As a total novice when it comes to caravans can someone tell me what is the advantage of twin axles over a single axle (told you I'm a novice)as the wife is on a mission to convert me to a tin tent.
Bonzo
------------- "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night
because rough men stand ready
to do violence on their behalf."
i dont think there are any differenses other than size, weight and tow better.On the down side you have got 4 tyres to replace and when reversing a twin drags one axle across the ground.cant think of any more.
A twin axle is supposedly more stable and less liable to snaking. On the downside, they are heavier, harder to manually maneuver and have higher service costs. I know a lot of people that have twin axles, but it would not be my first choice. From what I can see of it the negatives far outweigh the positives.
I have a twin and wouldn't have anything else. Suspension and tyres are more lightly stressed, and if you do have a blowout, the effect is much less.
Manoeuvring by hand doesn't exist for me. That's what the towcar is for. Twins are just as eeasy to reverse. There is no downside.
Jim
If I had a car that would tow one I would have a twin axel , people I know who have them praise them highly, and they always seem really
roomy inside.Think it comes down to personal choice in the end.
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
we had one briefly a couple of years ago .it was a hassle to get in and out the drive even with the mover and some pitches were very tight with such a big van.
it was a beautiful van but wont be taking the twin axle route again.
i have had a twin axle for the last 10 years,they are more stable on the road, when it comes to setting up on a pitch dont expect to push it into position by hand it will not turn like a single. if you fit a motor mover this will help a lot but it will still only turn slowly unless you fit a 4 wheel drive unit, and that adds a lot of weight.
in my experiance with my twin the best way to move it on site will first be with the car but by far the best and a doddle to do is with a front towbar.
i had one fitted to my car and its brill and so easy to use see video (this is of course only my opinion)VIDEO
or you could buy a single axle van?
Sorry Mrs Bonce, I have to disagree. I've never had a motor mover - and never will have - and there's never been anywhere I couldn't position the van. We don't move it by hand either.
For us a single axle is adequate. At the moment there are three of us (with two 'children already have flown the nest). DD is 13, so 5/6 years?? give or take will mean just leave two of us, with the occasional offspring visitor. Single axle is lighter, easier to manouvre, no extra weight for the mover etc., so I can't see us going down this route. Double axles are generally larger - that means a larger full awning, taking more time to put up (more pegs to bend down and hit in!!!), more space to fill in the van and awning (-no doubt *someone* would find stuff to fill it). Extra cost of servicing, extra tyre to have to replace. On top of that, when you get on a pitch and have put the awning up, you will have less room left on the pitch outside to sit in the glorious British sunshine to BBQ or soak up the rain.
We have a larger caravan so that we don't need an awning, and Jim, we need a mover to get our caravan in place on our car parking area at home mainly, although it has its uses on sites as well.
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 02/7/2011
We have a larger caravan so that we don't need an awning, and Jim, we need a mover to get our caravan in place on our car parking area at home mainly, although it has its uses on sites as well.
Anne, the daft thing is....; I'd not even thought o having a larger van to avoid putting up an awning! Mmmm, must think about that!? At the moment we virtually live in the awning when we are away in the summer. That's part of the outdoor thing we like, but I know there are many who 'live' in the van. We tend to sit in the van later at night when it goes a bit colder, but we eat all meals in the awning in the summer (rain or shine).
Our idea for a bigger van was..well mine..was to save the hassle of an awning,putting it up,taking it down,watching the weather report for to see if it was going to rain the day you packed up,ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNND..my marriage now is pure bliss as we dont fight or argue when putting up the awning.
We have a large van partly to avoid having an awning. Also we put it in storage, much easier and safer, as recommended by a police officer after a burglary some years ago.
Jim
We have a large twin axle, on longer trips it means we can take our "home comforts" with us. Essential when away for 3 or 4 months.
We have a Fiamma Zip awning, so we can put up as much of it as we need. Often, abroad, we only put up the roof.
We too need a Mover to get the van (nose first) onto our drive, but it is handy when pitching and leaving too.
We don't have a problem in UK, but I can say with 100% certainty that on at least 2 of the sites we were on in Switzerland recently, we would not have got out again without the assistance of the Mover.
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Topic: Is more better
