Scooter on back of a Compass Avantgard 400RL

[donastill]

Can anyone tell me if there are any problems (weight etc) relating to fitting a tow-bar held scooter rack to carry a 100KG scooter. This is onto a Peugot Boxer, 2 litre, Compass Avantgard 400RL motorhome. All thoughts gratefully received. ----- Don Astill

[hymer]

Your 100 Kg scooter will put about 200Kg on the back axle this will overload it. Put it on a axle weighbridge and see what the loads are. :D

[tamworthkamper]

A trailer would be better reading these and the mmm mag its scary how often we must be over weight the dealer never tell us either . I wonder about my bike rack as we have a tamden and one other mountain style bike

[Mel E]

Donastill has sent me the weights and limits for the motorhome. I have emailed for some additional information, but it's almost certain that an overload will occur, as Hymer indicates. The towbar and fixings will weight at least 100 Kgs, a rack at least 50 Kgs (can be much more) and with a 100 Kg scooter, that's an extra 250 Kg, all hanging behind the rear axle. Given the weighbridge weights, there is 250 kGs to spare on the rear axle, so we're at the limit already without taking account of the extra leverage behind the axle. Walking round at York Show, it was amazing to see how many motorhomes have things strapped on the back that clearly put them overweight. One well known MMM writer was stopped on his way to the Show and weighed by Police - he was OK. Many won't be and the Police are now purging this issue!

[donastill]

You're not cheering me up much Mel but thanks for your trouble. Must admit the m'home "looks" low slung over the rear axle as it is. I will wait before committing myself. Passing my motorcycle test might just be an appropriate way of filling the time!

[Nick Miller]

Perhaps i can use this thread to gain some information and offer some thoughts on the subject of rear end weight. Vehicle in question is a small 2.oltr chipped Peugeot.Tyres in good nick(55/60) and not much water/fuel on board. We (dog and I) were travelling from a well known tourist spot (Aysgarth Falls) recently when we encountered a sharp right hand bend and very steep climb.The weather was atrocious,mud and rain were sluicing down an almost smooth road surface (as many chippings as hairs on top of my head) and the vehicle simply would not climb.The weels just spun. We eventually extricated ourselves,without one offer of help,by reversing diagonally across the road.The down hill slope,with a few more chippings, offering some purchase for the wheels.There was some damage to the vehicle skirts. So if this will happen with no rear racks or boxes.I suppose the addition of such items would only have made matters worse. I was consoled back at CC site Hawes with thoughts that i would never meet such circumstances again and that i might be better off with a low centre of gravity, 20stone travelling companion, rather than a small dog.This would have helped keep the wheels firmly on the road. All in all quite frightening,but was i really just unlucky? Another happy camper in a similar vehicle with two cycles on the rear said that he often felt his steering was very light in damp conditions. NM

[Mel E]

If you add weight to the rear of any vehicle, it adds more than its actual weight to the rear axle and reduces the front axle load by that same extra amount - hence the reduction in traction and light-feeling steering. The simple way I put it is like this: try pushing down on a 'Matchbox' model car right over the rear wheels: nothing happens. Now try doing the same over the rear fender and note how little force is needed to raise the front wheels off the ground. It's the same in real life. If stuck on a slope, the recommended method of extrication (also for use on wet grass) is to start in a higher gear (at least second and probably third), apply the revs very slowly as you release the clutch. Done carefully, this avoids wheelspin. If in doubt, it's better to stall the engine and try again rather than apply too many revs.

[tamworthkamper]

SO why do they sell such bolt ons ?We bought ours from one of the biggest in europe and not once did they mention that we would be over weight if we use it .Dose any one know of a weigh bridge near to Tamworth Staffordshire .I also now thinking of a coachbuilt that we past on the M42 at the weekend it was twoing reasonable size caravan or would the axle of the caravan change the weight