Spring Assisters

[paul d]

After a bit of advice please.

Not having towed with a 75 before & usually horseboxes before i was wondering if the 75 needs or would benefit from spring assisters.If so any particular type.

I'll be towing an Avondale Dart & would be greatful for any advice anyone can give.

Thanks in advance

Regards

Paul

[reworht]

Paul
I've just done a round trip of about 280 miles with a 1450kgs Buccaneer Elan 15 'van - mixture of motorway and "up hill and down dale" A roads to the Scottish Borders and back. No spring helpers, no bottoming out, and to be honest, apart from some nasty side winds this morning, absolutely NO problems.
I can't even see that the car settles down at the back when the 'van is hooked up - so my opinion is there isn't a need for spring helpers
At the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, concentrate on loading the caravan well so that it isn't either nose or tail heavy, and you should have no problems at all - unlike the poor chap on the A1 Southbound just South of Alnwick this lunch time - the 'van on its side in the crash barriers and the car stood on its nose in the outside lane, facing the wrong way

[paul d]

Thanks for that

Hope you had a good break? Of course you're quite right, the loading is as important as anything else. Realisticly i should have look 7 asked on here before listening to others. "a friend said"

Never had to have assisters with the other cars with the horse boxes, again its how you load the horses, which ones you're taking as to which side you load then etc.

Will be taking the van out next weekend, only local this time so give me a chance to see what it's like,

Sounds like a nasty one you witnessed the aftermath of earlier. Just think if your sensible you'll be ok. Hope they were ok?

Again thanks for the help, most appriciated.

Regards

Paul

[reworht]

Originally Posted by paul d

Thanks for that

Hope you had a good break? Of course you're quite right, the loading is as important as anything else. Realisticly i should have look 7 asked on here before listening to others. "a friend said"

Never had to have assisters with the other cars with the horse boxes, again its how you load the horses, which ones you're taking as to which side you load then etc.

Will be taking the van out next weekend, only local this time so give me a chance to see what it's like,

Sounds like a nasty one you witnessed the aftermath of earlier. Just think if your sensible you'll be ok. Hope they were ok?

Again thanks for the help, most appriciated.

Regards

Paul

The driver and passenger (both elderly) were out and at the side of the road, so that made be feel a bit better - the caravan and car can be replaced .....
I did keep down to about 45/50mph maximum as there were some serious gusts of wind - from the side!
Thoroughly enjoyed my first few days in the 'van (which is new to me) - I've already got another 4 days in June and 19 in July booked - I'm making the most of my retirement

[DerekS]

A) join the caravan club,

B) read well the information about loading a caravan .

(you are advised to always load it nose heavy ) .

[paul d]

"I'm making the most of my retirement "

Thats the way to do it.!! I know exactly how you feel. I'm taking early retirement at the end of July, but with holiday to use & time off for good behavior LOL i'm hardly back & so enjoying it. Got 5 weeks booked down on the Gower from middle of next month for starters.

Enjoy it You've worked all your life for it.

Regards

Paul

[paul d]

Originally Posted by DerekS

A) join the caravan club,

B) read well the information about loading a caravan .

(you are advised to always load it nose heavy ) .

Just joined & waiting for my membership stuff, will be reading it all with great interest.

Yet again. Thanks to all for the help & input.

Regards

Paul

[bubbas]

Originally Posted by reworht

Paul
I've just done a round trip of about 280 miles with a 1450kgs Buccaneer Elan 15 'van - mixture of motorway and "up hill and down dale" A roads to the Scottish Borders and back. No spring helpers, no bottoming out, and to be honest, apart from some nasty side winds this morning, absolutely NO problems.
I can't even see that the car settles down at the back when the 'van is hooked up - so my opinion is there isn't a need for spring helpers
At the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, concentrate on loading the caravan well so that it isn't either nose or tail heavy, and you should have no problems at all - unlike the poor chap on the A1 Southbound just South of Alnwick this lunch time - the 'van on its side in the crash barriers and the car stood on its nose in the outside lane, facing the wrong way

I saw that I was on my way back to cresswell from Alnwick

[macafee2]

Here is a caravan forum http://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/ no where as good as this forum but still can be of help. The Rover 75 has I think a 100kg tow ball weight which is quite heavy for a car. I have not got assistors and not had a problem but there is only 2 of us and we have not yet taken cycles which will add some weight. the car sits quite level and does not give cause to worry about cycles being added
macafee2

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by DerekS

A) join the caravan club,

B) read well the information about loading a caravan .

(you are advised to always load it nose heavy ) .

100Kg is the max load for my chassis, my towbar and for the car. I settled on 75/80Kg and mine has just towed 500miles some over the Welsh mountains and it was fine.

I didn't need them, but they were offered cheap for my last car, so I fitted them (the rubber ones around the coil springs). There was no noticeable difference.