I'm heading off down south again & with my van's known weight issues, I'm wondering whether it is better to travel with both (90L) tanks half full, one empty, one full or both empty until we get to Toowoomba where I can fill at least one to give us adequate water to camp at Girraween NP (yes, I know it's "rather chilly" there but there are good birds there too).
The problem with half full tanks is that there is little or no baffling so the water could slosh from one side to the other causing instability.
If I run with one empty - which one - the front? The van has a single axle, rear entry & rear kitchen & approx. 160Kg ball weight with the rear full, the front half full.
Warren
villatranquilla said
12:09 PM Sep 1, 2017
how long will it take to get to Toowoomba? If weight is an issue leave them empty and just use water from a container for drinking and dishes.
Warren-Pat_01 said
03:45 PM Sep 1, 2017
Hi Jenny & Barry, two days Townsville to Toowoomba. Currently have one tank full, one half. The van has been getting regular usage recently.
Might use half of the full tank to water the parched gardens before we go.
Thanks, Warren
villatranquilla said
05:15 PM Sep 1, 2017
is there a weight issue - have you weighed it with full tanks - the ball weight looks OK so I'd empty the rear tank to keep weight forward. Do you need to shower along the way or can it wait till Toowoomba. If so half a tank should be adequate - with a poptop the centre of gravity is low so sloshing water may not effect stability.
-- Edited by villatranquilla on Friday 1st of September 2017 05:16:45 PM
Warren-Pat_01 said
08:45 AM Sep 2, 2017
Yes Barry & Jenny,
Have weighed it with full tanks (100Kg too heavy). You can find my posts on this subject down a page or two in the Techies Corner. Had the GVM of the car increased but as far as I can see, cannot do the same on the van without drastic measures.
Thanks for your advice,
Warren
PeterD said
02:44 PM Sep 2, 2017
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:If I run with one empty - which one - the front? The van has a single axle, rear entry & rear kitchen & approx. 160Kg ball weight with the rear full, the front half full.
Warren
If they are both in front of the axle then the one closest to the axle. If they are one each side of the axle then make the full one the one in front of the axle. Wit only 160 kg on the ball I'm sure you could do with a little more weight on the ball.
Warren-Pat_01 said
08:02 AM Sep 3, 2017
Thanks Peter,
That is the info I was looking for.
The rated (empty) ball weight is shown on the comp plate is 120Kg so with most of the load in front of the axle (one tank, under beds, battery & HWS), the load on the ball only goes up 40Kg. I have not had any swaying issues so far.
We saw a van coming into Pentland a few weeks ago & he was swaying all over the place - must have been completely unaware - the RHS tyre blew out in front of us - perhaps the two spares he had on the rear were for a reason! It was a smaller van than ours.
G'day fellow travellers,
I'm heading off down south again & with my van's known weight issues, I'm wondering whether it is better to travel with both (90L) tanks half full, one empty, one full or both empty until we get to Toowoomba where I can fill at least one to give us adequate water to camp at Girraween NP (yes, I know it's "rather chilly" there but there are good birds there too).
The problem with half full tanks is that there is little or no baffling so the water could slosh from one side to the other causing instability.
If I run with one empty - which one - the front? The van has a single axle, rear entry & rear kitchen & approx. 160Kg ball weight with the rear full, the front half full.
Warren
Hi Jenny & Barry, two days Townsville to Toowoomba. Currently have one tank full, one half. The van has been getting regular usage recently.
Might use half of the full tank to water the parched gardens before we go.
Thanks, Warren
is there a weight issue - have you weighed it with full tanks - the ball weight looks OK so I'd empty the rear tank to keep weight forward. Do you need to shower along the way or can it wait till Toowoomba. If so half a tank should be adequate - with a poptop the centre of gravity is low so sloshing water may not effect stability.
-- Edited by villatranquilla on Friday 1st of September 2017 05:16:45 PM
Yes Barry & Jenny,
Have weighed it with full tanks (100Kg too heavy). You can find my posts on this subject down a page or two in the Techies Corner. Had the GVM of the car increased but as far as I can see, cannot do the same on the van without drastic measures.
Thanks for your advice,
Warren
If they are both in front of the axle then the one closest to the axle. If they are one each side of the axle then make the full one the one in front of the axle. Wit only 160 kg on the ball I'm sure you could do with a little more weight on the ball.
That is the info I was looking for.
The rated (empty) ball weight is shown on the comp plate is 120Kg so with most of the load in front of the axle (one tank, under beds, battery & HWS), the load on the ball only goes up 40Kg. I have not had any swaying issues so far.
We saw a van coming into Pentland a few weeks ago & he was swaying all over the place - must have been completely unaware - the RHS tyre blew out in front of us - perhaps the two spares he had on the rear were for a reason! It was a smaller van than ours.
Warren