Sand Man (SA) replied:

I believe the single biggest issue is Ball (Drawbar) weight.

I was following a rig the other day along Main North Road in SA, heading into the city.

The rig was a 4.2 litre Nissan Patrol, which is a sizable vehicle and a Bushtracker Van.

The action of this rig was frightening. Every little bump caused the drawbar to travel downwards, the rear of the vehicle upwards and the front of the vehicle downwards. The same thing happened when he braked for traffic lights.

There were several oscillations before it "levelled out" again.

The bloke must have had some serious weight distribution problems and I don't know how he could continue to drive it, or in fact, how far he had come.

I would place a bet that the first policeman that observed his actions, would have pulled him over for a little chat.

Did I say it was scary to watch?
I was on the inside lane and along side of him for a short period of time, but didn't maintain that position for any longer than necessary.

chips59 replied:

to me,( who has been towing for 30 years, and most of the time at max legal weight) providing all is set up to the legal requirements i would have to say confidence, towing a 1000kg van is not much different than a 3000kg with the right set up.

Member - Oldplodder (QLD) replied:

Agree with sandman.
Weight distribution around the trailer axle makes the biggest difference, and the resultant load on the towball.

Have towed 2 tonne boats (plus trailer) no problem, at up to 90/100 km/hr, but had a badly loaded car on a car trailer and it wasn't safe over 60km/hr. Swaying all over the place until it was backed up on the trailer.

Moving the front winch post on a boat trailer does the same thing. Even 10 to 20mm makes a difference.

Always found with vans that packing the heavier items over the axle(s) helps too, where you can.

Surface area and wind resistance just cost you more fuel, but not an issue with stability.

Redback replied:

I agree with Sandman and olplodder, weight distibution and ball weight are the main issues for stability and the heavier you go the more critical it is, also drawbar length can be a factor too.

Good rear springs & shocks, maybe a load leveling device if needed, some vans can be a bugger to tow due to the manufacturers inability to make sure their vans are setup properly with axle position, drawbar length and when the van is loaded by the owner and where storage areas are.

Check the towing capacity and ball weight of your vehicle, NOT the tow hitch.

Just because the towbar is rated to 3000kg, doesn't mean your vehicle is.

Baz.

Trevor R (QLD) replied:

I feel all factors you mention are equally import and need to be taken into consideration when setting up the tow vehicle. IMO not many vehicles are ready to tow big loads often, when they come out of the factory.

The further the coupling is forward of the trailers' axle, the easier it will be to reverse, but this can also allow for loads to be improperly loaded and have too much ball weight. The heavier the trailer the slower acceleration and braking is but YOU need to drive accordingly under this scenario. Tandem axle will mathmatically be more stable.

Speak to trailer manufacturer or towball manufacturer (or both) about setting your vehicle up to tow your trailer. It really is a combined effort, vehicle/trailer setup, that will tow nicely as they are all different to some degree.

Happy towing, Trevor.

samton replied:

I would just like to thank you all for your opinions. Happy travelling.