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Author Topic: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed  (Read 14282 times)

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Martin_1962

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #120 on: 20 January 2008, 21:50:09 »
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None of my mates have got a caravan :P............come to think of it I don't have any mates?? ;D [smiley=beer.gif]


Me, Miggy, Golf Buddy, to name but 3
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Golfbuddy

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #121 on: 20 January 2008, 21:53:28 »
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Here you go Pete. Perfect for your next trip to Dartmoor to see your Tiger.  :y

Wonder why its called burningman, is TB expected? ;D

Trust you to spot that.  ;D
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Golfbuddy

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #122 on: 21 January 2008, 18:07:35 »
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y
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Entwood

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #123 on: 21 January 2008, 20:01:01 »
okies .. I'll bite ... watches postcount carefully .....

I tow a 2007 Abbey GTS 416 with a max permitted weight of 1600Kgs. I have fitted Alko dampers to this for added stability .. not that it really needed them.

I used to tow with a Ford Granada Scorpio and always thought that would not be bettered as a tow car .. until I first used the Meega.

Heavy, powerful, with excellent brakes, self levelling suspension, good visibility. A large boot and comfortable interior enables 4 adults and all the kit to travel long distances (we go to France with the van every year) in supreme comfort. Stability was very good before the dampers  is now excellent - the dampers help stop tramlining on motorways and the sway you get from HGV/Coaches.

The Cruise Control makes towing on motorways simplicity itself, and the autobox does not "hunt" like many. Kickdown power for hills/overtaking is magnificent.

Only downside is it can get a tad thirsty, cruising at around 65 on a motorway I get around 20 mpg towing, get onto country lanes/town centres and it drops rapidly to around 15. France last year averaged a smidge over 20mpg

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1187538758 for the really bored .. :)

I would highly recommend the meega as a tow car :)

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tunnie

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #124 on: 21 January 2008, 20:09:08 »
Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D
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miggy

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #125 on: 21 January 2008, 20:11:04 »
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Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D

And it made no difference to us caravan owners... ;D ;D
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Kevin Wood

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #126 on: 21 January 2008, 20:26:41 »
Not caravan related but I use my Omega to tow a glider in a trailer.

The trailer is, at a guess, 8 or 9 metres long. I have not the slightest idea what it weighs but the glider alone is IRO 300kg and the trailer is substantial. Steel framed with an ali skin.

Due to their length these can be nasty loads to tow.

The Omega tows this very nicely indeed. Power is obviously not an issue. Except on hills, it wasnt with my previous 1.8 8v Laguna TBH. I have burnt an unsuspecting, and slow reacting, chav off the lights with it behind the Omega, however ;D

The Omega is much more stable than the Laguna, which wasn't rated badly as a tow car itself. I don't bother with a stabiliser as I generally don't set out to tow this over long distances at high speeds, and I don't always tow my own glider, so when I do have one on the back, I'm happy to plod along.

Having said that, the Omega will tow it happily at 60 without the slightest hint of snaking, even when descending hills. The Laguna let you know firmly when you let the speed get this high. :o

Towing at 60 ish, it'll sit in 4th gear at 2200 RPM (Auto) on cruise and only change down for the hills. It returns about 25 MPG doing so. I find cruise an absolute boon for towing as it's vital not to let your speed creep up, and this is only too easy in a V6.

Towbar wise I'm using Elite Pete's old Westfalia removable bar, which is a great piece of kit. Totally invisible when removed, easy to attach and solid once in place. It does have a steel bracing plate that bolts to the boot floor, however, which can be a nuisance. I fitted it myself in a couple of hours. No problem at all.

Electrics wise, I connected everything from the towing connector in the boot, after adding a wire to bridge the (absent) towing bulb failure sensor for the brake light circuit which was located behind and to the left of the glove compartment on my car. Details are all in the "Omega Electrical" section.

Anyway, that's about all the pearls of wisdom I've got on the subject.

Kevin
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Andy B

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #127 on: 21 January 2008, 21:01:33 »
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....... It does have a steel bracing plate that bolts to the boot floor, however, which can be a nuisance.......

As does the Bosal swan neck. I cut a piece of old carpet around the bracing plate to try to make the folded up bits less obvious. When the original carpet is over the top you can hardly tell the brace is there.
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tunnie

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #128 on: 21 January 2008, 21:09:00 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D

And it made no difference to us caravan owners... ;D ;D

All right then a good old b!tch fight!

With us caravanless people get to moan  ;)  ;D
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miggy

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #129 on: 21 January 2008, 21:11:15 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D

And it made no difference to us caravan owners... ;D ;D

All right then a good old b!tch fight!

With us caravanless people get to moan  ;)  ;D

And we still dont care... ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Dave-C

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #130 on: 22 January 2008, 20:22:40 »
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....... It does have a steel bracing plate that bolts to the boot floor, however, which can be a nuisance.......

As does the Bosal swan neck. I cut a piece of old carpet around the bracing plate to try to make the folded up bits less obvious. When the original carpet is over the top you can hardly tell the brace is there.

Don't for get to cut away the sound proofing prior to fitting the plate too, otherwise your nuts will come lose as it compacts!!!!! :exclamation

Sounds painful I know, even more painful if you lose your van at 60 mph :exclamation

DC
« Last Edit: 22 January 2008, 20:42:04 by dave_c »
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MikeDundee

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #131 on: 22 January 2008, 20:24:43 »
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None of my mates have got a caravan :P............come to think of it I don't have any mates?? ;D [smiley=beer.gif]


Me, Miggy, Golf Buddy, to name but 3

Ahh thanks Martin, you just reminded me that Dave C should be on the above list aswell :y
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Kevin Wood

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #132 on: 22 January 2008, 20:25:39 »
Ahh, top tip here. To remove the sound proofing you need a hot air paint stripper and a decorator's chisel. Heat it up a little and it melts and goes like butter. You'll never get it off cold :o

Once you've fitted a tow bar, check the torque on all mountings after its' first trip towing just in case anything has shifted.

Kevin
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MikeDundee

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #133 on: 22 January 2008, 20:26:36 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D

And it made no difference to us caravan owners... ;D ;D

All right then a good old b!tch fight!

With us caravanless people get to moan  ;)  ;D

Thats a great idea Tunnie, totally agree ;D
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miggy

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Re: Caravan and Towing Advice Needed
« Reply #134 on: 22 January 2008, 20:29:46 »
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Any more for any more??

If you're unsure what this is all about, please read my opening post as this appears to have gone a little off track. Not that threads normally go off track on this forum.  ::)

The more info I have the better the final product will be, I hope.  :y

General slag off i thought?  ;)  ;D ;D ;D

And it made no difference to us caravan owners... ;D ;D

All right then a good old b!tch fight!

With us caravanless OLD people get to moan  ;)  ;D


You said it..... ;D ;D ;D
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