Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Entwood]

Sure, that I understood but with caravan, is it more safe to understand that as "Full Load".

I'm not a pikey, but I thought caravans we not supposed to put significant weight on the car.

I'm sure our resident professional pikey - Entwood - will give some proper, sensible pikey related advice

I can try .. maximum "noseweight" for the towball is 100Kgs, regardless of the weight of the van itself, and that is the "norm" for most 'vans as well, although some do have lower limits. As "most" folk who caravan regularly are very aware of the problems that occur if the van weighs more than the car, or gets close to it, they tend to load the car with as much as they can. So a full boot, stuff on the backseat and the van on the hitch puts a fair weight over the back axle, hence the use of the "Full Load" tyre pressures to avoid saggy sidewalls leading to overheating tyres, and excessive lateral movement etc.

That 100kgs noseweight is actually pretty important, and most aim to get very close to it, but not exceed it, as it aids stability greatly, along with the old adage .. "heavy stuff over the axle".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rH-g7LDHeI

I thought the max tow ball weight for an Omega was 75kg 

I "believe" that is the limit on the Vauxhall approved removable ball type hitch. I have a fixed hitch which came with a limit of 100Kgs stated, which is what I've used ever since ...  just hope I'm not wrong !!

[YZ250]

............................
I thought the max tow ball weight for an Omega was 75kg 

My Omega towbar is plated at 75kg and my handbook says 'maximum ball socket load 75kg'........ but I towed 1600kg vans running 95kg nose weight with no issues. The Swift's I owned over the years had a cradle spare wheel carrier so had less up front but my last Bailey Senator had two gas bottles and a spare wheel in the front locker which made it impossible to achieve a sensible nose weight with all of these in place, so I had to make adjustments. I always travelled with the spare wheel sat over the caravan axle, along with any slightly heavier items, all nicely wedged in so as not to damage the van on the move.

To the OP: Just NEVER EVER move heavy items rearward of the caravan axle to achieve nose weight, it will end up messy.
Just to add, the Omega is a very good tow car. 

[polilara]

Hello

Thanks for all about good tips and comments. Everything went well (first 160 km). Omega really seems to be good for this purpose, too. My earlier short experience 15 years ago was with 950 kg Small Solifer Caravan and Opel Vectra 1,8, those front wheel drive constructions. This is really something else.

1. Cruise behaves with Van quite in an "angry" way. It tries to accelerate quicker than I would do manually, decided to use cruise only for keeping the manually accelerated speed.

2. As discussed max speed here is 80km/h=50miles/h which means about 2000 rpm if torque converter locked. With cruise control it really last long time to get TC locked. I accelerate manually to slightly higher speed than needed and then take my foot away from acc. pedal, wait the lock up and press cruise on. That seems to work perfectly in down-hill and "flat" but when climbing to hill AR-25 shifts down perhaps to gear three to get about 3500 rpm. Guess Y26SE have quite low torque in 2000rpm.

3. Fuel consumption Increased about 50%. This Van is quite wide 234cm = >92 inches and front wall and forehead are quite "vertical" so has not that much angle than Vans with better aerodynamics. So maybe normal.

[Entwood]

Hello

Thanks for all about good tips and comments. Everything went well (first 160 km). Omega really seems to be good for this purpose, too. My earlier short experience 15 years ago was with 950 kg Small Solifer Caravan and Opel Vectra 1,8, those front wheel drive constructions. This is really something else.

1. Cruise behaves with Van quite in an "angry" way. It tries to accelerate quicker than I would do manually, decided to use cruise only for keeping the manually accelerated speed.

2. As discussed max speed here is 80km/h=50miles/h which means about 2000 rpm if torque converter locked. With cruise control it really last long time to get TC locked. I accelerate manually to slightly higher speed than needed and then take my foot away from acc. pedal, wait the lock up and press cruise on. That seems to work perfectly in down-hill and "flat" but when climbing to hill AR-25 shifts down perhaps to gear three to get about 3500 rpm. Guess Y26SE have quite low torque in 2000rpm.

3. Fuel consumption Increased about 50%. This Van is quite wide 234cm = >92 inches and front wall and forehead are quite "vertical" so has not that much angle than Vans with better aerodynamics. So maybe normal.

Seems about right ...

1) I very rarely use cruise when towing as it is a bit binary, either off or on the throttle, I find "normal" driving where you can "feather" the throttle far more comfortable, and it appears more fuel efficient. I guess continually trying to accelerate the best part of 3.3 Tonnes at a high rate will burn fuel !!

2) About the same as I do, accelerate to just above what you want then trickle back and it locks up nicely. On hills "feather" the speed back a tad and it stops the kickdown.

3) 50% is VERY high, I drop from around 23 mpg solo to about 17 mpg towing (on gas [LPG] its from around 21 mpg to around 15 mpg but that's to be expected). 2.34 width is not unusual ... mine is 2.32, but being just 2 years old is quite "aerodynamic" as designs have improved.

UK max speed is 50 mph on single carriageway, 60 mph on dual carriageways so not a huge difference. I wonder if your increased consumption is simply driving technique ?? When towing take everything much more gently, both acceleration and braking and it makes a huge difference to consumption. Also, tyre pressures and brakes on the 'van are important .. if the brakes are binding, even a little, its a lot of extra energy required. easiest way to check is to drive 2-3 miles with minimum (preferably "no") braking, "drift" to a halt - safely - and then feel the 'van hubs.... should be pretty cold, if warm the brakes are dragging.

[DrAndyB]

Actually one question more, how about tire pressure in back?

Please read the manual

Might even be on the door pillar

Not on door pillar on Omega. Is in manual.  Pressures, both normal and loaded, varies with tyre size

I think the tyre pressure sticker is on the boot lid from memory    (or that is the sticker I have written mine on  )

To the left of the bootlid catch on the boot lid itself.

[polilara]

Actually one question more, how about tire pressure in back?

Please read the manual

Might even be on the door pillar

Not on door pillar on Omega. Is in manual.  Pressures, both normal and loaded, varies with tyre size

I think the tyre pressure sticker is on the boot lid from memory    (or that is the sticker I have written mine on  )

To the left of the bootlid catch on the boot lid itself.

Found one sticker in the lid you must open first to be able to remove the cap to add gasoline...

[polilara]

Hello

Thanks for all about good tips and comments. Everything went well (first 160 km). Omega really seems to be good for this purpose, too. My earlier short experience 15 years ago was with 950 kg Small Solifer Caravan and Opel Vectra 1,8, those front wheel drive constructions. This is really something else.

1. Cruise behaves with Van quite in an "angry" way. It tries to accelerate quicker than I would do manually, decided to use cruise only for keeping the manually accelerated speed.

2. As discussed max speed here is 80km/h=50miles/h which means about 2000 rpm if torque converter locked. With cruise control it really last long time to get TC locked. I accelerate manually to slightly higher speed than needed and then take my foot away from acc. pedal, wait the lock up and press cruise on. That seems to work perfectly in down-hill and "flat" but when climbing to hill AR-25 shifts down perhaps to gear three to get about 3500 rpm. Guess Y26SE have quite low torque in 2000rpm.

3. Fuel consumption Increased about 50%. This Van is quite wide 234cm = >92 inches and front wall and forehead are quite "vertical" so has not that much angle than Vans with better aerodynamics. So maybe normal.

Seems about right ...

1) I very rarely use cruise when towing as it is a bit binary, either off or on the throttle, I find "normal" driving where you can "feather" the throttle far more comfortable, and it appears more fuel efficient. I guess continually trying to accelerate the best part of 3.3 Tonnes at a high rate will burn fuel !!

2) About the same as I do, accelerate to just above what you want then trickle back and it locks up nicely. On hills "feather" the speed back a tad and it stops the kickdown.

3) 50% is VERY high, I drop from around 23 mpg solo to about 17 mpg towing (on gas [LPG] its from around 21 mpg to around 15 mpg but that's to be expected). 2.34 width is not unusual ... mine is 2.32, but being just 2 years old is quite "aerodynamic" as designs have improved.

UK max speed is 50 mph on single carriageway, 60 mph on dual carriageways so not a huge difference. I wonder if your increased consumption is simply driving technique ?? When towing take everything much more gently, both acceleration and braking and it makes a huge difference to consumption. Also, tyre pressures and brakes on the 'van are important .. if the brakes are binding, even a little, its a lot of extra energy required. easiest way to check is to drive 2-3 miles with minimum (preferably "no") braking, "drift" to a halt - safely - and then feel the 'van hubs.... should be pretty cold, if warm the brakes are dragging.

Yes, have to check brakes and learn more about technique. Your consumption seemed to increase 35% which is better than mine 50%.

[TheBoy]

Omega cruise is a bit anxious, even normally. I can see this being "interesting" when towing something big/heavy.

[Kevin Wood]

Omega cruise is a bit anxious, even normally. I can see this being "interesting" when towing something big/heavy.

Works fine with a glider trailer on the back, and helps keep me from getting "carried away".