Stability Problem New This Season

techsnap
techsnap Forum Participant Posts: 4
edited May 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hello,

We have a 2005 Bailey Ranger 500/5 (MTPLM 1295kg) which we tow with a 2011 Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi 163 Hatchback.

We toured with this combination all last season with no problems at all - very stable and I would have been happy to go anywhere with the pairing.

Fast forward to the start of this season, and with the car and caravan loaded identically to how we had done it last season, it feels very much less stable. The caravan appears to shake the car around much more than it used to, with pitching particularly
evident. On our first trip out this year we actually encountered a snake for the first time ever, prompted by a lane change over a large undulation in the road surface. Luckily we got through it, but that, coupled with the feeling of less stability has made
me lose confidence in the combination.

We are certain that loading is the same as last season. I have checked noseweight, which I keep a shade under the 90kg limit for the car, and which is just a shade under the recommended 7% of MTPLM too.

I cannot escape the conclusion that it must be something to do with car or caravan, but I can't think what it could be.

The caravan was serviced by an MCEA engineer before the start of the season. The car had it's annual service just before Christmas, when it had rear suspension bushes replaced and 4 brand new tyres fitted.

Following the snake, I've pulled out the pads from the alko stabiliser, and they look a bit glazed so I shall be replacing those with new ones.

Any of the seasoned experts out there got any other suggestions of what I can check or try to get things back to how they were?

Planning to be headed from the South Coast to Telford for the CC National in a couple of weeks, so really need to get this sorted before the long motorway trips.

Thanks

Comments

  • Pathfinder
    Pathfinder Forum Participant Posts: 4,446
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2016 #2

    Check the cars suspension, with the present condition of our roads you could have a broken spring.

  • holmesonwheels24
    holmesonwheels24 Forum Participant Posts: 148
    edited May 2016 #3

    Hello, noting you had new tyres fitted , are they the same make etc that you had peviosly ?  i ask that as on a previous vehicle i had new rear tyres fitted and the cars towing stability suffered. I was lucky that i changed wheels front to rear and problem
    solved.

  • IanBHawkes
    IanBHawkes Forum Participant Posts: 212
    100 Comments
    edited May 2016 #4

    When the van was service were the tyre pressures changed or have the tyres themselves been changed and not balanced?

  • eiflow
    eiflow Forum Participant Posts: 115
    First Comment
    edited May 2016 #5

    Maybe one or both caravan tyres have deformed as a result of between season storage??? Might have been missed in the service.Wink

  • weedkiller
    weedkiller Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited June 2016 #6

    there are two bushes in the rear suspension which may contribute to to the  problem

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited June 2016 #7

    I think i would have to consider replacing the tyres with the original, assuming the new ones are a different make.

    Mean while reducing the NW to say 80kg, and experimenting with the cars tyre pressures, and check the correct bushes have been fitted, or correctly fitted.

  • fur ball
    fur ball Forum Participant Posts: 155
    100 Comments
    edited June 2016 #8

    Hi techsnap, I have a Mondeo, got it from a ford dealer and was shocked how it towed after reading so many good reports. I actually got the dealer to check the suspension because I wondered if that was the problem. They said everything was fine and I hated
    towing with it, cut a long story short a friend who's a hgv mechanic had a look start of this year, I ended up replacing the rear shocks, springs,  bump stops, shock mounts and something like trailing arm bushes on both sides. It now tows like a completely
    different car and I can understand why it gets good write ups. Hope you find the problem.

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