I always felt that two axles are far more stable than single axles. Yes there are more tyres and obviously more wear involved but my take from towing is that I prefer the two axles configuration.
Hi Kerry here, we would like to hear the views of fellow rvers in regards to single axle versus dual axle. we are unsure of what to buy.
We have a dual axle 3 tonne ATM "off road" van with Cruisemaster independant suspension. On of the major advantages is that if you have a flat the suspension transfers almost all of the weight to the other wheel to allow you to retain control. The suspension is also simple and has shock absorbers fitted.
I was disappointed to see a galvanised chassis on display at the Adelaide Camping and Caravan show that looked like the mill scale had not been removed from the steel before hot dip galvanising plus another area the galvanising had come off showing what appeared to be millscale.
Moral of this; some things are not obvious and you need to look carefully at what is offered and why, ie single axle van with ATM of say 1500kg and axle rated at 1600kg, is it strong enough????
Same with 3000kg ATM van with dual axles rated at 3200kg total?
If you keep researching you will pick up on what manufacturer A offers and what manufacturer B offers.
Many potential caravan buyers thought I was a bit crazy in that if I was interested in a van the FIRST THING I DID WAS TO GET AWAY FROM THE SALESMAN and crawl underneath and LOOK. I have an advantage in that I have experience in this area, but even a novice will see things. When you see things ASK what is XXXX and then WHY is XXXX like that and WHAT IF????.
Look for honesty and those that put things in writing.
A bit long winded but hope this helps.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
Far more stable to tow and spreads weight over caravan chassis.Smoother ride as springs don't have to be as firm , plus it rides over bumps like a centipede . Weight loading is not quite as critical .
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 26th of February 2014 10:42:59 PM
Ours is dual, we thought that to be a lot safer if a tyre was to blow, At least there is three others to keep it on the road until you pull over. They are heavier but we feel safer. All a personal choice.
Cheers whitey2.
Basically I agree with most of whats been written especially Re Safety....and if you are unlucky enough to get a flatty you can move on to a safer spot if needed to change the tyre.
One point no-one seems to have mentioned is that with Dual wheels they are easier to back into sites......
Cheers
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The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the most of everything they have.
I have never heard that dual wheels are easier to back than singles, though it may be so.
I prefer single axle as I have to manhandle the van into position when storing at home, this is not possible with dual wheels.
Once you reach a certain length and weight van, dual wheels are definitely needed.
I have experienced a blowout at high speed with a single axle van and there was no loss of control of the van and I then continued at a slow speed until I could pull right off the Motorway to change the wheel.
I doubt that dual wheels are inherently safer as many caravan rollovers occur with either dual or single wheels it all depends if your van is stable in the first place and it appears that many vans should not be on the road, as owners feel that their van is not capable of travelling at more than 80kmh as after that speed they become unstable.
Cheers
David
I prefer dual axle for stability and safety
. I find with duals even things like pot holes you have that extra bit of safety. we tow a 26 foot van and I have a 19 foot half cabin boat that only requires a single axle trailer but I bought a tanden axle as I often go 90k to launch it.
