Why are caravans built the way they are?

Submitted: Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 12:51
ThreadID: 134692 Views:5216 Replies:9 FollowUps:12
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A link to this American gadget came up on my Facebook page.

Towall Dolly

Why are caravans designed the way they are with one or two axles more or less in the middle?

Why not like a dog trailer, or with a steerable front bogie similar to this gadget?
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Reply By: Zippo - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 15:23

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 15:23
Can you reverse a B-double?

There's drivers out there towing vans that can't properly reverse a single rigid unit. Add a dolly and you create a spectacle.
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Follow Up By: RMD - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:20

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:20
Reversing a B Double is easier than an articulated trailer.
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Follow Up By: b1b - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:33

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:33
but fun to watch.....
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Follow Up By: 9900Eagle - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:01

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:01
I get about a bit and find there are more drivers having problems backing camper trailers than vans. I don't find it fun in watching but I do find joy in helping people out if they accept it.
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Follow Up By: Member - David M (SA) - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 16:02

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 16:02
Nothing I like better after a long days drive than to sit down, beer in hand,
and watch an elderly couple on their first trip trying to reverse their new van into a tight site.
There's some sad people out there.
If you can back a 6by4 trailer you can back most things.
Dave.
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Reply By: Member - TonyV - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:01

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:01
Would require an MR or HR to tow the trailer with a pig or dog trailer.

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Follow Up By: The Bantam - Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 08:49

Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 08:49
sorry not it would not.

It is perfectly legal to tow any format of trailer on any type of licence as long as the vehicle and trailer are within the weight limits of the licence.

It would hoe ever be illegal to tow a trailer of any type with a dolly .... a multi combination licence would be required and said dolly would have to conform to the very specific requirements for multi-combination trailers.

cheers
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Reply By: Member -Pinko (NSW) - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:24

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 17:24
This is not new a similar setup was about in sixties for caravans
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Follow Up By: RMD - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:08

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:08
Ah yes but not too much internet and Faceache back then, so they have now discovered something NEW.

A case of old tricks for new dogs.
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Reply By: GREG T11 - Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:02

Thursday, Apr 20, 2017 at 20:02
The answer to your first question is easy. To provide enjoyment to those already sitting down with a cold one and to test the relationship boundaries of otherwise happily married couples.

There is a good reason why heavy vehicle operators prefer a "dog" over a "pig" when constantly reversing. A caravan is technically a pig trailer.

The perils of weight make the bogie in OZ unrealistic, not many F series or similar used here which is the minimum you would want to have to be legal considering the whole concept is designed to free up load space in the tray. Other wise it is pointless.
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Reply By: swampy - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 08:59

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 08:59
hi
Even if the setup was all technically correct under say 2.5t why would u need a heavy vehicle license or similar to have this style of hitch ???
Not just for more nanny state legislation ....
If u are a competent driver this should not be a problem ..

The police and the Rta would have orgasmic fits while they could not write tickets fast enough LOL LOL

The RTA would have 2 registrations on this to confuse the matter like they have elseware .

If the Rta cannot understand something watch out and good luck with registration . There is huge proof of this all around .
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 09:24

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 09:24
"The RTA would have 2 registrations on this to confuse the matter like they have elseware ."

Please explain yourself. there is only one registration fof a dog trailer.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 09:46

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 09:46
That's not entirely correct, Peter.

If the dog trailer had a ball race turntable ie. the dolly was a permanent fixture on the trailer, then it's one rego.

In this example, the dolly can be easily removed/unhitched, therefor rego for ute, dolly & 'van/5th wheeler.

The only advantages I can see to this set up would be improved braking, and the visual enjoyment for bystanders, in reversing situations.

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Follow Up By: swampy - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 12:44

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 12:44
Hi
In other industries I am referring to in regard to dual registrations because of
""Lack of common sense by the RTA Lawyers "".
Also the unevenness by which the "law" is applied .
The Rta is catching up but still 20 years behind tying to apply law to uncommon equipment .
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 12:51

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 12:51
Some people like to complicate things, don't they. "If the dog trailer had a ball race turntable ie. the dolly was a permanent fixture on the trailer, then it's one rego." Who would build a caravan with the extra complication of a removable dolly? The caravan I have seen around the traps does not have a 5th wheel type front axle. It has Ackerman steering.
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Follow Up By: The Bantam - Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 08:55

Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 08:55
It is plain and simple and easily understood

If the dolly is not permanetly attached it requires a second regestration ...... it is a seperate vehicle and there simply is no and never will be a way around that.

AND .... if the dolly is a seperate vehicle, the rig becomes a multi-combination and requires an appropriate licence.


As for a plain and simple dog trailer ...... permanetly attcahed strreing front axle ...... single vehicle and capable of being towed like any other trailer within the weight allowances for the vehicle and licence held

cheers
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Reply By: 9900Eagle - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 14:57

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 14:57
Met an old sheering contractor form around bedourie who had a converter dolly under his van. He was towing with an old petrol gas F truck and the reason for the dolly was he was way over his back axle weight with the van hooked on the F truck directly.

He was happy with it and said it towed well. The old van also had air brakes which would have been a big plus.
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Reply By: Member - Racey - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 17:41

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 17:41
Looking at the setup, the dolly is chained to the truck, so never pivots at the truck. Backing would not differ from normal.

Someone mentioned the dollies used in the 60's, I have feeling they were banned.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 18:55

Friday, Apr 21, 2017 at 18:55
The dolly wheels used back in the 60s were nothing like the heavy transport ones.


I don't believe the RTA or any other state body have banned them. The use of WDH is cheaper and thus has displaced them.
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Reply By: The Bantam - Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 09:11

Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 09:11
The reasons why some many things are not so in caravans in particular is pretty much a total lack of any significant innovation in the caravan business.

Caravans and trailers in general are crude, lumps of puss, built by very small poorly resourced companies ..... even the biggest builders would not have the size or resources on the smallest motor vehicle manufacturers.

The use of a towing dolly with a passenger vehicle on a passenger car licence ..... never will be legal. It is a seperate vehicle requires a seperate regestration and a multi-combnation licence.

As for Dog trailers ...... there is no reason whatsoever that caravans can not be built as dog trailers ...... many council and road crew caravans are dog trailers.

There is a mowing contractor in my area that has a small dog trailer he tows behind an SUV.

There are many good reasons why a dog trailer is a good format for a caravan or other trailer ...... stability being one of them.

The disadvantages are ....... cost and weight ...... there is significant extra cost and weight involved in building a sturdy and road worthy steerable front end AND there would be significant engineering design work involved.

Meanwhile ..... most of our simple crude vans and trailers have crude and often fundamentally flawed suspensions bolted straight to flat flat chassis ....... a great many do not even have shock absorbers.

Until trailer manufacturers can get past the idea of a flat steel beam chassis, propper suspension geometry and just fitting shock absorbers ....... don't expect any further innovation.

cheers
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Reply By: Dion - Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 14:04

Saturday, Apr 22, 2017 at 14:04
Our Seppo cousins, finding complicated solutions to problems that don't exist.
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