Caravan Sway

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Caravan Sway

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The problem comes from reducing the pressure in just the rears.

Cheers,
Peter

Hetho · Senior Member

Agree with Peter.

I run 45 PSI on Tug and van at all times. No sway.

Regards.

Hetho.

Eaglemax · Guru

Agree, pump the tyres back up, even a little higher. Also a friction anti sway unit (runs from the drawbar to a separate tow ball ) worked for us. Cost $40 on gumtree.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Thanks guys for confirming the problem, Hetho Mitsubishi recommends 36PSI when towing loads over 2.5T and mine when loaded is around 2.6T do you still think that it would be beneficial to run with even more pressure in them than that ? Peter your point about reducing the pressure in only the rears is exactly what I did as I never increased the front ones before I left home, I have read that it may be beneficial after increasing the rear tyre pressure to actually reduce the front ones a little to help with grip does anyone do this ? Eaglemax I won't worry about the anti sway unit just yet as everything was OK before the return trip so I will muck around with my tyre pressures first - I'll keep it in mind though..

Cheers
BB

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

It obviously varies from vehicle to vehicle and van to van ... but rear tyres on vehicle should be inflated considerably from 'unloaded' pressures.

Surely this is addressed in either the owner's manual of the vehicle or on the plate affixed to the door pillar or front door inner. confuse

As to the van - I feel some do run their vans at too low a pressure.

For me - Vehicle without van - 36PSI front - 38PSI rear ... vehicle with van 38PSI front - 48PSI rear.

Van (2,680Kg over scales) is 50PSI all wheels - I used to run 55PSI 'on advice' but over time I have found that 50PSI gives best wear characteristics and van feels very stable.

Cheers - John

Hetho · Senior Member

Hi BB.

Yes, my van is 2200KG, and the Tug is a L/c 200 series. 45 all round feels really secure for my setup, and John is in the same ball park.

And as suggested not all rigs are going to be the same. I do not use ASB.

I suggest you have a few trial runs with different pressures to find the sweet spot for your setup.

At 45 psi I have even tyre wear as well, which is worth thinking about.

Regards.

Hetho.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Yes John as I said in my reply the plate on the door pillar and in the owners manual (Mitsubishi's recommendation) indicates 36PSI in the rear tyres when towing. It also indicates 29PSI in the front tyres at all times regardless of the loading. Where I was wrong (because I have just re read the handbook) is that I thought that it stated loads over 2.5T but it doesn't actually specify any towing weight just whenever towing or with the vehicle carrying maximum load. Good suggestion Hetho I am going to increase the pressure in 5PSI increments until I can find that ideal balance between tyre pressure, WDH tension and pressure in the rear coil air bags that I recently had fitted.

John I would be interested in what the handbook on your vehicle says as 50PSI is around 30% more than what Mitsubishi are specifying for the Sport.

Thanks again everyone for your input.

BB

rgren2 · Guru

A lot depends upon the type of tyre as well. I run LT AT's at 50lb. If you have general radial type tyres you get a lot of flex in the sidewall.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The problem was not the lower pressure, but the difference that was created between the front (which had appropriate pressure) and the rear (which was under inflated).
I suggest this caused a change in understeer characteristics in the vehicle which caused the problem.
Tyres need to be inflated according to their load carried.
If the fronts were also under inflated there would not have been this problem.

Cheers,
Peter

rockylizard · Guru

The Belmont Bear wrote:
SNIP~~~John I would be interested in what the handbook on your vehicle says as 50PSI is around 30% more than what Mitsubishi are specifying for the Sport.
Thanks again everyone for your input.
BB

Gday...

The Owner's Manual for the Discovery simply states to refer to the plate inside the front driver's door pillar.

Which is -

Tyre Pressures 001.JPG

You can see the pressures recommended by Land Rover.

Over the seven years I have owned the vehicle, I have 'adjusted' the pressures to suit the usage and the wear patterns indicated by various pressures.

When I had 'road pattern' H/T tyres I used to run 34front/36rear without van ... .with van 36front/44rear.

I now run LT tyres and therefore I have upped the pressures to better suit the tyre construction -

ie without van - 36PSI front - 38PSI rear ... with van 38PSI front - 48PSI rear.

I have been running those pressures in the LT-AT/3 tyres for the past four years - 64,000km first set and now have 20,000km hardly worn.

I travel full-time and the van is connected probably 80% of the time. I rotate every 10,000Km and wear is completely even on all tyres.

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Wednesday 8th of March 2017 01:33:59 PM

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Thanks John, the Landrover pressures are a bit higher than what Mitsubishi are suggesting. The tyres that come standard on the Sport are Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 265/60R18s with a maximum pressure rating of 51PSI so I can probably put the back ones up to 40 maybe even 45 PSI to see how they perform.

macka17 · Guru

A lot of people have a lot pf varying ideas on Pressures.

Me.
Patrol 32 all round driving. 36 rears if loaded or 5.35 boat.

Towing 3 ton van offroad van, same tyres as Patrol (265\75).
32\33 front. usually around 36\38 rears. With Tandem van running 32\33 all round.
Dropping all according to surfaces.

Some here reckon I'm waaay too low.
But after 50 odd yrs of towing. and using LCD temp gun for last 10 yrs or so.
Smooth even ride. no swaying.

And much more "comfortable " softer ride for passengers. I'm happy
Tried 42 once. riding on planks.

When we went out in the bush yrs ago.
It was always on Skinny's and tubed tyres. 40lbs. Nice and hard with straight walls.
for less staking.

I usually rotate car and van at 10k each. Normally change van tyres at 6 yrs.
and car tyres at 3\4 worn. (50plus k. comfortable)

I never run them down to bars or anywhere near. I like my missus too much.

I have no idea where these modern towers and their rock hard tyres come from.
Nobody I've ever known runs more than 35 normal towing. 38 with big loads.

rockylizard · Guru

macka17 wrote:
A lot of people have a lot pf varying ideas on Pressures.

SNIP~~~ And much more "comfortable " softer ride for passengers. I'm happy
Tried 42 once. riding on planks.

~~~SNIP~~~ I have no idea where these modern towers and their rock hard tyres come from.
Nobody I've ever known runs more than 35 normal towing. 38 with big loads.

Gday...

One day if we are sufficiently lucky to meet up I'll take ya fer a ride in the Discovery, Macka.

You will DEFINITELY change ya mind on what is a comfortable ride. Even when running at 48PSI rear with van on

cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Thursday 9th of March 2017 11:00:02 PM

Cupie · Guru

My Patrol is 41 rear & 29 front. That's what I do when towing but drop rears to 35 for 'round town. I have always thought that 29 is a bit low.

The Patrol is far better to drive with the van hooked up.

But then the Van is supposed to be 29 (200), way too low I think so I run at 35. The van tyres are pretty baggy at 29 but perhaps Jayco want them soft in the absence of shockies.

I gave up trying to get a consensus from the 'experts'.

macka17 · Guru

ARSE John.

I KNOW the Disco is a better ride than any, other than a Rangie.
I've borrowed net doors a coupla times.

They magic. Just not with 3 ton of 6.5mtr van behind them.

I Was meaning more "comfortable" ITSELF. (my veh)
. than with harder tyres.

I was about to buy a 5 cyl Disco from Perth, b4 this D-Max came up.
Should have as a runabout.

CUPIE..

Try the fronts at 32lbs.

You might find the steering a little softer\more accurate feeling.

I did. 32 fr and back.

then 35 boat or loaded, 35\38 van.

on rears.

-- Edited by macka17 on Friday 10th of March 2017 03:57:06 PM

SouthernComfort · Guru

Can't go too far wrong if the manufacturer's recommendations are followed, they're stated for a purpose, and as others have said it varies according each vehicle's chassis.

The manual for my Territory states 30 front / 35 rear not towing, 35 front / 40 rear towing. The van manufacturer states 48 for the van. I always treat these as minimums though, and if I varied them at all they would be slightly higher, not lower, and still in proportion to the recommended (front vs. rear).

macka17 · Guru

I'd like to see how many towed their caravans at road speed along the Leichardt Highway
without dropping the pressures.

At my pressures I was often down to 80 ish even with the coil sprung Patrols.

boab · Senior Member

If you have a look on the side wall of your tyres it will give you minimum and max pressures depending on the weight your carrying sone vans have 6 ply others have 8 ply some even go with just normal car tyres

Cupie · Guru

macka17 wrote:
snip ...
CUPIE..

Try the fronts at 32lbs.
You might find the steering a little softer\more accurate feeling.
I did. 32 fr and back.

then 35 boat or loaded, 35\38 van.
on rears.

-- Edited by macka17 on Friday 10th of March 2017 03:57:06 PM

Thanks for that. I'll give it a try.