Towing a caravan

[apssrf]

Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice please. We have invested in a caravan for longer hols. Have checked the forums and the general consensus seems to be that the towsure towbar is the one to go for?

Also it seems like we might need to get spring assistors fitted - is this a good idea?

Finally someone told me that we will need an additional transmission oil cooler as the Bongo is automatic - any opinions on this?

Cheers

[missfixit70]

1 - Possibly
2 - Depends on the size of the 'van, probably improve handling under load anyway, so I'd go for it
3 - If you can be bothered, be easy enough to do, but not entirely necessary by accounts on here.

[Richard D]

Been towing a caravan with mine (2wd tintop) for years fitted an anker towbar (was cheaper), not fitted spring assisters as if the caravan is loaded sensibly and weight is distributed evenly they shouldnt be needed and not fitted any extra cooling devices.

[neil/di]

Hi I am thinking of buying a swift challenger 490 i think it ways about 950kg, bessey is a 4wd 1996 bongo,having never towed a caravan before, will she cope or comments
thanks
Neil

[missfixit70]

Easily, you won't be racing from the lights though

[scanner]

I wouldn't use the spring assisters.
They stop the spring compressing evenly and I've heard of too many people suffering broken springs when using them.
.

[missfixit70]

Depends if you're talking the rubber things between the coils - in which case I'd agree with you Scanner, or the airbag jobbies inside the spring, which I'm contemplating fitting when funds allow to help out with my back box in situ.

[scanner]

Depends if you're talking the rubber things between the coils - in which case I'd agree with you Scanner, or the airbag jobbies inside the spring, which I'm contemplating fitting when funds allow to help out with my back box in situ.

Spring "assisters" invariably means the rubber blocks in my experience.


The air bags that fit inside the springs generally (should) get referred to as air suspension as they take over most of the load bearing function.

But as usual the wrong name is often applied to them - on this subject has anyone seen the "Auto Balans" rubber ball type ones, (that used to be sold by the Koni damper importers) for sale recently?
They seem to have vanished of the face of the earth.

[haydn callow]

We tow a 900kg van....no problem at all...however a point to note....I have a TM-2 temp gauge fitted with the sensor on the "exaust" side of the cylinder head....Without the van it reads between 95/105 C....with the van we read between 100/120 C....the highest with the van has been 122C.....Not a problem and the Bongo gauge is still spot on 11 o'clock (bongo sensor on inlet side.)
When I had the sensor for the TM-2 on the inlet side under a rocker cover bolt the highest temp attained towing was 108 C.
I think I may move it back to the inlet side. makes no differance to what's happening.. but less scarey.

I have seen Bongo's towing large 4/5 berth vans....no problem

The only differance I notice when towing is a bit of a back end shudder when pulling away.

[neil/di]

Thanks for tyhat I feel more reasured. Does it put mor strain on the auto box, and what is rearend shudder
Neil

[haydn callow]

I wish I understood this rear end shudder....seems it could be "VC windup" don't really understand what it's all about....help anyone ??

[mikeonb4c]

We tow a 900kg van....no problem at all...however a point to note....I have a TM-2 temp gauge fitted with the sensor on the "exaust" side of the cylinder head....Without the van it reads between 95/105 C....with the van we read between 100/120 C....the highest with the van has been 122C.....Not a problem and the Bongo gauge is still spot on 11 o'clock (bongo sensor on inlet side.)
When I had the sensor for the TM-2 on the inlet side under a rocker cover bolt the highest temp attained towing was 108 C.
I think I may move it back to the inlet side. makes no differance to what's happening.. but less scarey.

What would be useful for the TM2 owning community is if a standard/recommended fixing position was agreed and used so that some kind of standard indicators of normal and abnormal behaviour might be arrived at. Maybe the TM2 fitting instructions could recommend a position, to encourage it? Mind you, I can see that it will still be difficult as ambient air temperatures and variations in airflow over the engine would also influence the temperature at the engine block surface. It's this kind of issue that makes me think the Mason alarm is in many ways a better way to monitor engine temperature, since it uses the standard sensor immersed in the coolant. It is interesting to reflect that human body temperatures are measured by trying to place the sensor nearer to the bloodstream and away from any exposure to surface or extremity effects.

[haydn callow]

We already do have a recommended position and we provide a correct sized bolt.

However as I say earlier...when towing this position does read a high temp.

[Etienne & Katie]

What is the Towing Capacity of a SGL3 and SGL5?
cheers

E

[haydn callow]

As I understand it.. the caravan club recommends not more than 85% of the weight of the towing vehicle.