Heritage Spaceland Specifications;
Overview
Details
Specifications
Network ID
SSE-AD-15297809
Item
8.5m (28ft) 28ft Separate Bedroom
Price
$74,500* Excl. Govt. Charges
Sub-Category
Caravan
Length
28 ft / 8.53 m
Suspension
Beam and leaf
GVM
3,245 kg
ATM
3,480 kg
Seating Capacity
7 people
Sleeps
5 people
Fridge
Gas electric
Shower/Toilet
Ensuite
Last Modified
17/06/2023
__________________
Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
So, provided it was just the driver and no more than a toothbrush in the Ranger, perfectly legal. And perfectly safe provided it was not taken out of the driveway.
However, assuming the generally accepted 10% towball weight, with that ridiculous towball overhang, the Ranger would be ridiculously overloaded on the rear axle.
As Greg says, the new V6 model has an increased GCM, but the rear axle carrying capacity is still too low at 1959kg.
However, as you have said, it is probably a better bet than is an LC200 because of the Ranger's longer wheelbase and slightly better rear axle carrying capacity.
Still a stupid set-up, not to mention illegal safety chains, and no way is it safe, with 3150kg weight on wheels van (assuming 10%TBW) behind a car with maybe 3000kg weight on wheels. Cheers.
It would be interesting to see everyones weight check reports on their set up, in fact it would be interesting to know who even has a current weigh report.
Now, not to brag or boast, but just to state some facts, here is the result of my weight check.
Mine was done two weeks ago, and it was an almost perfect weight distribution between front and rear axles, and from side to side.
The travel height of the body, to the ground of the caravan when hitched to the prime mover was 720 mm on the front, and 720 mm on the rear, so it was perfectly level.
My prime mover rear axle only dropped by 10 mm with the caravan attached, and my front dropped by zero.
My gross combined mass remaining is 1103 kg.
I did need to add about 30kg to the front tool boxes to increase the tow ball weight, as they were empty. No messy BBQ and no jerry cans.
So after months of researching for the ideal caravan for my needs, and a prime mover that can carry all of my leisure gear, and tow safely, I guess I got it right.
I havn't checked weighed ours since 2019 as we have been stationary since the start of covid, livinging in our van in the Whitsundays.
Ranger/Caravan was 60kg under the GCM, the Caravan was 10kg over the GTM, front and rear axle weights were within the limits.
Since being static the van and ute have gone on a weight loss program, a lot of feel good rubbish and never or little use items are gone. Things like gas bottles now we have 2x3.7kg instead of the 9kg's, all except one solar panels are gone along with the 2nd Battery, we have dropped the 120ah to an 80ah, water tanks are almost empty less than a quarter in each. Because we dont free camp these item are a waste of time and weight.
By the time we leave here it will mean a complete resetup of hitch height and WDH adjustment, along with a visit to the weighbridge.
I may need some educating from the group because to me, this looks suicidal. just checked the Ford Ranger curb weight from Ford Australia web site at 2331KG. What kind of unthinking ninny is going to tow such a huge slab sided tri axle ****wa on the highways using such a small vehicle, talk about the tail wagging the dog. they should take a leaf out of Graham's book and tow it with a sensible vehicle. All those small dual cabs have a major design fault where the tow bar has too much leverage because the rear wheels are so far forward.
Before all the rules regarding weights came in, the old man towed a 25' Viscount over much of Australia with a Toyota Crown.
In fact on one trip coming back from SA in the early 70's, I was following him in a Corolla. As we pulled into the Eucla Roadhouse driveway my water pump seized solid. One Corolla out of action.
So we ran a tow rope to the vans rear axle and the Crown towed both van and Corolla all the way to Esperance where we could get a service kit to repair the water pump.
What you did in the 60's and 70's you would be shot for these days.
I may need some educating from the group because to me, this looks suicidal. just checked the Ford Ranger curb weight from Ford Australia web site at 2331KG. What kind of unthinking ninny is going to tow such a huge slab sided tri axle ****wa on the highways using such a small vehicle, talk about the tail wagging the dog. they should take a leaf out of Graham's book and tow it with a sensible vehicle. All those small dual cabs have a major design fault where the tow bar has too much leverage because the rear wheels are so far forward.
Since a member earlier claimed a "myriad of BS" had been posted I had decided to refrain from further participation in this thread, as it was clear to me that some know little, understand less , and clearly have no interest in learning. The fact that the van pictured was likely not loaded does not change the fact that that Ranger has no chance of safely towing a 3500kg ATM van, which is what I posted.
Anyway, back to your post, and I agree that the set-up certainly looks "suicidal", and would indeed be likely to suffer from the "Tail wagging the Dog" syndrome. The effects of yaw would be dramatic, with a quick measurement suggesting there is at least 12 feet of caravan behind the rear axis. Stupidity in the extreme.
"Your reference to "small dual cabs" also is of interest, as these cars rarely are capable of safely towing more than about 3000kg ATM as a PIG trailer because of low GCM and stupidly low rear axle carrying capacity.
The V6 Ranger has a lot better capacity than most others, but still too low if you wish to carry much more than the driver and his toothbrush whilst towing.. (Thanks Stephen!) Cheers.
P.S Like Greg's father, I also towed a ridiculously big tri-axle van in NSW outback, with the headlights of the CL Valiant pointing skyward, the towbar just clear of the ground, and the whole rig wandering, at will, all over the road. Still, at 80km/hr it went OK.
With age, knowledge increases and sometimes wisdom is also gained. What we might have done as 'bullet-proof' youngsters is generally foregone in later life. A knowledge of weights (masses) and specifications is a vital asset to those grey nomads who wish to stay safe on the road and remain insured.
