Hi, second time tonight. As I have been reading tonight with interest to all of your far superior knowledge on caravaning, I just wanted to know if I need a stabilizer and what it is/does. I have just had a whitter tow bar fitted and I thought that was it, just hook up and were off. Obviously not , any comments or advice is more than welcome , no it's dam well necessary. Many thanks Fred.
Some folks do Fred, some folks don,t, stabiliser are for stopping the caravan swaying from side to side after say overtaking a truck and the catches the bow wave off said truck. You will find lots off folk don,t use them on here, me personally, I use 2. A stabiliser won't stop a jack knike happening, when approx 1 ton plus of caravan takes it in it,s head to jack knife all the stabilisers in the world won,t stop it, but it just might stop a snake getting out of control. Couple of examples, jack knike going down hill on a bend and having to brake hard could induce a jack knife, the snake usually happens on motorways, from what have read normally going down hill, when basically the van wants to go faster than the car, sometimes folk recover from the snake sometimes it gets worse and worse till control is lost and you end up in a bit off a mess. Not trying to scare you, but you asked, my vote is fit one, others will say you don,t need one.
Echo TomnGill post, i am guessing that your Caravan is a single axle of which can be a little less stable and suseptable to snaking when loaded incorrectly over that of a twin axle which is more forgiving if loaded incorrectly.
I personally would not tow without a stabiliser, i feel its a personal responsability to my family, myself and other road users and i have been towing for years.
Fred, i don't want to send you on any guilt trip to have one its only my personal opinion. Here is a classic example:
Friends who we go away with he says, my single axle tows like a dream and i don't need a stabiliser. Not so long ago we were in convoy on the motorway which had pretty bad cross winds and a large truck rolled by me first then our friends, mine moved of course but my friends...oh my...snaked like a gud un...i saw it coming and in that few seconds i pulled back from him giving him room to slow down.
What did he say when we got to site: hey Mick you see that F*** Idiot lorry driver, yeah whats the problem, well bla bla bla its his fault i hate them lorry drivers, erm no my friend its your fault for not seeing him and moving your van to the outer side of your lane then to the inside as he passed and also for not having a stabiliser fool
------------- Regards
Mick + Tina
Good Bye To Our Abbey Spectrum 520, Hello To Our Elddis Crusader Cyclone
It's whatever suits your outfit and personal preference that counts. We used to tow our van with an Escort estate and I don't think it made too much difference having a stabiliser although we always use one.
However, we now have a 4WD and it definitely tows better with the stabiliser. We've towed the van empty and loaded, with and without stabiliser and without a doubt it is best with a stabiliser.
I do, however, wholeheartedly agree with phantomtrucker.
Many thanks to you all I will find out where I can get a stabilizer and have it fitted. You didnt put the wind up me but it does seem to make sense to take all the advice you can get and act responsibly on it .Once again many thanks and no doubt I will be back again very soon with yet more questions, just looking forward to a nice cold beer from the van fridge when we go away cheers.
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Topic: Virgin caravanner
