Volvo Community Forum. The Forums of the Volvo Owners Club

Forum Rules Volvo Owners Club About VOC Volvo Gallery Links Volvo History Volvo Press
Go Back   Volvo Owners Club Forum > "Technical Topics" > Towing and Caravan Topics

Notices

Towing and Caravan Topics A forum for all towing/caravanning related topics

Information
  • VOC Members: There is no login facility using your VOC membership number or the details from page 3 of the club magazine. You need to register in the normal way
  • AOL Customers: Make sure you check the 'Remember me' check box otherwise the AOL system may log you out during the session. This is a known issue with AOL.
  • AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net users. Forum owners such as us are finding that AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net are blocking a lot of email generated from forums. This may mean your registration activation and other emails will not get to you, or they may appear in your spam mailbox

Thread Informations

Towing caravan / snaking

Views : 7349

Replies : 40

Users Viewing This Thread :  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old Jul 24th, 2016, 16:07   #21
volvorocks
Rodney
 
volvorocks's Avatar
 

Last Online: Aug 4th, 2016 06:02
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: On The Street
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Munro83 View Post
I have been doing some research on this. I always thought that if the caravan starts to snake you accelerate out of it? I don't mean drag race style but a steady pull out of the snake?
I've towed heavy trailers with tons of stones etc but I'm new to towing caravans which will be affected by side winds etc.
What's your thoughts / opinions?
I have heard that as well, although I think the 'accelerate out of it' solution is best suited to the Stigs of this world...!!

Whenever I have detected a bit of instability whilst towing, I have eased off the gas pedal, that is eased off, rather than just an abrupt removal of my foot off the pedal.

Regards
volvorocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jul 25th, 2016, 13:37   #22
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by volvorocks View Post
I have heard that as well, although I think the 'accelerate out of it' solution is best suited to the Stigs of this world...!!

Whenever I have detected a bit of instability whilst towing, I have eased off the gas pedal, that is eased off, rather than just an abrupt removal of my foot off the pedal.

Regards
You don't really want to be accelerating - you are just applying enough power to restore a situation where the car is pulling the caravan, not the other way around. This usually restores most mild sways but obviously you don't want to be doing it on a hill...
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Jul 25th, 2016, 19:57   #23
Munro83
Senior Member
 
Munro83's Avatar
 

Last Online: Jul 1st, 2022 19:47
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Default

So that's us back from our long weekend away. To be honest I don't know why I was worrying- just use common sense and keep alert!
Although one thing I've noticed is that when your towing a caravan you all of a sudden become very aware of the state of the roads in this country! The amount of pot holes, which normally you can dodge at the last second in a car, are ridiculous!! And not just in town driving. Sitting at 55-60 on the duel carriageway with a huge lorry passing you at the same time hitting a series of cracks and huge pot holes is no laughing matter!!
Munro83 is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Munro83 For This Useful Post:
Old Aug 29th, 2016, 22:33   #24
andyredz
andyredz - c30 r design
 
andyredz's Avatar
 

Last Online: Oct 26th, 2019 12:56
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Oxford
Default Top Gear caravan episode

Just happened to be watching a Top Gear episode in my brothers caravan on Saturday - they were not being kind to caravans. I was amazed at the amount of stick they were giving them yet they weren't straight to disaster or ruin, they took a lot of abuse before they failed.

On snaking etc, it really is down to load distribution and common sense.
andyredz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Sep 12th, 2016, 10:38   #25
axle4
Senior Member
 

Last Online: Oct 7th, 2017 07:38
Join Date: May 2010
Location: rugby
Default

Had a massive snake/sway what ever you want to call it.
towing a 1100kg van that we have had from new, now 9yrs old, with a Jaguar x-type 3ltr awd estate. weather good, road good, van loaded correctly, nose weight checked (how many people do that), ride height fine, tyre pressures checked and tyres no more than 3yrs old, car good, have towed this van with it three times before without problems, picking up speed from 50mph to 60 when the van started swaying violently throwing the rear of the jag from side to side, took my feet off the pedals and tried to hold the steering wheel straight, very lucky, the van 'kissed' both wings of the car enough to scuff the paint but not dent it, ended up with the nose of the jag in the crash barrier at about 5mph, no air bags set off, bumper did a good job but now need a new one or at least some paint, tow bar slightly bent, tyre damaged and wheel scrap.
I drive lgv's for a living so used to towing, had caravans for 35yrs and know how to load etc.
Scared the crap out of my wife.
Still no idea what coursed it.
axle4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Oct 3rd, 2016, 22:38   #26
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by axle4 View Post
Had a massive snake/sway what ever you want to call it.
towing a 1100kg van that we have had from new, now 9yrs old, with a Jaguar x-type 3ltr awd estate. weather good, road good, van loaded correctly, nose weight checked (how many people do that), ride height fine, tyre pressures checked and tyres no more than 3yrs old, car good, have towed this van with it three times before without problems, picking up speed from 50mph to 60 when the van started swaying violently throwing the rear of the jag from side to side, took my feet off the pedals and tried to hold the steering wheel straight, very lucky, the van 'kissed' both wings of the car enough to scuff the paint but not dent it, ended up with the nose of the jag in the crash barrier at about 5mph, no air bags set off, bumper did a good job but now need a new one or at least some paint, tow bar slightly bent, tyre damaged and wheel scrap.
I drive lgv's for a living so used to towing, had caravans for 35yrs and know how to load etc.
Scared the crap out of my wife.
Still no idea what coursed it.
That sounds horrifying, but at least there's only scuffed paint and no injuries. Presumably it's a setup you're used to and was previously predictable? I just wonder if it was some sort of malfunction such as caravan brake sticking or tyre going flat?
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Oct 4th, 2016, 16:49   #27
Billggski
Senior Member
 

Last Online: Nov 15th, 2019 14:19
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Stone
Default

http://support.volvocars.com/uk/cars...a801e800aa3bfc
Billggski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Oct 4th, 2016, 21:57   #28
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Not sure if this link will work, but:

https://www.facebook.com/dunlaoghair...1663689527395/
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Oct 5th, 2016, 00:04   #29
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Billggski View Post
I didn't know that - looks like all models have it.
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Oct 5th, 2016, 08:33   #30
axle4
Senior Member
 

Last Online: Oct 7th, 2017 07:38
Join Date: May 2010
Location: rugby
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tannaton View Post
That sounds horrifying, but at least there's only scuffed paint and no injuries. Presumably it's a setup you're used to and was previously predictable? I just wonder if it was some sort of malfunction such as caravan brake sticking or tyre going flat?
Brakes are fine, tyre blown while the van was dancing, heard it go. Caravan Club have test's which show that a blow out only rarely courses the caravan to lose control.
Towed the van with 8 cars, the jag was on it's third go, first two were fine, had the jag moted expecting it to fail on rear suspension which would explain it but passed no problem, caravan checked and serviced again no problems.
axle4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 18:49.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.