Towing a caravan with our Nuevo

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

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

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.

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

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.

Previous thread may be helpful although about towing car on trailer

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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!!!!

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

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

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?

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 !

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………

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