Wheel bends out on reverse

karlpeg
karlpeg Forum Participant Posts: 33
edited July 2017 in New to Caravanning & Touring #1

Hi all,

I don't know which section to post this but as I am new to Caravaning then maybe this is the best place to leave my post. 

A strange thing happened with the twin axel when reversing into storage today. Reversed between two vans and when the van was on a pretty extreme angle where the front of the van was nearly touching the back of the car then the furthest near side wheel bend out a couple of inches. I unhooked and straightened up with the motor mover. Then the said wheel lined up to normal. Only had the twin axel a couple of months.

Comments

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2017 #2

    Quite normal.

    Your twin wheels are gripping the ground, hence the tyre side walls are flexing. I can the same thing happen when I turn my twin axle caravan via the mover. You can see the same thing happen on the trailer wheels of large HGVs when they're  manoeuvring too.

  • JaRT
    JaRT Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2017 #3

    Our's does this sometimes using the mover which on our 'van only drives the front wheels.

     

    It's disconcerting when you first see it but nothing to worry about.

  • karlpeg
    karlpeg Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited July 2017 #4

    Many thanks for your replies. Was very worried as I have the rest of the year booked on Cl's.

     

  • Nuggy
    Nuggy Forum Participant Posts: 512
    edited July 2017 #5

    For your own peace of mind have the tightness of the wheel nuts checked, preferably with a torque wrench. Ascertain if it is the tyre flexing on the wheel, as others have suggested, and not the wheel moving.

  • karlpeg
    karlpeg Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited July 2017 #6

    Many thanks Nuggy, I have invested in a torque wrench including though nut indicators but have not fitted yet due to CL sites being 5 miles away. Will be checking all the nuts before a long haul to Wales. I did check a wheel nut with the standard wrench and had to lay the boot in to loosen it. Tightened it up to the van recommendation and it was well below it's original tightness. Makes me think that the dealer dosent use a torque wrench and treats it like a car.

     

  • JaRT
    JaRT Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2017 #7

    It's not your wheel nut tightness causing what you are seeing.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2017 #8

    I don't know which motor mover you have, but ours, a Powrtouch AWD is designed to cope with the tyre walls flexing as you describe.  In a tight turn, it will turn for a few revolutions and then it straightens out for a few more to allow the tyre walls to return to normal - before starting the turn again.

  • pete57
    pete57 Forum Participant Posts: 59
    edited July 2017 #9

    That sounds like a lot of work for the mover ok in a straight line but must make the mover work harder when turning. I thought a mover on each axle was the norm.surprised

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited July 2017 #10

    Mine's a Powrtounch AWD mover too, but it doesn't do as yours does. I bought the caravan with it already fitted.

  • JaRT
    JaRT Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2017 #11

    A mover on each 'axle' whilst certainly more common is not the norm. You only need to drive all four wheels if you need to make tight turns. In most situations you do not, we manage fine with our Powrtouch 2wd mover fitted to our twin axle 'van.

     

    The mover doesn't try to force the turn but is programmed to pause and avoid putting to much strain on the wheels,tyres and of course the mover itself.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2017 #12

    If something is more common, then surely that is the norm innocent

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2017 #13

     MM - that's strange - I wonder if it's a newish feature? Ours was fitted by the dealer when we bought our new Barcelona at the beginning of 2015. On handover, the technician went through great pains to demonstrate it happening so that I wasn't concerned when I saw it (i.e. the twisting of the tyres).

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2017 #14

    My caravan is 2013 & guess the mover was fitted soon after the original purchase of the 'van, so it could be a new feature 😞

  • JaRT
    JaRT Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited July 2017 #15

    A discussion about the specific meaning of the 'norm' will probably add nothing to the OP's information they seek. laughing

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