Steep hills

[Joyce123]

We have recently purchased a Burster Solano t215. Seems we have a problem when the road is particularly steep. On our first trip out went to Putsborough, North Devon. Leaving the beach there is a sharp left hand bend, wheels really spinning, we only just managed to get to the top. We live at the bottom of a winding lane on Exmoor, and have had to buy snow chains because the wheels won't grip on the autumn leaves. The lane is not particularly steep, but this vehicle doesn't like hills. So much for central heating and winter trips. Very disappointed. We purchased this lovely vehicle because the layout was perfect for us. We have checked the air pressure in the tyres. Has anybody else had this problem with this model or any others? Advice would be apprecaited. This is our first motorhome, having previously had caravans for many years.

[flicka]

Hello Joyce & welcome to the forum.

First thing is to check what you have loaded in the rear.

I think you mean the Burstner Solano T615 (?).

If so it @ almost 7metres, has a fairly long rear overhang and the weight in the rear will be acting as a counterbalance. This will take weight off the front driven axle & therefore less grip/traction.

A visit to the weighbridge will confirm your axle weights, then check against the Plate in the M/H.

 

Quote from a Burstner site ad.

"The new Burstner Solano effortlessly masters steep passes, winding roads and bad road surfaces. Its wide-track chassis and low centre of gravity, together with its dynamic road performance, increase comfort and safety which makes it is one of the most successful low-profile motorhomes in Europe."

[Guest pelmetman]

Is it front wheel drive?

[colin]

As per flicka, long rear overhang and front wheel drive means you need to consider moving 'ballast' to front in these conditions.

[rupert123]

You say you have checked the tyre pressures but where did you get these from, if they are the ones recommended for the base vehicle they are liable to be to high. Perhaps you can say what you have them at.

[Brambles]

Rupert has highlighted the first point to check. Drop your tyre pressures at front to 65psi if they are higher and see how you get on. Get your axle weights checked on a weigh bridge and contact tyre manufacturer for recommended tyre pressures. I expect the front recommended wil be below 60psi.

 

It is confsing what moel you have and if new or second hand. I the tyres are old te rubber wil have hardened and affird much less grip, nt to mention tread may be well worn. In this case new tyres wil make a tremendous difference. Unfortuately wet autumn leaves on steep incline will be a problem for majority of heavy front wheel drives.

 

It is a shame you have this problem and I hope you find a solution via the tyres and loading, if not then rear wheel drive is the answer, or reversing up incline which is probably totally unpractical.

 

One more thing, check your rear brakes are not binding as well, easy done by stopping on very gentle incline and see if vehicle rolls forward.

[Derek Uzzell]

Joyce123 - 2010-10-25 7:30 PM

 

We have recently purchased a Burster Solano t215. Seems we have a problem when the road is particularly steep. On our first trip out went to Putsborough, North Devon. Leaving the beach there is a sharp left hand bend, wheels really spinning, we only just managed to get to the top. We live at the bottom of a winding lane on Exmoor, and have had to buy snow chains because the wheels won't grip on the autumn leaves. The lane is not particularly steep, but this vehicle doesn't like hills. So much for central heating and winter trips. Very disappointed. We purchased this lovely vehicle because the layout was perfect for us. We have checked the air pressure in the tyres. Has anybody else had this problem with this model or any others? Advice would be apprecaited. This is our first motorhome, having previously had caravans for many years.

 

A large-ish, heavy-ish, powerful-ish FWD motorhome with a good deal of its weight on the rear wheels and a fairly high bottom gear will inevitably find gaining traction challenging on a steep hill with a less than ideal road surface.

 

Even if the front tyre pressures could (safely) be lowered sufficiently to obtain a slightly larger 'footprint', I don't believe this would radically improve matters. In this instance the lack of grip is primarily due to lack of weight over the front wheels and that's inherent in the vehicle's basic design.

 

I'm sure that any motorhome with a similar specification to Joyce's would perform equally poorly. Unfortunately, other than trying to minimise the percentage of the motorhome's weight that's carried by the rear axle, lowering the front tyre pressures as much as is practicable and safe, and trying to develop an optimum driving technique when attacking a difficult slope, I doubt if much else can be done.

 

This is probably the one instance where there can be little doubt that a RWD motorhome will be superior to a FWD version.

[pepe63xnotuse]

I fully agree with what has been posted so far(..recheck pressures and check weights/distribution etc)..

..but I can't help but think that once again we have an example of how,we as buyers/users, tend to "blame" ourselves for incorrect use/operation of a vehicle, rather than speak of "the elephant in the room",that is the fact that for years now,we've been sold vehicles which are pretty much at the edge of their capabilitys,even in the best of conditions..let alone those which may include slightly loose surfaces and/or inclines.

In many cases,models are being produced with poor,often near unworkable,payloads,coupled with ridiculous rear overhangs and poor ground clearance.(..these last two are my pet hates!.. 8o| )

From a design point of view,it's bad enough to produce vehicles with large "garage" storage,beyond the rear axle as it is..let alone those based on a front wheel drive chassis... *-)

But Hey!..but at least the "new for 2011" fabrics are nice though,eh!? (lol)

[Randonneur]

pepe63 - 2010-10-26 10:59 AM

 

From a design point of view,it's bad enough to produce vehicles with large "garage" storage,beyond the rear axle as it is..let alone those based on a front wheel drive chassis... *-)

But Hey!..but at least the "new for 2011" fabrics are nice though,eh!? (lol)

 

We have a motorhome with a rear full width garage behind the rear axle and we have never had a problem. We have a steep drive to get out from our property and it takes it in its stride. It is an automatic so I don't know whether this makes a difference.

[pepe63xnotuse]

As Derek said,the gearing does play a major part...

Our previous peugeot(07),would really struggle up our driveway,needing a good run-up or else it would break traction quite easily...

However our current Renault,can pull up almost on tickover,with very little fuss or drama(..apart from it almost bottoming out at the rear at one point on the drive' *-) )

[rolandrat]

Leaves that are dropping on hilly country lanes are always a source of traction trouble, I go down lanes off the beaten track with a large HGV and when I am fully loaded (road tanker) I sometimes loose traction and have to put it into diff lock and if that doesn't work I put it in cross over diff lock and that locks all the wheels and even then I can be sliding all over the road so don't worry if your motorhome looses its traction its quite normal, just try to keep as much weight on the front end as possible. I sometimes see motorhomes with large garages loaded with all sorts of heavy items and thats ok if it is rear wheel drive but a no no with front wheel drive.

[rupert123]

Cannot agree with Derek on this. Tyres and tyre pressures make the biggest differance to the amount of grip you can generate at the driving wheels. The recommended pressures at the front can be as high as 5.5 bar coupled with an old or worn tyre,s this is not good on wet roads or ones that have a less than good surface. To shift enough weight over the front wheels to make a differance is near impossible and in any case even with a FWD drive van like mine with a heavy rear axle load I still have 1270kg pressing down on the front wheels. Sharp U bends coupled with narrow roads and leaves is the worst case scenario and here I agree with Derek it may be impossible to stop the wheelspin but try the tyre pressures and check the tyres. Most vans these days have a low first gear, my Fiat x250 does so this is not a problem. Hate to say this but the way it is driven can also effect wheelspin badly.

[malc d]

I should think a full fuel tank could help to put some weight on the front end

( assuming that's where your tank is ).

 

 

(?)

[pepe63xnotuse]

I ended up fitting a pair of winter,"mud&snow" tyres to ourprevious Peugeot(..as we spend quite a few weekends on music festival sites)..

 

It did do away with the "slippage" getting on our driveway...

They took some finding though,as I struggled to find some with the correct weight rating.

I can't for the life of me remember what they were called!?..I know it began with "V"! (..I think! :$ )

Edit: Yep!..these..

http://www.camskill.co.uk/brands/vredestein_tyres_uk_-_winter-snow_van_-_vredestein_comtrac_winter_-_.php

perhaps not the "answer" but may be of some help... ;-)

[euroserv]

Come on folks,

 

If you are going to have too much weight behind the rear wheels (driven or not) you are going to have major problems with steering the thing. This is a fundamental design flaw with most large campers and the only way to avoid it is to follow the advice above and check the axle weights of your vehicle and move more weight forward where permissible.

 

Rear wheel drive is not the be all and end all but it makes more sense in nearly every conceivable situation that you may find yourselves in.

 

Stop buying outrageously long Front wheel drive campers....you are just asking for trouble!

 

Nick

[pepe63xnotuse]

euroserv - 2010-10-26 12:44 PM

 

Rear wheel drive is not the be all and end all but it makes more sense in nearly every conceivable situation that you may find yourselves in.

 

Stop buying outrageously long Front wheel drive campers....you are just asking for trouble!

 

Nick

 

Well said! ;-)

(..although I do own a 7mtr plus,front wheel drive Renault! :-D )

 

So it's a chicken or the egg thing then!..Do we stop buying 'em..so they'll then stop making them?

or

Should "they" be producing suitable vehicles to begin with?

(..vehicles that shouldn't need to perform at the edge of their capabilities,just to "get by"..? :-( )

 

Chris

[Chudders]

If this is on a Fiat (perhaps a 2.8 JTD) there is a traction control button (Or whatever its called). I am sure someone will have the knowledge here to explain how this works but when I have been stuck or slipping I turn it OFF. This then lets both wheels continue to try and get grip. If its ON I think it transfers power only to the wheel with grip as one slips and the other does virtually nothing. In these situations I have found it makes alot of difference. Got a feeling there is something in the handbook about doing this. Will check.

Dave

[Mr. Grumpy]

As you will see to the left we have a t-615. It has traction control fitted and it works and when it does the small light built into the switch flashes. Once you have checked the tires and pressures as advised make sure the traction control is activated. Although ours works in wet conditions especially on steep left hand bends we have never found a hill we can't climb. The van is not particularly heavy and with a 2.3 engine the max weight is 3400kg, it's very easy to go over this and most of the extra weight usually ends up behind the back axle under the bed where it has the most adverse effect on weight distribution.

[Mel B]

Hi Joyce - welcome to the mad house! :-D

 

I would suggest that the first thing you do is pack the van as if you were going away and visit a weigh bridge. You need to get the individual weight of each axle and then compare it to the stated weights on your vehicle plate.

 

From what you've said I suspect you are overloading the rear axle, and probably the overall 'legal' weight of your motorhome too.

[Joyce123]

Yes it is front wheel drive

[fred grant]

front wheel drive fiat perchance my biddies??

 

fourwheeldrivefred