A question about snaking

macafee2 · 21st August 2020, 15:31

I know a caravan can cause car and caravan to go into a snake, but, if the tow vehicle is heavy enough am I right in thinking the caravan can swing around as much as it likes, the tow vehicle will stay put. Also am I right in thinking a very heavy tow vehicle does not guarantee that the caravan but is much lighter will not swing from side to side perhaps even going onto its side?

macafee2

rrobson · 21st August 2020, 17:58

If the train is badly set up (as in weight in the wrong places) the weight of the tow vehicle is irrelevant, it’ll still throw it about. The advantage of a heavier tow car is it is more resistant to swaying, but it can still swing about.
If you’ve got a 2t vehicle and your towing a 1t caravan then you’ll likely not notice a bit of sway, you might feel it if it builds a bit of momentum. But weight isn’t the main factor, tyres, suspension, length and width of tow car, weight distribution of tow car can all have unusual outcomes to stability.

If you take the same set up and put a large proportion of weight at the rear reducing the nose weight, obviously it’ll swing a lot and it will be felt even in a large car. I had this when I was rescuing My 75 a few years back. My terrano weighed a smidge over 2t, and when I loaded the car up it was a bit too far back on the trailer. It was all over the place and it was really felt in the tow car. So rather than moving the car I moved the spare wheel from the well to the passenger seat and some bags of clothes on the drivers and that was enough to stabilise the trailer.

If you set the nose weight up correctly and distribute the weight in the caravan correctly it shouldn’t sway unless the outfit is mismatched. A heavy tow car isn’t an excuse for a bad set up but it can certainly help!

macafee2 · 22nd August 2020, 17:58

Sort of, My thinking is that it does not matter how heavy the tow vehicle is, the caravan can still swing even if the tow vehicle does not sway

macafee2

clf · 22nd August 2020, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by macafee2

Sort of, My thinking is that it does not matter how heavy the tow vehicle is, the caravan can still swing even if the tow vehicle does not sway

macafee2

I would say it would still swing yes, but I also think that the tow car will feel it, no matter how big it was. The suspension initially will be what dampens the effect on the tow car, with the mass of the tow car only coming into effect once its suspension has reached maximum effect.

The more it swings too, the more the tow vehicle will be effected by it. It is a pendulum effect. The caravan as it is connected to a a single point (the tow ball) in a three plane fulcrum, will always have the potential to swing, and bounce.

Also the wider the arc, the stronger it becomes against the tow car, think of it in terms of how a breaker bar works.

Jim Jamieson · 22nd August 2020, 20:55

It's all down to how you load the caravan and having everything mechanical on both car & caravan in perfect working order.

Keeping to a safe speed (especially on downhill sections) is also important, a fact lots of "experienced caravanners" seem to forget sometimes to their peril.

I've been towing for a few years and the only snaking I can remember was with the 75 towing south on the M6.
It later turned out that a suspension bolt on the rear upper arm had come loose more than a year after my suspension overhaul. I picked up on this months later when preparing for the MOT

macafee2 · 23rd August 2020, 07:16

The reason for the question, I got the impression on a caravan forum that someone was suggesting a heavy tow vehicle would make everything ok but I did not think that would stop the trailer from swinging side to side.

It may keep the tow vehicle from going from side to side but not the trailer.

macafee2

21st August 2020, 15:31	#1
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,928 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	A question about snaking I know a caravan can cause car and caravan to go into a snake, but, if the tow vehicle is heavy enough am I right in thinking the caravan can swing around as much as it likes, the tow vehicle will stay put. Also am I right in thinking a very heavy tow vehicle does not guarantee that the caravan but is much lighter will not swing from side to side perhaps even going onto its side? macafee2

21st August 2020, 17:58	#2
rrobson I really should get out more....... 75 tourer cdti, MG ZS 180, nissan terrano & 1.8t rover 25 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pontefract Posts: 2,644 Thanks: 17 Thanked 295 Times in 218 Posts	If the train is badly set up (as in weight in the wrong places) the weight of the tow vehicle is irrelevant, it’ll still throw it about. The advantage of a heavier tow car is it is more resistant to swaying, but it can still swing about. If you’ve got a 2t vehicle and your towing a 1t caravan then you’ll likely not notice a bit of sway, you might feel it if it builds a bit of momentum. But weight isn’t the main factor, tyres, suspension, length and width of tow car, weight distribution of tow car can all have unusual outcomes to stability. If you take the same set up and put a large proportion of weight at the rear reducing the nose weight, obviously it’ll swing a lot and it will be felt even in a large car. I had this when I was rescuing My 75 a few years back. My terrano weighed a smidge over 2t, and when I loaded the car up it was a bit too far back on the trailer. It was all over the place and it was really felt in the tow car. So rather than moving the car I moved the spare wheel from the well to the passenger seat and some bags of clothes on the drivers and that was enough to stabilise the trailer. If you set the nose weight up correctly and distribute the weight in the caravan correctly it shouldn’t sway unless the outfit is mismatched. A heavy tow car isn’t an excuse for a bad set up but it can certainly help! __________________ How to view a car - everything you need to help you inspect a used car VIS motor tester avalible to local members Injector removal tool and auto gearbox pressure tester now available Last edited by rrobson; 21st August 2020 at 18:00..

22nd August 2020, 17:58	#3
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,928 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	Sort of, My thinking is that it does not matter how heavy the tow vehicle is, the caravan can still swing even if the tow vehicle does not sway macafee2

22nd August 2020, 20:55	#5
Jim Jamieson This is my second home Rover less ! Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Tarbolton Posts: 3,442 Thanks: 393 Thanked 888 Times in 542 Posts	It's all down to how you load the caravan and having everything mechanical on both car & caravan in perfect working order. Keeping to a safe speed (especially on downhill sections) is also important, a fact lots of "experienced caravanners" seem to forget sometimes to their peril. I've been towing for a few years and the only snaking I can remember was with the 75 towing south on the M6. It later turned out that a suspension bolt on the rear upper arm had come loose more than a year after my suspension overhaul. I picked up on this months later when preparing for the MOT

23rd August 2020, 07:16	#6
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,928 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	The reason for the question, I got the impression on a caravan forum that someone was suggesting a heavy tow vehicle would make everything ok but I did not think that would stop the trailer from swinging side to side. It may keep the tow vehicle from going from side to side but not the trailer. macafee2