Sickness motion/pitching
i am new to caravan towing but can not stop a sickness motion when towing.this makes
a long trip impossible.my car is a ford kuga 150 diesel and van sprite major 4 .compatable
pairing i believe.this happens even when i test the nose weight at correct 90kg.i have tried laden and empty but no difference. could you please help .
Mick Froggett ,Coventry
Moved from Story Section
Comments
-
As a passenger or driver? Motion sickness occurs when your inner ear balance detectors and eyes confuse the brain when detecting motion, one of them will tell your brain you are moving the other doesn't. So if as a passenger then don't read or look at your phone but look out ahead.
You could also try various over the counter medications or patches.
Post edit: One RAF navigator I knew cured it with a few ginger biscuits before each flight!
1 -
I suffer with travel sickness, so never read a book etc. I don't get to be passenger now but I always planned our route and noted towns and road numbers so a glance was enough. Satnavs have helped with that bit. Our motorhome always made it worse, but we rarely covered lots of miles and precautions before helped.
Ginger is good, those acupuncture wristbands work and travel sick pills. If you are on medication ensure it doesn't counteract.
It's not pleasant and I've learnt to be proactive whatever form of travel. I hope you can manage it as I don't think theres a cure. Unless it is something to do with towing.
0 -
.... Most caravans don't have a suspension either
They do ... it's just not the same as you'd find on a car. Caravans usually use Indespension units rather than coil or leaf springs found on most cars.
Maybe the OP should consider fitting shock absorbers to the caravan if not already fitted.
0 -
Kuga/Major combination should be fine. I can offer only a couple of suggestions. Firstly check the tyre pressures of the tow car ensuring they are inflated as advised in the handbook, you may need to add even more air but do not exceed the maximum pressure shown on the tyre Although you say the nose weight is ok try to have as little weight at the rear and front ends of the caravan, remember the rule heavy stuff centre/low in the caravan and light stuff only at the ends. I put the awning and other heavy stuff in the car when I tow.
0 -
The only time I have experienced any form of instability or poor towing performance in nearly 20 years was down to under inflated caravan tyres.
As above, I'd check tyre pressures on car and caravan. and the weighting of the van to reduce the dumb bell effect
Next, how old is the Kuga and what state are your rear springs in. I had two rear springs break on a VW Touran and did not know about it. Failure of springs is not uncommon.
You are also towing at your maximum noseweight. If the car is heavily loaded, particularly in the boot then your rear suspension is working overtime.
Next a contentious point. I have never towed at maximum noseweight. Previous VW Touran, Skoda Yeti and current Audi A3 all state 75kg max. Towing correctly loaded trailer tents and caravans from 750kg to 1300kg I have always had my most stable tow at lower figures, typically 55kg. The car sits level, steering remains neutral and I have full traction on the front drive wheels.
Colin
0 -
Post edit: One RAF navigator I knew cured it with a few ginger biscuits before each flight!
Mrs WN suffers from a bit of motion sickness if travelling first thing in the morning but since switching to drinking a cup of Ginger Tea instead of normal cuppa as her first drink she has reduced her sickness level. She also uses Sturgeron motion sickness tablets if still feeling unwell but this isn't advisable for those that drive as they sometimes make you drowsy.
Sometime having what looks like a perfectly compatible outfit just doesn't work. We had to sell a Subaru after only 4 months as the ride was too soft for her. It was a great match for the caravan though.
2 -
As a lifelong sufferer of motion sickness I can understand. Sit in the front of the car if possible, eyes on the distance, don't be distracted by maps, phone etc. Sickness pills can help taken before travelling, plain food, avoid coffee.
Regards pitching, maybe the suspension should be investigated,new or uprated shocks / springs might help.
0 -
Is it possible to narrow this down as we could be going around in circles. Is it just you or is it the car/van combination?
Colin
0 -
The OP hasn't come back, but is new.
After my comment I had trouble finding the thread as it had been moved. I first found it on the latest activity page, my usual starting point, story section, not there assumed moved. Took me a while to find it as it appeared on the date started not moved. I only found because it's something that happens regularly. Even if you click on your post you get those very helpful not, wrong way road signs so that's no help at all 😤. One day this site might be used friendly and intuitive- but I'm not sure when!
Poor poster probably thinks no one cares.......... If the moderator who moved it could let them know? Or lead the OP to the new thread when its moved it would show a degree of care. It's not just new folk who post in the wrong category that should be a heads up to the forum writers.........
1 -
Yes I often wonder when a mod moves a story to discussions if they let the OP know somehow?
Up to the other day the 'story' would lead to the page not found
0 -
All good advice. I suffer chronic travel sickness in all kinds of vehicles occasionally. My last bout was so bad, I was hauled off to A&E in an ambulance, the morning after we had arrived on Site! (Tested for everything until the penny dropped, then sent back to Site with some “magic” pills that I carry constantly.
Ginger in various forms is a known help, as is all the other suggestions such as no reading, taking Sturgeron. Our van used to pitch sometimes. It’s often nothing more than the length of the towcar v caravan, I got it in our SWB Defender occasionally, sometimes with the SWB Jeep. That last bad one was in the MH, so there’s simply no pattern with me. Boats are a nightmare scenario🤢It sadly doesn’t take much if you do suffer. Citroen cars are another potential hazard for me, wallowing suspension. Good stiff ride is best, love our MG for this.
1 -
Re: Moving posts. I did query this sometime ago and DK did advise that they try to advise OP ( I think).
Ttda, you are right about the length of car. The Subaru mentioned was the only estate type car we've had but we were lent a Mercedes estate for a cottage holiday once to Elgin and that had a similar effect on Mrs WN. Even I didn't like the ride and wonder why I bought the thing in the first place.
0 -
I too have raised the question as to how a poster in a certain section can find any responses if the post is moved. Couldn't the person who moves it firstly copy the post and paste it in the new section, lock the original and then just add a note to the OP indicating where it's been moved to and where the responses to invade likely to be?
Perhaps a mod can supply an answer!
2 -
If the original poster ever finds this thread, or others have the same problem, here is how to start finding a solution.
Tow the caravan with another vehicle and observe what happens, tow a different caravan with the original car and see what happens.If both these experiments produce a stable tow then there is definately something odd happening that requires collective imagination, but I suspect the culprit will show up quickly.
0 -
The best advice is inflating the car tyres to maximum. There will always be a different feel in the car whilst towing. Try to relax and accept it is quite normal. Does the caravan have shock absorbers? On some makes they are an optional extra. It may give a smoother ride. They are fairly easy to fit. Check out the Al-Ko website.
0
