THE WALLABY TRACK WITH LIONEL MUSSELL
SWAY
CONTROL
THIS MONTH, LIONEL OFFERS
SOME ADVICE ON WHAT TO
DO IF THE CARAVAN
DEVELOPS A WOBBLE.
Fortunately, these days caravans seem to be
far more stable than in the old days when
the dreaded snaking was all too prevalent.
But, as you might know, it can still happen.
An example occurred recently when a very
experienced vanning couple I know headed
for a caravan club rally. They lost control as
they came over the crest of a hill. There was a
very strong wind that day and a particularly
strong gust must have caught the van from
the side as they started to go downhill. A
nasty sway started and had them off the road
before they could regain control.
Luckily, no-one was hurt, but they finished up
next to a huge tree that could have been the
finish of them. The manoeuvre was so severe
that it bent the van axle.
First of all, prevention is most important and
starts with the manufacturer who is
responsible for designing and building a van
that is well balanced, with running gear that
is more than adequate for the size and weight
of the loaded van.
Next in the chain comes the selling dealer and
the advice given about what can tow the van
safely and with what towing gear.
Independent advice from a towing specialist
can put new caravanners on the right track.
54 \
Finally, it comes down to the owner
themselves and a trip to a weigh bridge with
the new van after it is loaded and ready to
roll. This is the best insurance. At this stage
it's not too late to adjust the load to get the
correct nose-weight.
A caravan and tow vehicle are most stable
when the vehicle is pulling the van and most
unstable when the van is pushing the vehicle.
Some people therefore advise accelerating.
But if you have electric brakes, you can ease
the over-ride control on, which will 'stretch'
the outfit and make it stable again.
Be careful, though, and make sure you check
the brake operation every morning as use of
incorrectly adjusted or balanced brakes could
make the situation worse. I was nearly killed
when a sway turned into a violent pendulum –
I had applied the over-ride but one wheel had
no braking at all. The van, from a well-known
and popular maker, was only three weeks old!
I then started to check the operation of my
van’s electric brakes every morning – and
suggest that you do, too.
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