motor mover for a twin axle

smitch6
smitch6 Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited April 2020 in Caravans #1

I'm in the process of buying a twin axle buccaneer Caravel.

it doesn't have a mover or awning though annoyingly,

i've seen a couple of kits on flebay and 1 which is near me but they state single axle.

is there any difference?

Comments

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2

    Yes, a big difference.

    There are 2 types of mover for a twin, either 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive, the first is twice as heavy and a fair bit more expensive, but will turn the van better.  It will use at least 60kg of your available payload, how much do you have available?

    A 2 wheel mover will weigh about half of that, and should have electronics that move the wheels when turning so that the strain on the tyres is dealt with.

    A mover designed for a single axle will not do that.

  • smitch6
    smitch6 Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited April 2020 #3

    the mass running order is 1640kgs i think,

    my car will tow 2200kg as i have a 4motion vw tiguan

    they are the only figures i know and can find about the van, it;s a 2005

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #4

    You need to do quite a bit of research before you buy this van.

    Your car may be rated to tow 2200kg, but that does not mean it can safely tow a caravan of that weight.

    Have you towed a caravan before?  If not, then the recommendation is that the fully loaded van should weigh no more than 85% of the kerb weight of the car.

    So you need to find out some figures....

    Kerb weight of car

     Maximum gross train weight

    Noseweight for towbar

    Do you have the correct licence to drive the combination of weights

     MIRO of caravan

    MTPLM of caravan (the most it can weigh when fully loaded)

    MTPLM minus MIRO will give you your payload.

    The payload has to cover everything you add to the basic van......

    Battery, gas bottles, mover, food, clothes, bedding, pots, dishes etc etc.

     

     

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #5

    Your MTPLM may be 1875kg, which would give a payload of 235kg

    Our 2008 van has a payload of 368kg, we have fixed extras of about 80kg, leaving us 288kg, and we have to be careful what we carry in the van.

    We have a 2 wheel mover fitted

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited April 2020 #6

    From memory of when i researched my last car purchase a Tiguan 4 motion has a ‘kerb’ weight of around 1625kg, give or take. Even when passengers are included i doubt you will exceed 1800kg. I would be VERY wary of towing a caravan at over 100% weight ratio. And you also need to look at the vehicle train weight too. 

    I bought a Passat Alltrack (heavier and roomier than Tiguan) which with passengers comes to around 1800kg on the weighbridge. I tow a Sprite Quattro dealer special with a factory Miro around 1420kg on top of which i added shock absorbers and 4x4wd mover. In hindsight i should have fitted a lighter 2x4 mover. However I uprated the van to 1800kg MTPLM and on the weighbridge it came in about 1760kg when holiday ready. I have been towing for 8 years including all over Europe so reasonably confident.

    As suggested above, you might need to rethink your outfit. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2020 #7

    I agree with other posters ,looking at the Kerb weight ,a rethink on the caravan is neededfrown

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #8

    I agree, it's not looking like a good match.

    Remember that the manufacturer's stated max towing weight is purely a measure of what the car is capable of in certain test conditions.  It does not mean that is a sensible or safe weight to tow on the road, especially when that weight consists of a large white box susceptible to wind buffeting and turbulence.

    Note, too, that the kerb weight is the kerb weight full stop. I assume FC was including passenger weights just to get a fuller picture. 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #9

    Agree.

    I don't know much about the Tiguan, but to me it does not sound like it would be a suitable towcar for such a heavy van.

    We are towing our 1900kg van with its big brother, a Touareg. We would not have considered anything smaller. Even then we are towing at almost 90%.   I am comfortable with that as I have been towing vans since 1971.

    I would advise either a lighter van or a change of towcar.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited April 2020 #10

    Adding all the weight of luggage and passengers does not alter the kerbweight of the vehicle. That will be the same as an empty one as if checked by authorities, what is down on the V5c is what they will go of. Kerbweight or Mass in service. So take this weight and x by 0.85 will give you the max weight of the caravan as an 85% match and if MTPLM is 101% or more is not recommended. I agree that the OP needs to rethink the vehicle or caravan. 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #11

    If the kerb weight is only 1625kg, then the 1875 kg Buccaneer would mean towing at 115%   surprised

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited April 2020 #12

    As Chief Brodie said in "Jaws" - You're gonna need a bigger car.