Towing feeling

[Realist]

Used our Moho and toad for the first time last weekend with one issue (starter) but thats another storey.

Moho has a plate weight of 5500 and A frame about 26kg and car is 1100kg but towing it felt like the tyres was under inflated flat feeling and it was a bit swayee if that’s a word I could use.

Now the rear garage is full mind you and I weighed the Moho and including all the bits, car, me, wife I was under by around 600kg.

So the garage cause this issue?
Could I or should I increase tyre pressure to compensate?

Thinking of adding air suspension to the rear would that help?

Regards.

 

[icantremember]

Have you checked the rear axle loaded weight ... it sounds like you may be over.

 

[Phill D]

agree, rear axle loading and tyre pressures. first points to check.

 

[Realist]

Yeh my rear garage is full so going to remove bits we don’t need or use and increase tyre pressure on the rea4 a bit and see how that goes, if I’m right that is.

 

[Realist]

I’ll weight the rear axel and see what it is.

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[TheTwoOfUs]

Is 5500 the train weight or the gross weight of the van?

 

[Realist]

 

[The Wino]

I'm no expert but it looks like your max vehicle weight is 4005 k and you might well be over the rear axle weight with a towbar and full garage

 

[Phill D]

4005 gross, train is 5500.

 

[Lucky]

Maybe check your tow ball noseweight too. Get that wrong and the trailer can misbehave quite noticeably to the point of being dangerous.

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[TheTwoOfUs]

Rear axle load shouldn't exceed 2400kg.

 

[tonyidle]

Maybe check your tow ball noseweight too. Get that wrong and the trailer can misbehave quite noticeably to the point of being dangerous.

No trailer he's using an A frame - which accounted for in his OP.

 

[Lucky]

No trailer he's using an A frame - which accounted for in his OP.

Whoops, missed that, sorry.

 

[Realist]

Right just weighed the MoHo as it sits fully loaded less water and fuel so.....

FL 585
FR 845
RL 1106
RR 1227

Total 3763

Car weight 1358
A Frame 26

By my calc I’m under by 353kg.

Am I being dull or what?

 

[Realist]

Car towed like a dream but felt like a bit wibbly wobbly like flat tyres.

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[mitzimad]

rear axle is getting close with out fuel or water so you are on or close to limits

 

[Realist]

Hence the question about adding air suspension and increasing tyre pressure.

 

[Realist]

Rear axel weights can be reduced as I have quite a few KG of kit I don’t really need like a 26kg generator etc.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

You have 2400 - 2333 (1106+1227) = 67kg spare on the rear axle. If the A frame weighs 26kg, with the overhang I would think you are very close if not over it's limit.

 

[Realist]

Close, I’ll remove some stuff from the garage.

Thanks all.

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[Phill D]

i need to go out to my van and get my copy of the Conti tyre pressure for loadings. there is a niggling in the back of my mind that the tyres you have have a max load of 2200kgs per axle. however,,,, i could be talking B******x will go and check. either way you would need 80psi in the rears with that weight.

i shall return to correct myself shortly....

 

[Phill D]

my apologies i got your thread mixed with another on tyre pressures.
15" conti camper tyres have a max axle load of 2060kgs

so i assume you have 16" wheels for the additional load

 

[Realist]

Yes 16” wheels.

 

[pappajohn]

Have you checked the pressures on the car?
Unlike a caravan or trailer there's obviously a wheel at each corner and the car WILL NOT sway in the same manner.
But if the cars pressures are a bit low it could 'yaw'..... Swing from side to side rolling on the tyres.

 

[Phill D]

apparently there are a number of cars that suffer from front wheel shimmy at a specific speed when towed.

if all is well on the motorhome it may well be worth checking over the front end of the TOAD, joints, bearing play, tracking etc. if only just to eliminate them.

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[gus-lopez]

Right just weighed the MoHo as it sits fully loaded less water and fuel so.....

FL 585
FR 845
RL 1106
RR 1227

Total 3763

Car weight 1358
A Frame 26

By my calc I’m under by 353kg.

Am I being dull or what?

I'd be concerned why the front right is 260kgs more than the left ?

 

[pappajohn]

I'd be concerned why the front right is 260kgs more than the left ?

More furniture, possibly fridge & cooker or water tank, plus driver on that side maybe.

 

[DandG5515]

Bought a toad a couple of months ago and towed it home with wife’s car, towed a 930kg car with a 950kg car, would certainly describe it as swayee. When home found tyre pressures on toad low by 3-5psi. Also when a frame on jockey wheel, slight movement sideways of hitch. Needed a couple of washers to bring the legs of the a frame closer to tighten the movement on the a frame. Tows fine now.

 

[Bessy765]

I would start by trying to balance the vans load you are a lot heavier on the offside.when towing with an A frame although a Toad is not very heavy you have to overcome the friction of the steering as you change direction, (if you jack the front of a car up the turn the steering by holding a front wheel) this may aggravated by how your van is loaded.

 

[Realist]

Thanks all.

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