- nebc100
- Member Since: 08 Mar 2019
- Location: Altlinster
- Posts: 408
Hello,
Sorry to hear your problems!!
Have you had the same problem towing something else?
I regularly tow my horses (combined weight of 2700kg!!) and the D5 has never caused any problem. In december i towed for 15 hours straight (with breaks of course) on all sirts of roads and in weather from sun to rain storm to wind and the d5 towed as well as the d3 that I had before.
- Russell
- Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
- Location: Lydd
- Posts: 1102
We also have a large twin axle 8 foot wide van, and tow all over with it. Yes it does tow different to the D3, D4 but it is lighter and come to think about it the D4 towed different to the D3.
The one thing I have noticed is that if I put heavy bikes on the back of the van it does affect the towing, if i leave the bikes off or put a light road bike on the back it is a lot better. The other thing I have found is the nose weight has to be at the higher level
Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
- al cope
- Member Since: 02 Jan 2019
- Location: Oldbury
- Posts: 372
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@ Russ - by putting your bikes on the back of the 'van you lighten the noseweight (back down, front up), so to compensate and get the noseweight back up, you move load in the 'van forward - but to my mind that then means having heavier items (bikes at the back, load at the front) at each end, which if the 'van started to sway would exasperate the sway (think pendulem). I was always told to try and keep the heavy stuff down low and in the middle of the 'van, which is why I've never understodd the bike carriers on the back of caravans.
Al
Now gone - D5 HSE 2Ltr in Corris with black roof, black & dynamic packs & 22" black alloys, a bit of a change after 2 D3's and 2 D4's
- mordred1973
- Member Since: 08 Jan 2019
- Location: Northamptonshire
- Posts: 758
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heaviest thing we have at rear of caravan is the 5 camping chairs, since they sit nicely under the rear seat. Awnging is normally over the front axle and the rest is "all about". In general behind the D5 I need to keep the noseweight as high as I can then all is well. Behind the old XC60 (550kg lighter car same caravan) didn't have that worry, which I think is down the the fact the XC60 had rock hard suspension and 40 profile tyres, compared to the soft suspension and high profile tyres on the D5.
2023 D300 Metropolitan, Hakuba Silver, Low Range, Solar screen, Deployable towbar, FBH, sidesteps.
- pdes
- Member Since: 11 Oct 2016
- Location: Cambridge
- Posts: 233
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nebc100 wrote:
Hello,
Sorry to hear your problems!!
Have you had the same problem towing something else?
I regularly tow my horses (combined weight of 2700kg!!) and the D5 has never caused any problem. In december i towed for 15 hours straight (with breaks of course) on all sirts of roads and in weather from sun to rain storm to wind and the d5 towed as well as the d3 that I had before.
Hi, yes this caravan is a newer one so I have had the same issues with two vans of the same size.
I think the issue is apparent/magnified by the length of the van causing an exaggerated pendulum effect. There are some excellent YouTube videos demonstrating this. I would still have expected the electronic wizardry to compensate. I think a horse box has much less mass at the back and almost all the weight centred around the axles so should be inherently more stable.
Cheers
D5 HSE SDi6, 2019, Santorini Black, privacy glass, HUD, loads of gizmos!! 😃😃😃
Series 1, 1953, 86"
- nebc100
- Member Since: 08 Mar 2019
- Location: Altlinster
- Posts: 408
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Maybe the mass is over the wheels better, but the mass is moving around because the horses are moving. Take 2 friesian horse with a mass of 700kg each arguing with eachother in the back, and you feel it!! 😁
I have towed a caravan with my d5, but i have also towed a d3 on a flatbed with it, and it handled it really well. Just as well as my RRS.
- Russell
- Member Since: 26 Jun 2016
- Location: Lydd
- Posts: 1102
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al cope wrote:
@ Russ - by putting your bikes on the back of the 'van you lighten the noseweight (back down, front up), so to compensate and get the noseweight back up, you move load in the 'van forward - but to my mind that then means having heavier items (bikes at the back, load at the front) at each end, which if the 'van started to sway would exasperate the sway (think pendulem). I was always told to try and keep the heavy stuff down low and in the middle of the 'van, which is why I've never understodd the bike carriers on the back of caravans.
Al
Al I fully agree with your comments and am well aware of that. However the likes of Swift etc who put them on the back of vans don't account for people who do not take this into account.
Namib Orange 1st Edition with black roof and wheels.
Privacy, tow bar, drive pack, surround camera, heated front & rear seats, auto dim door mirrors, side steps, remote Pro, RSE, arm rest fridge dash cam front and rear.
