Carthago A-class - wibble-wobble needs sorting

[Minxy]

On our recent holiday we were extremely happy with our Carthago but one thing we want to do something about is the 'jelly' effect when moving around inside which can cause it to 'wobble' a bit ... eg when hubby potters about up front, at the rear in the bed sometimes I feel like I need a sea-sickness tablet! Consequently we'd decided we need to add some steadies but don't have any experience of using them as we only ever had them on one MH in the past (a 2006 Rimor Sailer 645TC) and as it was a twin wheeler it was stable and we never deployed them.

We have an Alko lightweight chassis but I'm not sure what steadies we need to get for it, ie whether we have to get Alko ones or will any do? Should we consider putting a set at the front and rear (we saw a MH at Capo de Gata parking with them at both ends) or should rear ones be sufficient?

Before anyone suggests it I'm not gonna fit an automated levelling jack system as don't want the extra weight and especially the cost.

So, advice/suggestions etc please.

 

[Campervan_man]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=274239588375

These are quite handy. You spin them up and down to suit. It will stop the van from a rockin.

 

[Silver-Fox]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=274239588375

These are quite handy. You spin them up and down to suit. It will stop the van from a rockin.

That’s what I was going to suggest ??

 

[rosalan]

May I suggest that you contact http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/ or someone like them who design and fit what you want. They have a high rating for their work.
I had air suspension fitted by them and they explained that could fit almost anything I wanted.
alternately

This Alko steady was from Ebay and mentioned by Techno in 2013

 

[Grianan]

Mel I’m going to ask a stupid question ... given the Cathargo is not much bigger than the Campscout what is it that means you get the wobble?

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[sweetie]

So it’s a case of don’t come knocking when the motorhome is a rocking.

 

[jezport]

We had rear steadies on our Frankia. Waste of time, if you move at the front the van still wobbled and that was on a heavy Alco chassis.

 

[Minxy]

Mel I’m going to ask a stupid question ... given the Cathargo is not much bigger than the Campscout what is it that means you get the wobble?

Don't know for sure but the wheels at the rear of the Campscout were further back, it had a slightly narrower body and was on the standard Fiat Maxi heavy chassis which was probably more rigid than our current chassis.

 

[Minxy]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=274239588375

These are quite handy. You spin them up and down to suit. It will stop the van from a rockin.

I'd thought of those which you can get in polymer or aluminium and also some ratchet ones in steel:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=161636983050

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=323736418181

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=233343029284

I also wondered about a couple of bottle jacks as we carry one already.

I really want something easy to use as we wild camp or use aires, also sometimes they'd only be used for one night so if they are pratty to set-up and remove they'd just end up left in the MH garage.

Ideally I want something that I can attach to the chassis and ratchet/wind/drop down as/when required and also be fixed to the MH so they won't get nicked!

 

[Jev88]

Don't think ratchet ones will help unless you Jack up, place and then lower on to them.

Spin ups look better.

I have AlKo factory fit on my rear and they take 30 seconds with electric drill. You do sometime need those pad feet though as if ground drops away at rear the legs don't come quite far enough down on softer ground.

Bargain similar ones here (if your chassis has the right holes?)
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=114095947924

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[DavidG58]

E & P you know you really want to I did read your OP, but you are wrong

It will weigh less than 4 bottle jacks and you wont need to carry even one if it was to change a wheel

be grateful you didn't buy a Merc chassis, they really roll around, but then I possibly weigh more than most

 

[Two on Tour]

We used steadies on one of our earlier vans. They were okay on hard standing, but not a lot of use on grass and the like unless it was rock hard.
The reason was that the steadies have a small footprint and after a bit of moving around in the van and the weight of the van, they sunk into the ground enough to get the van rocking again.
We did carry around foot square blocks of wood to increase the footprint and it was great fun crawling around trying to position them and retrieve on wet soggy ground the wind and rain.

We had E&P levellers fitted on this van, and after chucking off the heavy and bloody dangerous jack along with the levelling ramps, the E&P system weighed in at 34Kg and I'm sure the enormous payload of your Carthago can swallow that up and not notice it, so the only problem would be how to prise open your purse.

 

[berni109]

Might just a well have caravan if u are going to mess with corner steadies.

 

[peterc10]

We installed Alko steadies at the rear of our 7.5m A class to try to stop the rocking when one of us went to the loo at night. Not really successful because they could never take enough weight off the suspension to make any difference.

 

[Wagoneer]

Minxy Girl I believe you have some kind of air suspension on the rear axle. If it's adjustable, perhaps it hasn't been pumped up enough. Just a thought

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[Clarky]

You know that DavidG58 is right.
Just bite the bullet and prize that purse open a tad more.
You won’t regret it.

Richard.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

don't want the extra weight and especially the cost.

It’s only money and the HPC system is light compared to the E&P, it’s only added about 25kg to ours with getting rid of the jack and Quattro ramps.
If we pull up for a cuppa and don’t deploy the jacks the rocking becomes annoying very quickly having got used to being rock steady.

 

[jezport]

I would rather rock around than have to get 4 axle stands and 4 sheets of wood out every time I pitch up. Then theres crawling in the mud and packing all the muddy gear away. Id rather have a caravan.

Unfortunately theirs only one way to do it cleanly, easily and properly. You know what it is and its not cheap.
You wont end up a lot heavier once you've thrown the jack and leveling blocks out, and your wallet will be lighter! The standard springs on the maxi chassis are bad enough so I dread to think what they are like on a lightweight!

 

[Lenny HB]

You cheapskate Mel, just cough up and fit the E&P's if you want to stop it rocking.
Personally we love the van rocking in the wind.

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

Hi Mel..


It is the nature of the beast. By that ..the rear over hang is a lot longer than your previous motorhome (PVC) .
We were talking to David at Go European on the week end and checking out a 69 plates Compact like yours as they were dropping the cost quite considerably. He did say when we were on board the movement was due to the over hang and that the air ride may compensate for it but did not always. Some thing to live with unless you can warrant the extra high cost unfortunately.
Either way...Nice truck but thought it was a little Too Compact for us .

Regards Kev

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[Two on Tour]

You know that DavidG58 is right.
Just bite the bullet and prize that purse open a tad more.
You won’t regret it.

Richard.

Well, I'am surprised at you Clarky that you even acknowledge a Carthago owner that does not have a proper automatic levelling system, how uncouth they are and letting down the side, after all it's just not cricket old boy.

Shame her into spending the money as it's for her own good and the only way to solve their problem.

 

[Wagoneer]

Keep it simple is my motto (KISS). Just something else to go wrong and lessen your payload. Just learn to live with it.....it's not a train crash !!!

The only advantage I can see is changing a tyre....and how many times do you need to do that ?

 

[Steve N Tracy]

I still have these for sale, I fitted them to our Dethleffs and removed them when I sold it, they are light and worked well, just did not need them on the new van as we had self leveling fitted.
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/light-weight-rear-steadies.194651/

 

[paddymcc]

We find that our steadies (fitting by Hymer to the Merc chassis) work really well. We do carry a couple of planks to spread the weight on grass and 2 blocks for when the ground drops away at the back. Our daughter is quite restless at night and it makes a real difference. We do have air suspension on about 3 bar. It is important to wind down firmly. I tend to do one side then return to it after winding down the other. If you have awareness of the shower drainage you can often improve drainage a bit by choosing which side to tension most ( the poor person's levelling jack's!).
Glad you are liking the Carthago.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Get yourself a PVC you know you want to.

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[StephDeLux]

the HPC system is light.

Well, I just got a disappointment on that front. When I visited their booth at Düsseldorf, they announced 45Kg for the system. Now I got the actual quote and the weight is announced to be 65Kg after all.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Well, I just got a disappointment on that front. When I visited their booth at Düsseldorf, they announced 45Kg for the system. Now I got the actual quote and the weight is announced to be 65Kg after all.

Phil and Cath at AS Warrington can tell you the exact weight as they have all the components to hand.
Cath would be happy to chat to you and tell you what they actually weigh.

 

[StephDeLux]

Phil and Cath at AS Warrington can tell you the exact weight as they have all the components to hand.

The quote and the weight was from the manufacturer directly.

 

[Camdoon]

Had a set on one van. They went down once then never again as we felt it was a matter of time until we drove off while ripping them off.

 

[Landy Andy]

I still have these for sale, I fitted them to our Dethleffs and removed them when I sold it, they are light and worked well, just did not need them on the new van as we had self leveling fitted.
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/light-weight-rear-steadies.194651/

Ours are the same as these ones. They are standard fit on our Adria 7m MoHo. We find they help a lot and stop the wobble when one person is moving and the other one isn’t

They are easily used, and a small bit of wood under each foot makes them work even on the soft

Once down I put the winding handle across my pedals, so can’t drive away with them down. They do have a fail safe system, where they will fold, but only if you drive off forward.

Andy.

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