Just wondering who may have an idea about swaying caravan , I have just purchased a Whitsunday 22.6 van and have a 2015 Ford ranger as tow vehicle, I wad told that this vehicle is sufficient for the van.
as this van is higher than our previous van no Wheel archers I am have sway, do I purchase anti sway equipment(Electronic) or heavier suspension?
-- Edited by RussandGlen on Tuesday 20th of February 2018 01:30:40 PM
Hi RussandGlen,
Welcome to the forum.
Do you have doubts about the size and towing capacity of the Ranger?
I had a look at the web site and it looks like a nice well appointed van but may be heavy.
My advice would be to load it for travelling including water in tanks, and fuel passengers and luggage in the ute, and go to a weighbridge and check the ATM if the van,
check the Tow Ball Download and the GCM (total weight) of the ute and the van and then advise the forum of the figures.
From there someone will be able to offer advice.
Cheers
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"Seek the truth or bury you head in the sand, both require some digging"
If that is the case then the van is light on the Towball Down load.
I am assuming that the Caravan unhitched and sitting on the weighbridge weighed 2.8 tonnes and if this is the case you are way off your recommended Tow Ball weight of 280kg which represents 10% of your ATM.
If these are your figures with all items you will carry in the van then it is fairly light for its size and you may be able to move some goods forward to shift the weight from the back of the van to the front.
The replies to enquiries like this are at best, guesses, unless all details are known.
I note from the web pages I looked at on your model van that it has 2 x 95 litre water tanks and if these are full and rear of the axle group then this is where you may need to concentrate you efforts to correct the Tow Ball weight to achieve 10%
If your van and your Ranger are not loaded for travel then you may well be overweight once loaded.
In any case, based on the figures you have provided the light ball weight may contribute to instability when towing.
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"Seek the truth or bury you head in the sand, both require some digging"
I think it is very difficult to determine the actual ATM/GTM/TBM from the weights showing for each axle.
Does "unhitched" mean ATM of 2.84 (2,840Kg)/2.80 (2,800Kg) ?
Does "hitched" mean GTM of 3.04 (3,040Kg)/2.60 (2,600Kg) ?
Giving a 200Kg TBM (ATM-GTM) ?
Has the weighbridge, or RussandGlen, assumed the weight taken/showing for axle 2 as the weight/s to do the calculations rather than axle 1 ? Why ?
..... and are we assuming that the van was fully loaded for this weighing exercise ?
I am prepared to be quite wrong but I read the information as each axle of the tandem van has been weighed separately ... would that cloud the actual ATM ?
Perhaps if the van were weighed in the following manner, it may give some clarity to any advice that may be provided to RussandGlen -
Stripe me pink and call me candy cane ... but what does "Direct Weighing" mean ? Was that an attempt to get the GVM of the vehicle? If so what is the "nett" figure ?
Cheers - John
-- Edited by rockylizard on Tuesday 20th of February 2018 04:12:30 PM
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Hi Rocky,
It may have been something as simple as tyre pressures.
He may have gone back to the dealer with his weigh note and they hopefully have sorted him out.
We may never know.
__________________
"Seek the truth or bury you head in the sand, both require some digging"
At the weighbridge:
1) Weigh tug only with van attached
2) Weigh tug and van combination attached
3) Weigh van only unnattached.
1) Compare with tug GVM
2) Compare with tug GCM
3) Compare with van ATM
To calculate ball weight weigh van attached and without moving the van weigh van unnattached.
Subtract attached from unnatached and thats your ball weight.
At the weighbridge: 1) Weigh tug only with van attached 2) Weigh tug and van combination attached 3) Weigh van only unnattached.
1) Compare with tug GVM 2) Compare with tug GCM 3) Compare with van ATM
To calculate ball weight weigh van attached and without moving the van weigh van unnattached. Subtract attached from unnatached and thats your ball weight.
At the weighbridge: 1) Weigh tug only with van attached 2) Weigh tug and van combination attached 3) Weigh van only unnattached.
1) Compare with tug GVM 2) Compare with tug GCM 3) Compare with van ATM
To calculate ball weight weigh van attached and without moving the van weigh van unnattached. Subtract attached from unnatached and thats your ball weight.
A simple,short and clear response. Great Post .
I reckon this whole thread - questions, answers, comments have been exactly how "any" thread should run.
