just for overtaking if needed.
what are you playing about at doing over 60 on A roads .i think this is a case of user error and RTFM

silvertopsandra

20/6/2017 at 5:40pm
Location: North Devon
Outfit: Compass Omega 432

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I watched in horror last year as a 4x4 towing a long van at over 70mph, on the A361 (60mph limit), started to snake, the van turned over and broke up.

The outfit was travelling downhill.

Stupid speed, breaking the speed limit, and lost control............no-one to blame other than the driver.

Left me feeling shaky at having to witness the episode.

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corni

20/6/2017 at 7:32pm
Location: Doncaster
Outfit: Peugeot Autocruise Starfire 2 berth

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I am not a speeder. I rarely do over 50 - 55 mph. But on 2 occassions coming home from Devon I noticed it happened and when I looked at Speedo I was doing about 60.
And don't you goody two shoes be criticising me I was on the motorway for 7 hours coming home. I know the speed limit and i know I would have been breaking the law if i went over 60. But I just wondered why the 100 or more caravans that overtook me on the way home didn't get a snake. Some of them must have been doing over 70.
Never had it happen to me before and just wondered what I was doing wrong.
Yes we did stop for a break.
I was towing with a Kia sportage.

I don't think I spent too much time speeding when it took us 7 hours to do approx 300 miles.

oxter

20/6/2017 at 7:55pm
Location: NE Scotland
Outfit: Bailey Phoenix + CRV

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Quote: Originally posted by corni on 20/6/2017
I am not a speeder. I rarely do over 50 - 55 mph. But on 2 occassions coming home from Devon I noticed it happened and when I looked at Speedo I was doing about 60.
And don't you goody two shoes be criticising me I was on the motorway for 7 hours coming home. I know the speed limit and i know I would have been breaking the law if i went over 60. But I just wondered why the 100 or more caravans that overtook me on the way home didn't get a snake. Some of them must have been doing over 70.
Never had it happen to me before and just wondered what I was doing wrong.
Yes we did stop for a break.
I was towing with a Kia sportage.

I don't think I spent too much time speeding when it took us 7 hours to do approx 300 miles.

We are all in the same boat Corni.

Of course in Europe with a lighter car and even a fairly heavy trailer you can go much faster. The law is an ass sometimes

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sammymac

20/6/2017 at 8:16pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Pursuit 540-5

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Do you have torque wrench and can you check that after the service your wheel nuts are still at the correct torque (check your handbook for what this should be for your van). They recommend you always check and re tighten as needed about 30 or so miles after a service. Might be worth a look if you haven't done so already.

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Sammymac

bobajob59

20/6/2017 at 8:58pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Fleetwood Rhapsody Santa Fe

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I think the clue is in the statement:

'2 new tyres fitted'

I would get the wheels balanced.

Bob61

20/6/2017 at 10:09pm
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Quote: Originally posted by corni on 20/6/2017

I was towing with a Kia sportage.

I seem to recall, maybe a year or two ago now, that Kia Sportages had a problem with towing. I can't remember what it was now but something to do with the rear shock absorbers?

Or were the vehicles too high or too low at the back for towing safely...something like that. Maybe I am getting my wires crossed but I seem to recall some problem with towing with a Sportage. Sorry I can't be more help but maybe somebody else can recall the problem.

Update...having done a little bit of research online I think the problem was that the rear springs were too soft and had to be replaced with 'progressive' ones (whatever they are).

Post last edited on 21/06/2017 00:36:26

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