This is not factual. As I previously referred to the Police Foundation towing handbook (and please don't tell me this organization doesn't know what it's talking about), "a badly matched/loaded outfit will not be corrected by using a stabiliser, but a stabiliser does give further stability to a properly set up outfit." Which, I think, answers the error in claiming that there has to be something wrong for a stabiliser to make a difference. As for Bath university; well, the medical profession had been telling us for ages that too much salt causes heart attacks, but now says there is no truth in this. Kinda 'watch this space', ain't it?
Bertie.
Bertie, I posted the first quote to show you where the tyres pressure reference came from.
As to whether a stabiliser will raise the snaking speed...I think the Bath research conclusion was actually "a little bit" but not a material amount. It's not logical (to me) that whether it does or not depends on loading.
There is of course a gap in the Bath research in that for obvious reasons they were unable to test as far as negative damping ratio (and an actual crash), which to be of much value they would have had to have repeated with and without stabiliser and with different loadings.
I don't think the salt advice example is a good analogy - it's relatively easy to experiment on caravans, but unless you've got 60 years and a large group of people who have otherwise identical genes, diets and lifestyles, salt is more of a challenge ;-)
Jim, I think the police have at least as much technical knowledge at their disposal as has the C.C. And the Police Foundation have produced an in-depth book on the subject; which is more than the C.C. has.
I did not intend any selectivity in my analogy; just one chosen on the spur of the moment. There will never be full agreement on the subject of stabilisers. There will always be for's and against's; some rational and some not so rational.
In the final analysis, it depends upon one's own personal view. I take the course that, if a stabiliser (with van/outfit properly set up) definitely improves matters, that's my gain. If it doesn't (which I personally refute), then no harm has been done; except a possible unnecessary expense.
But I do blieve that, if stabilisers didn't achieve their claim, some watchdog-type media (TV/ mags/etc.) would have castigated them by now.
I don't disagree with anything you say Bertie. I haven't noticed it myself, but it's clear from the Bath data that a stabiliser does damp out oscillations much faster than they would die away without it.
As I said earlier, I have one and I use it. I just didn't notice any difference when it was broken.
Does it raise the snaking speed much? Impossible to say for certain, without experimental data.
Should people think everything will be OK just because they have a stabiliser? Definitely not.
I don't think you'd disagree with those statements either. Which leaves us violently agreeing I think.
You can legitimately pooh pooh the Bath research (the author states the limitations himself) but they have at least done some. To the best of my knowledge, neither the police nor the Caravan Club have published any.
Which brings us back to -
- don't tow a caravan too big for your car
- load heavy items in the car, subject to limits
- load the caravan properly - low down, near the axle
- have as much noseweight as the hitch and towbar allow
- check the tyre pressures carefully every trip, and use the 'loaded' pressures on the car
- watch your speed, especially downhill - instability is always speed related.
- avoid sharp control inputs as much as possible
- take extra care in windy conditions and near large vehicles.
When you've done all that, a stabiliser is just a nice-to-have. If you haven't done it, a stabiliser is unlikely to make up for it.
Nothing new there for responsible caravanners I hope.
Alan, I agree with your list of do's and dont's. The Police Foundation handbook more or less spells out things in a similar vein, and does emphasize that a stabiliser, whilst benefitting a correct setup, properly used, an ill-matched/loaded outfit will give worse, not better, results.
Regarding noseweight, I had a previous towcar with a specified noseweight of 50kg. Although around the 85% rule at that time, maintaining the noseweight at 50kg caused a bit of skittishness. Increasing the load to 70kg, the resultant stability was amazing. So I rang the car manufacturer's Customer Services and explained the situation. Whilst they agreed that the 70kg loading was the best option as opposed to an unstable 50kg, they wouldn't put this in writing. Coincidentally, the next marque of the vehicle had its noseweight increased to 75kg, yet there was no obvious engineering reason for this higher weight being allowable.
My current vehicle has a noseweight of 75kg, and I use a gauge to check it. But I often wonder how accurate this gauge really is.
I do agree with lots of those comments from both of you.
Let me just make a couple of points. I have been in business for many years, towing other people's trailers and caravans. I have had a lot of interaction with the Police, mainly in asking what I was or was not allowed to do. They actually know very little about towing.
This is definitely not an anti-Police sentiment, I have the greatest respect for them, and the job they do. But this is not what they do. Of course they have an opinion, but it's not backed up by direct experience.
I tend just to make up my own mind about these things, because I don't know anyone who has done as much towing as I have. If I met a person who had, I would certainly listen to them.
Most Police have never experienced snaking, or had a high speed blowout.
I'm going to stop there, because I really don't want to be seen as criticising the Police. That's not what I'm trying to say.
Just another point form the Bath conclusions. It appears to read as though you will just be going faster when you have the accident....
As Alan has said, other things are the key to safe towing. It's a free country, and each of us must make a choice. No problem. My concern is what should we tell newcomers to caravanning? I've heard so many who think a stabiliser will protect them from a poor car choice and bad loading. That's the impression we need to change.
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Topic: no stabiliser bar ! should i tow?
