Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

by Guest Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:05 am

I see that our Nuevo can tow 2000kg. We also have a nice caravan at 1600 kg so wondered if anyone has ever towed a caravan with their Auto Sleeper. There are circumstances where this could be useful

by Richard G Tue Sep 20, 2022 9:47 pm

I have never seen a motorhome towing a caravan, i often wonder why!

by Caraman Wed Sep 21, 2022 7:09 pm

I have lots of experience towing caravans but not behind an Auto-Sleeper and certainly not behind a coach built like a Nuevo! 7% of a caravan's mass should be on its drawbar. For a 1600kg caravan this amounts to 112kg. That's an awful lot of nose weight bearing down on the back of a fully loaded motorhome, assuming the tow bar is man enough for it. On your Nuveo I would expect the increase in rear axle mass to be at least 150kg (and the reduction in front axle mass to be at least 38 kg). This along with the mass of the tow bar will almost certainly result in your rear axle and rear tyres being dangerously overloaded and it will reduce your front wheel traction. If I was intent on towing a caravan behind an Auto-Sleeper, I would do it behind a PVC and not a coach built and it would be a small caravan. I am sure all Auto-Sleepers would do badly in the Tow Car of the Year competition!

by bikeralw Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:47 am

The only time I've seen this done was in France. A huge coachbuilt was towing a four wheeled flatbed trailer, carrying a digger, which in turn had a caravan hitched to it! This mini road train was travelling in a line of various panel vans towing caravans.
It was obviously a group of ~~pik~~, ~~gyp~~, sorry, travelling Romanies who are a law unto themselves.

As Caraman's post, not something I'd contemplate with my Nuevo. Not only for the reasons stated, but also the power of vans of this era is quite low. Yours may be the same as mine, 2 litre HDI 84hp, once fully loaded, not really up to towing anything.
Al.

by glyne lock Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:16 am

towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load

by bikeralw Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:54 am

I'm not saying it's not possible, and each to their own, but I know the limitations of the early Nuevo and I wouldn't tow anything. On some long steep inclines, especially those you find abroad, even on motorways, I'm down to second gear with the van fully loaded. It'd be crawling in first and a positive danger to other road users if I was towing anything.
More modern vans with twice the power wouldn't have this issue.
Al.

by Paulmold Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:03 am

Previous thread may be helpful although about towing car on trailer

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t19182-nuevo-towing#160232

by Caraman Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:47 pm

glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load

There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

by Paulmold Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:03 pm

https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/advice/equipment/towing-with-a-motorhome/

by glyne lock Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:30 pm

Caraman wrote:
glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

with a car towing a caravan will have more windage ? or do you mean wind drag Caraman .
a camper towing a caravan the camper would clear the air drag for the caravan trailer car on a trailer what ever was being towed .
when a rigid truck has a trailer behind ref argos trucks with box containers the wind drag from the trailer is very very small just the weight is what would be noticed as the truck would be hitting the air drag and the trailer has been cleared by the truck
so there may be a whole lot of difference in a car and caravan. but when towed behind a camper if any would be so small would hardly be noticed
so Caraman have you towed a large trailer a caravan or car behind a camper ? as I have and my miles per gallon when i towed a caravan was very much the same as the camper was when not towing. when I collected cars on my trailer towed with my camper was no different to towing the caravan if there was a difference was to small to notice

by Guest Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:56 am

glyne lock wrote:
Caraman wrote:
glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

with a car towing a caravan will have more windage ? or do you mean wind drag Caraman .
a camper towing a caravan the camper would clear the air drag for the caravan trailer car on a trailer what ever was being towed .
when a rigid truck has a trailer behind ref argos trucks with box containers the wind drag from the trailer is very very small just the weight is what would be noticed as the truck would be hitting the air drag and the trailer has been cleared by the truck
so there may be a whole lot of difference in a car and caravan. but when towed behind a camper if any would be so small would hardly be noticed
so Caraman have you towed a large trailer a caravan or car behind a camper ? as I have and my miles per gallon when i towed a caravan was very much the same as the camper was when not towing. when I collected cars on my trailer towed with my camper was no different to towing the caravan if there was a difference was to small to notice

Many thanks for you answers as usual I was far more interested in people who have actually done it rather than those that just like to spout theory. My Nuevo seems to pull like a train so I don’t hat too many worries about the pulling power

by Guest Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:12 am

Caraman wrote:
glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

A caravans weight distribution is only worse if you don’t know how to load it properly. It is actually quite easy

by Bilbobaggins Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:06 am

Many thanks for you answers as usual I was far more interested in people who have actually done it rather than those that just like to spout theory. My Nuevo seems to pull like a train so I don’t hat too many worries about the pulling power

Doesn't the fact that there doesn't seem to be any replies from people who have done it not tell you what you need to know?

by Caraman Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:31 am

glyne lock wrote:
Caraman wrote:
glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

with a car towing a caravan will have more windage ? or do you mean wind drag Caraman .
a camper towing a caravan the camper would clear the air drag for the caravan trailer car on a trailer what ever was being towed .
when a rigid truck has a trailer behind ref argos trucks with box containers the wind drag from the trailer is very very small just the weight is what would be noticed as the truck would be hitting the air drag and the trailer has been cleared by the truck
so there may be a whole lot of difference in a car and caravan. but when towed behind a camper if any would be so small would hardly be noticed
so Caraman have you towed a large trailer a caravan or car behind a camper ? as I have and my miles per gallon when i towed a caravan was very much the same as the camper was when not towing. when I collected cars on my trailer towed with my camper was no different to towing the caravan if there was a difference was to small to notice

Hi Gyne. I did not mean drag. I was referring to the effect of side winds and the buffeting that occurs when trucks and busses overtake a caravan being towed by any vehicle. If the tow vehicle is high sided like the caravan, the effect is doubled as both the tow vehicle and caravan will be caught by the cross draft, which is alarming and could trigger a snake. Snakes can be caused by other things but they are the most common cause of caravan road accidents. A lower cargo trailer or car being towed either on a trailer or by an A Frame will be less affected by the cross draft.

The nearest I have come to towing a caravan behind a camper was when I towed with a 7-seater MPV. This was the least stable of all my tow cars, due principally I believe to its higher sides. The effect of cross draft is only one reason why I would not tow a 1600kg caravan behind a Nuevo.

by Caraman Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:35 am

Bilbobaggins wrote:....

Doesn't the fact that there doesn't seem to be any replies from people who have done it not tell you what you need to know?

Yes it does. It tells me that Forum members know better than to do it.

by Caraman Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:54 am

Bigplumbs wrote:
Caraman wrote:
glyne lock wrote:towing a caravan is no different to the campers towing a car and as to the engine power you end up changing gear more as to the load
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

A caravans weight distribution is only worse if you don’t know how to load it properly. It is actually quite easy

I agree, it's quite easy to load a caravan so that it has the correct nose weight, just as it is to load a cargo trailer or car on a trailer. The problem with a caravan, be it loaded or unloaded, is that its mass may not be balanced side to side and it is not all low down and concentrated around the axle as it should be to achieve maximum stability.

by glyne lock Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:25 am

Hi Gyne. I did not mean drag. I was referring to the effect of side winds and the buffeting that occurs when trucks and busses overtake a caravan being towed by any vehicle. If the tow vehicle is high sided like the caravan, the effect is doubled as both the tow vehicle and caravan will be caught by the cross draft, which is alarming and could trigger a snake. Snakes can be caused by other things but they are the most common cause of caravan road accidents. A lower cargo trailer or car being towed either on a trailer or by an A Frame will be less affected by the cross draft.

The nearest have come to towing a caravan behind a camper was when I towed with a 7-seater MPV. This was the least stable of all my tow cars, due principally I believe to its higher sides. The effect of cross draft is only one reason why I would not tow a 1600kg caravan behind a Nuevo.[/quote]

when a truck overtakes another truck a caravan a van you get NOTE A VACUUM that pulls them together so a experience driver would give more space and would load the caravan to get weight distribution correct. so the cause of caravan accidents is poorly loaded that makes them snake
not many people would have the need to be towing a caravan behind a camper so is more the reason for not many replies
towing a caravan behind a camper is not a problem if done correctly and legal
I have been working moving abnormal loads in my truck so am not just talking what I THINK .I have been doing this 12 to 15 hours a day loading and unloading large machines and most important loaded correctly to make the load safe to move as required by the customer

by Caraman Wed Sep 28, 2022 12:57 pm

I hold my view. You refer to 'camper'. I am referring to FWD coach builds like the Nuevo whose rear axle has in effect been shoved forward. I don't know if your experience extends to towing a heavy caravan with one of these that is at or very close to its MTPLMs. If not we can only apply theory.

by IanH Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:11 pm

Having just done 3 weeks in Pyrenees and many high altitude Colls (Peak alt was Tourmalet, 2115m, 6938ft) And a big sign at entry to Coll road saying caravans prohibited, I'd respectfully suggest this option best used in Holland!!!! up!

by glyne lock Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:18 pm

Caraman wrote:I hold my view. You refer to 'camper'. I am referring to FWD coach builds like the Nuevo whose rear axle has in effect been shoved forward. I don't know if your experience extends to towing a heavy caravan with one of these that is at or very close to its MTPLMs. If not we can only apply theory.

I am referring to a camper ref a van or coach build
As you are asking my experience to towing a heavy caravan it’s with a van conversion and a coach build and after over 40 years in the motor trade would hope would be experienced.I have not just been a holiday driver talking what they think . The caravan I towed was 1500kg so hope that can be in the heavy range and a single axle .my car trailer was a twin axle That I used
Been one of a few that can drive a HGV of more than 44t yes I can do over 100t as required for the loads I moved
My camper van I have now is a xl and has a long over hang and my camper I was towing caravans with as I will show in a picture makes a Nuervo look like a match box

Towing a caravan with our Nuevo 264ff910

by Guest Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:35 pm

Caraman wrote:
Bigplumbs wrote:
Caraman wrote:
There is a whole lot of difference between a caravan and a car being towed. A caravan’s weight distribution and windage is far worse and if the car is being towed with an A Frame it’s not bearing down on the tow bar. The only thing that is the same is the power to weight issue.

A caravans weight distribution is only worse if you don’t know how to load it properly. It is actually quite easy
I agree, it's quite easy to load a caravan so that it has the correct nose weight, just as it is to load a cargo trailer or car on a trailer. The problem with a caravan, be it loaded or unloaded, is that its mass may not be balanced side to side and it is not all low down and concentrated around the axle as it should be to achieve maximum stability.

Me thinks you worry far too much about things that most people don't. Knowing the theory ain't no replacement for doing it

by Tinwheeler Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:43 pm

Bigplumbs wrote:
Caraman wrote:
Bigplumbs wrote:

A caravans weight distribution is only worse if you don’t know how to load it properly. It is actually quite easy
I agree, it's quite easy to load a caravan so that it has the correct nose weight, just as it is to load a cargo trailer or car on a trailer. The problem with a caravan, be it loaded or unloaded, is that its mass may not be balanced side to side and it is not all low down and concentrated around the axle as it should be to achieve maximum stability.

Me thinks you worry far too much about things that most people don't. Knowing the theory ain't no replacement for doing it

Or perhaps you don't give sufficient thought or care to such matters? There are two ways of looking at it as many a driver of a rolled caravan at the bottom of a hill on the A30 will testify. What price a little extra caution, eh?

by IanH Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:12 pm

Saw this at Fishguard port this year, I think it was some of the other kind of travellers, dozens, (it seemed) of unruly rugrats running around in the queue annoying everyone else in it, especially me sensored1

!

Towing a caravan with our Nuevo Img_2240

by Tinwheeler Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:31 pm

IanH wrote:Saw this at Fishguard port this year, I think it was some of the other kind of travellers, dozens, (it seemed) of unruly rugrats running around in the queue annoying everyone else in it, especially me !

Hmm, there’s nothing like a sensibly well balanced and legal outfit. And that’s nothing like a sensibly………

by glyne lock Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:03 pm

Tinwheeler
are you talking about the hill on the a30 with the speed camera that people brake as they don't know the speed they can do on a dual carriageway and has a toilet block at the bottom . going down into Cornwall the road surface is uneven near the bottom of the hill and makes the air seat in my truck work overtime. I did have a caravan turn over in front of myself and had to emergency stop fully loaded in my truck. I did manage to stop and not hit the caravan but was not easy stopping and also not losing my load or braking any chains holding my load. so when you have had such a close miss you don't forget

Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

Re: Towing a caravan with our Nuevo