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Thirsty as
Senior Member
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:30 am Posts: 113 Location: Maroubra, NSW
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To what extent can I take my road-caravan - offroad?
I'm wondering, if I take it slow, how extreme a situation can I put my low wheelbase, normal caravan, through, while being towed by a 4wd vehicle?
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:19 am |
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Dunaruna
Senior Member
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:40 pm Posts: 1269 Location: Yarra Valley
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Zero. Blacktop or graded dirt road only. You will do a lot of damage to underneath and shake the fittings to bits.
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:37 am |
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ozjohn
Senior Member
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:23 pm Posts: 1133 Location: Mornington Peninsula - Vic
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Most quality built vans should be able to go anywhere a family sedan can go, but not 4 X 4 terrain. ozjohn.
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:55 am |
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norto
Senior Member
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:55 pm Posts: 201 Location: Batemans Bay
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TA What brand of van do you have. Nearly all the coromals have the same suspension setup as their off road models
_________________ Peter and Jen Coromal Excel 511 2010 Mitsubishi Challenger.
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:01 am |
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woolman
Senior Member
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 2:05 pm Posts: 88
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We go anywhere that you would take a 2WD, but with care. It took us 2 hrs to do 35 klm at one stage but no damage. The off road van that over took us was still fixing his van when we arrived. Neil
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:22 am |
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Frank & Brenda
Senior Member
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:26 am Posts: 2667 Location: Aldinga Beach SA (in the Fleurieu peninsula)99 Mistubishi Challenger, 1980 Jayco Songbird 15' poptop
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ozjohn wrote: Most quality built vans should be able to go anywhere a family sedan can go, but not 4 X 4 terrain. ozjohn.
I agree with John, but if you need to take it where there are corrugations, then drop the tyre pressure in the van and EASY does it, then re-inflate your tyres when you can (do not drive at speed with underinflated tyres),
_________________ Catch you......Out there Frank and Brenda BLOGS http://www.adelaidetoperthviadarwin.blogspot.com http://www.tassietour.blogspot.com
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Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:58 am |
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Thirsty as
Senior Member
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:30 am Posts: 113 Location: Maroubra, NSW
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norto wrote: TA What brand of van do you have. Nearly all the coromals have the same suspension setup as their off road models It's a Coromal Aussie Low Line
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Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:39 pm |
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cbenpora
Senior Member
Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:06 pm Posts: 245 Location: Perth, WA
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Thirsty as, I agree with the others that you can do some "dirt" or "Corrugated" road with with a normal van. Back in the 70's, the Eyre Highway still had about 300 mile of dirt between Ceduna and the WA Border and I and a lot of other people successfully towed Vans across, The bottom line for this type of road, is the same for all drivers, whether towing or not, "drive to suit the road". With the independant suspension of the Coromal, at the risk of upsetting some people, I feel it will fair better, because there is no Solid axle to transfer the bumps. I have towed both types on the bitumen and on dirt and I prefer the independant suspension (from my personal experience), especially on narrow bitumen roads. When you have to put one wheel on the shoulder on the dirt and have the other on smooth bitumen, I have found the independant to behave better. Cheers,
_________________ Colin. Retired after 40 years in Electrical, Electronics.
He who shouts loudest is not always right
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Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:08 pm |
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PeterD
Senior Member
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:38 pm Posts: 993 Location: Chain Valley Bay, near Newcastle
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It's not bad roads that break vans, it's bad drivers. You should check first to see if there are any creek crossings where you will ground the body of the van give them a miss. When driving solo on rough roads you can drive at a speed where the vehicle skips over the top and you can get a smooth ride. This speed will not suit your van as the suspension characteristics are different. If you have instrumentation to measure the ride of the van (wife with hand held CB ) you can find out what the sweet speed of the van is. At this speed you will be very uncomfortable in the tug. You have to drop down to a slower speed, perhaps walking pace to get through the rough stuff. Watch the trees as well
_________________ PeterD Retired radio & electronics technician - Nissan Navara D40 diesel auto (pensioners pack) towing a Spaceland pop-top
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Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:49 am |
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Sean
Senior Member
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:31 am Posts: 1125
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I wouldn't have any fears about poking along a bit of a track to a nice camp spot, provided there wasn't anything to damage the undercariage.
I wouldn't travel at speed offroad however!
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Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:59 pm |
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