Is it better to tow your caravan with full water tanks or empty
PeterD said
04:45 PM Sep 30, 2015
This is a technical question and should have been posted in the Techies' Corner - you will get a better response there.
Dougwe said
04:55 PM Sep 30, 2015
Welcome to the gang wardey, enjoy here and out in the playground.
As a newbie it is hard to know where to post for a while so just check out all the different sections of this great forum and post your questions or contributions in the appropriate section my friend. By doing that it is easier for you and anyone else to track down later after things end up in the dungeon.
Quickly, I transport without water in the tanks as much as possible unless I know in advance I will need some water on board. IMO.
Keep Safe out there.
Explorer said
05:19 PM Sep 30, 2015
Wardey wrote:
Is it better to tow your caravan with full water tanks or empty
Wardey Hi,
I always tow with full tanks. Two tanks are 140 litres =140 kg, on a trip from Brisbane to Melbourne if You could work out the extra fuel used I guess would be less than one Litre say $1.30. & If 140 kg is going to be an issue I think You should be rethinking the entire setup IMHO.
Enjoy Your Travels
Mike.
Spydermann said
05:49 PM Sep 30, 2015
I've only got a 60L tank and I travel with it full. Just as well as a park I recently stayed at had no water pressure. Tap was lower than my filler pipe and there was not enough pressure to get any water higher than the tap. I think it was tank water that was about to run out.
Fuzzball said
06:02 PM Sep 30, 2015
We have a 30' caravan, and we always tow with full tanks, as the van tows so well. Only once have I towed with half full tanks, and the van was all over the road.
It seems to me that you can either tow with full or empty tanks, but not with half full tanks.
spida said
08:48 AM Oct 1, 2015
I always travel with full tanks. Then it doesnt matter where I stop and can stay for a couple of weeks if I want to. Also for me it is easier to top up when I stay at a CP rather than trying to find a tap somewhere else.
Possum3 said
02:50 PM Oct 1, 2015
When leaving home (Sydney) I start with sanitised empty tanks - I then fill tanks at Dubbo, Goulburn or Newcastle. I figure if I don't need it why carry it up a mountain.
TheHeaths said
10:22 PM Oct 1, 2015
I always tow with a Landcruiser!
(Actually normally only carry water when we are looking at an overnight or two in free camps between places. Otherwise I tow with empty tanks, as the van is heavy enough anyway!)
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Friday 2nd of October 2015 09:24:38 AM
MOLLUSCAN said
09:53 PM Oct 6, 2015
Hi Wardey,
We always feel it's good to have full or nearly full tanks as it lowers the centre of gravity of the van and helps with stability.
It was nice of you to jump in and say something nice Dougwe.
Panther said
09:52 PM Oct 9, 2015
Hi Wardey,
Congrats on posting your first question.
If I'm free camping I carry full water tanks, if I'm going up steep or mountainous country I don't as I'm heavy enough, If I have access to beautiful rainwater I fill my tanks, if I'm going bush I full up, if I'm going somewhere where I will have access to mains pressure water (caravan park or friends) I don't bother topping up, so I basically think ahead of what my needs are, water availability and the terrain. My 3 tanks full are 270lit = 270kg and as I tow a pop top my centre of gravity isn't a big issue.
As a newbie it is hard to know where to post for a while so just check out all the different sections of this great forum and post your questions or contributions in the appropriate section my friend. By doing that it is easier for you and anyone else to track down later after things end up in the dungeon.
Quickly, I transport without water in the tanks as much as possible unless I know in advance I will need some water on board. IMO.
Keep Safe out there.
Wardey Hi,
I always tow with full tanks. Two tanks are 140 litres =140 kg, on a trip from Brisbane to Melbourne if You could work out the extra fuel used I guess would be less than one Litre say $1.30. & If 140 kg is going to be an issue I think You should be rethinking the entire setup IMHO.
Enjoy Your Travels
Mike.
I always tow with a Landcruiser!
(Actually normally only carry water when we are looking at an overnight or two in free camps between places. Otherwise I tow with empty tanks, as the van is heavy enough anyway!)
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Friday 2nd of October 2015 09:24:38 AM
We always feel it's good to have full or nearly full tanks as it lowers the centre of gravity of the van and helps with stability.
It was nice of you to jump in and say something nice Dougwe.
Hi Wardey,
Congrats on posting your first question.
If I'm free camping I carry full water tanks, if I'm going up steep or mountainous country I don't as I'm heavy enough, If I have access to beautiful rainwater I fill my tanks, if I'm going bush I full up, if I'm going somewhere where I will have access to mains pressure water (caravan park or friends) I don't bother topping up, so I basically think ahead of what my needs are, water availability and the terrain. My 3 tanks full are 270lit = 270kg and as I tow a pop top my centre of gravity isn't a big issue.
Hope we haven't totally confused you.
l