towing a trailer...............van or motohome etc.....?

[tools]

hello everyone

going to buy a van conversion or a motohome to tow a box-trailer; four wheel,stand-up height,three metres long

does front or rear-wheel drive matter when towing............?

i was thinking a van conversion would be more suitable than a motohome, i've a lot of 'van time' but no towing experience.....................:)

any advice appreciated

cheers,

[Guest pelmetman]

Check the Gross Train Weight of any van you look at, as I would think your trailer has quite a large payload ;-)...................Its easy to get it wrong..........I did :$

[nowtelse2do]

Always best to have rear wheel drive. The weight on the tow bar at the back will give you a lot better traction than front wheel drive thus more steering control also especially in wet, ice and snow.

 

Dave

 

PS. Welcome to the form.

 

 

[Tony Jones]

If towing is going to be a regular part of your motorhoming, I'd go for RWD - if you can find it! Everyone's so Sevel-obsessed, and even those who convert Fords tend to use the FWD versions.

You might find a Merc conversion, or an older vehicle from the days when common-sense prevailed ...

[Dave Newell]

Although not a popular van for professional converters I'd suggest you look at the Iveco Daily range of vans. Available in a variety of MTPLM configurations from 3500KGs up to 6500KGs but all with huge towing capacity and twin rear drive on any over 3500KGs but all with rear wheel drive anyway. The trailer you descirbe is not dissimilar to our own exhibition trailer which has a max weight of 1500KGs and generally is around 1150-1250kgs and our 1996 4200KG MTPLM Daily tows it wonderfully.

 

D.

[bob b]

If you want get some experience maneovouring a trailer, I suggest that you visit an industrial car park on a quiet Sunday afternoon and you can practice to your hearts content with no danger of an accident.

You will have to reverse with the trailer  at some point on the road in your travels.

[Brian Kirby]

You need to place about 7% of the actual laden weight of your trailer onto the towball to ensure the trailer stays reasonably stable. So, not only do you need to check that the Gross Train Weight of the van allows you to tow a trailer with the MAM you desire, you need also to check that you can obtain an approved towbar with a sufficiently high downforce limit.

 

Regarding FWD, I honestly don't think it will make that much difference. Many FWD vehicles tow caravans without any problem at all. They can scrabble a bit on wet hills, but the on-board electronics (unfortunately cost options on most panel vans) are generally reported as keeping this under fair control. My own experience is that if adhesion is so bad wheelspin is unavoidable, a FWD vehicle will generally slip and slide up, where an RWD one will begin to swing its tail down the camber and into the gutter. However, I doubt one would contemplate driving a van laden to over 3 tonnes and towing a trailer under such conditions. After all, it is far more exciting descending hills on ice, then getting up them, ABS or not!

 

There are a couple of caveats to FWD. First, I'm assuming a standard FWD panel van, all of which have quite short rear overhangs. This means most of the weight will fall between the axles, so ensuring the driven front axle is reasonably loaded, so traction will be little different from a similarly loaded RWD vehicle.

 

Second, is that you check that the front axle load will remain within its limits. This has little to do with towing, but the front axle load limit on the most popular versions of the SEVEL vans for PVC conversion is not that high, and you sound as though you will be travelling well loaded. Several folk have found they flirt with, or exceed, the front axle limit when laden. If you think this may arise, you'd be wise to opt for the 3,500kg version of the van.

[Keithl]

Hi Tools and welcome to the forum,

 

One question which arises (and not knowing anything about you) is do you have a driving licence to tow such a trailer?

 

If you passed your test before Jan 1997 then you should be ok but if you passed after that date then you will be required to take an additional 'B+E' test (unless you already have that is) or you will be limited to a trailer weighing no more than 750 kg or a combined max of 3,500 kg.

 

For more info look on the direct.gov website under licences and trailers.

 

Keith.

[Clive]

For regular toewing rwd is so much better its a no brainer. Merc, "propper"Transit, Iveco, VW, Toyot, Some Renaults. Also tyre wear is so much more uniform and steering lock /turning circle so much better which is important when manouvering a large trailer. C.

[tools]

thanks for the input

 

must keep an eye on the GTW and the FRONT AXLE limit

can't believe the price of van conversions,if i'm paying that much[40,000-50,000] i might as well get a three year old A-class Hymer,looking at A-class Hymers now!

 

i would like;

merc or transit chassis

permanent rear bed

independent shower room

and of course towing capability

 

any thoughts................?

 

cheers

 

 

[Keithl]

That kind of money would get you a very nice 2007 or 2008 Auto-Trail on a 3 litre (automatic?) Merc.

 

I have seen several on eBay over the last couple of weeks.

 

For example...

Link to 696LB

Link to 696G.

 

Keith.

[Tony Jones]

Talk to Horizons at Tamworth.

They convert a number of different vehicles, including the Merc & RWD Ford, and have some clever ways of fitting all sorts of habitation kit into small spaces.

(I know some people on here think I'm on commission from them, but I'm not, honest! Just VERY satisfied.)

[colin]

One of the requirements for our van was that it should be caperble of towing a twin axle Bailey and also (but not at same time, for the comedians) a three ton vehicle trailer, this it can do dispite those who might say FWD is no good for this. It's a Fiat X250 L4 PVC with 120hp engine, ok when close to 6.5tonne GTW it's a bit sluggish, but thats only a few times a year for relatively short distances.