beaten by 30% gradiant (1 Viewer)

[poppys]

Whilst away in Nth Cornwall last weekend following a coast road just wide enough for my van I came to a hairpin bend on a 30% gradient that I could not get up .OK the road was wet,but I was amazed that a modern 2Ltr Hdi vehicle didn't have enough traction/grunt to do this.So I had to reverse down for about 1/2 mile and the do a 8 point turn to go back the way Id come from that also had a hairpin bend on a 30% grade but had a longer run up, and I just about made this on the second attempt in 1st gear on full throttle with wheels spinning. In all the years I had old air cooled VW`s I was never beaten by any tarmac-ed road. Has anyone else found this problem with front wheel drive.

 

[Douglas]

Yes, quite often, there was one occasion when we where in Tenerife I ended up going along a one way road that had a sharp turn at the bottom of a long straight and steep hill with houses on both side and just wide enough for the van.

The road was cobbled but dry, if anything had have made me stop I would never got going again, as it was my wheels slipped and squeeled all the way up to the top, about 300 meters.

Doug...

 

[motor roamin]

Not with a front wheel drive, but I struggeled up porlock hill in a 1938 Morris 12 thought I was going to have to go up in reverse just made the top:Blush::Blush::Blush::Blush:

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[Jim]

Yes been there, we had an overloaded Bessacar E495. Almost every bit of useful storage was well behind the back axle. Even with my vast bulk in the front, we were always losing traction on wet grass or the steepest hills.

 

[poppys]

The thing is I know my old VW would have made that bend/hill and that was 40 year old technology

 

[williat1]

Beaten by gradient

H,

Two years ago in France towing a Smart Car with a Swift Kontiki FWD, I had the misfortune to stop at a traffic light on the top of a steepish hill.

Lights say go..... but couldn't get any traction. Once one wheel spins....forget it! After the lights had changed three times and enduring many French car horns blasting I managed to get going amidst the biggest smokescreen you've seen since the WW2 convoys.

I vowed that this wouldn't happen again and changed the motorhome for a twin rear wheeled drive Ford based Dethleffs. What a difference. I've been on camp sites where due to adverse conditions, caravans and FWD motorhomes had to be towed on and off their pitches. The RWD Ford showed no wheelspin whatsoever and is number one in my book..... worth considering!

Williat1

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[pappajohn]

our first van, a carrioca 10 on a 2ltr jtd, manage to go up 'the struggle' from ambleside to Kirkstone pass in the lakes.

1st gear all the way but luckily it was dry as it would never get up in the wet.

done the road many times in cars and motorbikes and never gave it a thought in the motorhome till the first real hill out of ambleside.

 

[rainbow chasers]

That is common and is due to there being no weight on the front. If you have this one campsites, turn around and reverse up and it will be fine, as gravity throws the weight to the lowest point.

When traversing tight uphill corners, try to keep your wheels away from the apex, as this will be a steeper gradient - try to follow the faltter line as it were, and accelerate gently without wheelspin. If you really can't turn around, a few volunteers standing on your front end will improve traction!

(open bonnet, sit on slam panel and don't touch the engine!):thumb:

 

[mejulie]

Took my swift kon-tiki up Porlock Hill last year and it cruised up it. Nothing wrong with this Fiat 2.8Jtd.

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[jezport]

In Minehead C&CC site our last van, a transit 2.0 slipped a bit but made it up with a run up. They dont take caravans on that site because of the approach roads.

 

[buttons]

Took the van over Wrynose and Hardknott Passes in the Lake District last year as I have done many times without any problems. On this occasion very wet cold and windy with zero visibility. We lost traction near the top on steepest sharpest bend. Not for the faint-hearted.:Blush:

 

[American Dream]

I will ALWAYS remember the day we visited Crich Tram Museum in the old Bedford motorhome many years ago.....

We were going UP the steep hill and approaching a single lane bridge with a car coming down....

Guess who had to stop.....That was fun...The old diesel did it though.

Just kept it in first gear ....That was one underpowered "bus"..

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[IrasciBill]

Hills

We were going UP the steep hill and approaching a single lane bridge with a car coming down....

Guess who had to stop.....

My Dad (who was an HGV driver) told me many years ago that the "rule of the road" was that if two vehicles met on a narrow road on a hill, it was the vehicle going uphill which should stop and reverse. Apparently dates back to the days of horse-drawn vehicles when it would have been virtually impossible to reverse up a slope!

 

[American Dream]

My Dad (who was an HGV driver) told me many years ago that the "rule of the road" was that if two vehicles met on a narrow road on a hill, it was the vehicle going uphill which should stop and reverse. Apparently dates back to the days of horse-drawn vehicles when it would have been virtually impossible to reverse up a slope!

It certainly made for a Very eventful journey for us...Almost had to get the kids to jump out and push.... In my dreams...

Cheers Bill....I didn't know that.

 

[olley]

Dad was going up Porlock hill around 1955 in a three wheeled reliant van, when cruch! diff gave up, he rolled back down the bottom and the RAC towed us to our campsite in Lyme Regis. He ordered the bits and had it running again by the time our holiday was over.

Olley

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[American Dream]

Dad was going up Porlock hill around 1955 in a three wheeled reliant van, when cruch! diff gave up, he rolled back down the bottom and the RAC towed us to our campsite in Lyme Regis. He ordered the bits and had it running again by the time our holiday was over.

Olley

Hi Olley,

I remember a Holiday with my Parent's and climbing the "Infamous" Porlock Hill in their Moggy 1000.

That was fun....Hot day and a few hot tempers too....

I seem to remember it was around 1963 and we were staying at Butlins Minehead. The first time I had driven a car was along Minehead beach....

Funny how things are remembered...

Thanks.:thumb:

 

[olley]

Your right, another thing I remember about that holiday was dad walking around the bell tent late at night in the pouring rain, knocking the pegs in a bit further as there was a hell off a storm, in the morning we were the only tent still standing and a caravan had turned over.

I was five at the time, the tent was an ex army artic bell tent, complete with camouflage, it was great.

The older you get the more you can reminisce.

Olley