Towing in comfort

why bother
why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
edited October 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi all, 

Very new to this caravan towing malarky, we have been out  twice now, to caravan club sites, which have boh been very nice sites.

However, I tow a coachman 4 berth patische with a 15 plate shogun sg3. I have checked the nose wieght and she is at 95 kg, the shogun is ok to 125kgs.

Whilst travelling, usually at speeds above 40mph, the tow car "seasaws" from front to back, not side to side. The ride is quite uncomfortable, I would not like to do a long distance as is.The van is loaded correctly, all there is inside is 3 sets bedding,
empty roll and waste containers and a few odds and sodds.

Tire pressures are ok. Any suggestions?

Mick West

Comments

  • johnathome
    johnathome Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited October 2016 #2

    Your already way up on nose weight , so I would seek advice on uprating the rear shock absorbers and springs on the car.

    sure to be another on here who tows with a shogun.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #3

    We used to tow with a Shogun and had no problems. It's a big beefy beast well capable of towing with a 95kg noseweight. It's almost impossible to diagnose without seeing the set up but it won't be noseweight of 95 out of the allowed 125 kg that's causing the problem. It may even do better with increased noseweight but there could be numerous reasons for the problem. 

    PS. I'm assuming it's a LWB Shogun. I suspect the SWB version might not be as stable.

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited October 2016 #4

    Thanks for that. It is a lwb. I have thought of carring a bag of sand in the gas compartment. It is  very odd, as the shogun is a big beast, which is why I bought it. I shall wait and see what other members are going to throw in the pot!

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #5



    From your description of the problem, WB, it could possibly be a faulty ECU in the Shogun. We had a similar problem with a Kia after a software update.

    Do you use four wheel drive when towing as recommended in the hand book? Is your van level when connected to the car?

    The Shogun is more than capable of towing any touring caravan without modification and your problem could well be a mechanical one rather than an issue with the set up of your rig.

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited October 2016 #6

    Thinking of the obvious, is your stablizer OK? are you setting it properly when you hitch up?

  • fur ball
    fur ball Forum Participant Posts: 155
    100 Comments
    edited October 2016 #7

    Not knowing how long you have owned or how old your shogun is maybe check the rear suspension, I had a similar problem with a Mondeo I brought from a ford dealer and it turned out to need new shocks and top mounts, I also replaced the springs and the difference
    was astounding, it went from a car that I wouldn't want to tow with to a car that is a pleasure.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #8

    Not knowing how long you have owned or how old your shogun is maybe check the rear suspension, I had a similar problem with a Mondeo I brought from a ford dealer and it turned out to need new shocks and top mounts, I also replaced the springs and the difference
    was astounding, it went from a car that I wouldn't want to tow with to a car that is a pleasure.

    The Shogun is 2015, FB. A good thought but there's a world of difference between a Shogun and a Mondeo in terms of suspension, amongst other things. See my earlier posts. 

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited October 2016 #9



    From your description of the problem, WB, it could possibly be a faulty ECU in the Shogun. We had a similar problem with a Kia after a software update.

    Do you use four wheel drive when towing as recommended in the hand book? Is your van level when connected to the car?

    The Shogun is more than capable of towing any touring caravan without modification and your problem could well be a mechanical one rather than an issue with the set up of your rig.

    Write your comments here...

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited October 2016 #10

    Thanks t/w.Gosh, lots of advice! I thought the alko atc only controled side way motion. All I do is what I was showed by the caravan retailer. The shogun has only done 17000 miles, I will ask my local shogun dealer about ecu, though I am not sure there is
    any problems. I tow only in rear wheel drive, what is the opinion of 4 wheel drive owners?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #11

    Thanks t/w.Gosh, lots of advice! I thought the alko atc only controled side way motion. All I do is what I was showed by the caravan retailer. The shogun has only done 17000 miles, I will ask my local shogun dealer about ecu, though I am not sure there is any problems. I tow only in rear wheel drive, what is the opinion of 4 wheel drive owners?

    WB, Mitsubishi recommend towing in 4wd. If Mitsi recommend it, it's for good reason. Try it and see as they know what they're talking about. The ways of drivers of other 4wd vehicles will not necessarily have any relevance to the Shogun which has an almost unique system. There are many versions of 4wd and you have one of the best.

    Another thought, if you haven't got Mitsubishi towing electrics that could cause part of the problem as only the manufacturers electrical pack will alter the settings of the onboard computers when the caravan is connected.

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited October 2016 #12

    Thanks t/w.Gosh, lots of advice! I thought the alko atc only controled side way motion. All I do is what I was showed by the caravan retailer. The shogun has only done 17000 miles, I will ask my local shogun dealer about ecu, though I am not sure there is
    any problems. I tow only in rear wheel drive, what is the opinion of 4 wheel drive owners?

    WB, Mitsubishi recommend towing in 4wd. If Mitsi recommend it, it's for good reason. Try it and see as they know what they're talking about. The ways of drivers of other 4wd vehicles will not necessarily have any relevance to the Shogun which has an almost
    unique system. There are many versions of 4wd and you have one of the best.

    Another thought, if you haven't got Mitsubishi towing electrics that could cause part of the problem as only the manufacturers electrical pack will alter the settings of the onboard computers when the caravan is connected.

    Write your comments here...

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited October 2016 #13

    That makes perfect sense t/w. I will book the car into mitsubishi tomorrow.

    Will let you know of the outcome

    Mick

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited October 2016 #14

    That makes perfect sense t/w. I will book the car into mitsubishi tomorrow.

    Will let you know of the outcome

    Mick

    Cheers, Mick. Personally I'd try the cheaper option of trying towing in 4wd first. It's what our handbook recommended and what we always did with no problems at all.

    Good luck.

  • Paul Rainbow
    Paul Rainbow Forum Participant Posts: 129
    100 Comments
    edited November 2016 #15

    I'd still also have a look at those rear shocks. If it was an older car  would have put money on it being that!

  • Rushallmanor
    Rushallmanor Forum Participant Posts: 78
    edited November 2016 #16

    Whatever the car there is always some front to rear pitching. The OP is new to towing a caravan, it may be the normal pitching we get but very new to him. I would try removing/increasing the load on the towball and see its effect.

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited November 2016 #17

    Thanks, after a lot of soul searching today, with mitsubishi, caravan suppliers and etc, it might appear that tow ball wieght may have to be increased up to max allowed.Also it would seem to be"normal pitching"

    Will let you all know the outcome after our next trip, but that may be a while now,

    thank you everyone for your replys

    Mick

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #18

    I hope that sorts it for you, Mick, but I urge you to check your handbook and try 4wd. 'Normal pitching'? Not in my experience, I'm afraid.

    By the way, beware of the max noseweight allowed for your caravan coupling. 

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #19

    As 'Tw' says, beware of the ALKO limit which may be 100kg max. Might be obvious, but also check when hitched that the caravan is level or slightly nose down. If exaggerated it's motion could also be exaggerated.

  • why bother
    why bother Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited November 2016 #20

    Hi Dave,

    THat all makes sense, the van is slightly nose down.Strangley, my local mitshubish man said it would not make any difference in 4wd! I must say that I am beginning to wonder if I am expecting to much when towing, but I would not like to travel for hours,
    I am sure it should be better, it does reason that a bit more weight on the towball might work, but I have already 90kgs, so I doubt whether another 10kgs is going to have much affect. All in all, its the perfect outfit, I beleve, so the answer must be simple!!!!

    Mick

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #21

    It would be good if there was another LWB Shogun member to give his/her point of view, the reality is that our advice sort of covers everything in general and each vehicle behaves differently to the varying weights being pulled.

    Mine for instance cares not if my usual 80kg noseweight is reduced to 50kg when being towed to the service centre, its just as stable and with no pitching etc. Perhaps try reducing it a little, it can't hurt to try.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #22

    My advice was based on our Shogun, Dave. It was about the best tug we ever had only beaten by the old Rover 3.5. Malcolm tows with a Shogun - he'd be willing to tell all!

    Mick, it should be better than you describe. Ours would tow uphill, downhill and keep going for hours much as Dave describes with his FL2.

    Have you increased your tyre pressures as outlined in the towing section of your handbook? I'm assuming your handbook is the same as ours. Your car is 4 yrs newer than ours (3.2 Elegance) but not much can have changed surely? 

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