Who says people towing caravans are slow???

Jim Goose · 25-11-2010, 09:26 AM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...25/3075821.htm

Police call off high-speed caravan chase

Posted 1 hour 32 minutes ago

* Map: Elizabeth 5112

Police say they chased a car and caravan at high speed in Adelaide's north early today until the pursuit became too dangerous.

Senior Constable Paul Noble says police spotted a stolen Commodore sedan towing the caravan in Main North Road.

"A patrol quickly terminated the pursuit when the driver of the stolen vehicles began driving very erratically, apparently he was swaying from side to side and the caravan was nearly tipping over," he said.

The car and caravan were found dumped at Elizabeth Downs and police are now tracing the owners and the offenders.

*******************************************

Sorry there were some threads about correcting trailer swing....

OzJavelin · 25-11-2010, 10:21 AM

I've got an old Hot Rod magazine test of a new 1969 Impala coupe (427 4-speed I think?) towing one of those big-azzed aluminum "streamliner" caravans at about 120mph(ish) .. that would be scarey.

fmc351 · 25-11-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

I've got an old Hot Rod magazine test of a new 1969 Impala coupe (427 4-speed I think?) towing one of those big-azzed aluminum "streamliner" caravans at about 120mph(ish) .. that would be scarey.

Yeah, but not for long.

Could have been worse, could have been a Corvair with its unstable IRS.

aussie muscle · 25-11-2010, 11:02 AM

There's always an exception to the rule, and this proves it

Yellow_Festiva · 25-11-2010, 11:16 AM

I remember seeing on TV a few years ago that the speed record for towing a caravan for a long time (not sure if it was Aussie or Global) was held by a Falcon. They used a tricked up Dodge Viper to beat it.

**Mechan1k** · 25-11-2010, 11:48 AM

There was a decent test with the Norris Design EVO in the UK with caravan towing.
Need to look it up ... I think it was over 200km/h.

MexicanBatman · 25-11-2010, 02:01 PM

If I'm not mistaken an EA holds the official world record for speed towing a caravan LOL Or at least used to anyway

wrongwaynorris · 25-11-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

Yeah, but not for long.

Could have been worse, could have been a Corvair with its unstable IRS.

Amazed this myth still persists to this day , Ralph Nader sure has a lot ot answer for .

fmc351 · 25-11-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Amazed this myth still persists to this day , Ralph Nader sure has a lot ot answer for .

Are you referring to the US government or transport authority revised tests that found no issue?

There were GM execs who said the same as Nader, he wasnt alone. And the later models revised the system. I cant find it, but i have seen footage of one swinging out of control under testing and it seems pretty obvious the rear end keeps it swinging. I dont want to think about how much worse it would be with a caravan at 200.

That and GM stated running 15 psi tyre pressure fixed any issue.

GhiaEB · 25-11-2010, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...25/3075821.htm

Police call off high-speed caravan chase

Posted 1 hour 32 minutes ago

* Map: Elizabeth 5112

Police say they chased a car and caravan at high speed in Adelaide's north early today until the pursuit became too dangerous.

Senior Constable Paul Noble says police spotted a stolen Commodore sedan towing the caravan in Main North Road.

"A patrol quickly terminated the pursuit when the driver of the stolen vehicles began driving very erratically, apparently he was swaying from side to side and the caravan was nearly tipping over," he said.

The car and caravan were found dumped at Elizabeth Downs and police are now tracing the owners and the offenders.

*******************************************

Sorry there were some threads about correcting trailer swing....

Only in Adelaide is all i can say.

P.S. I lived in Adelaide for 4 years.

wrongwaynorris · 25-11-2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

Are you referring to the US government or transport authority revised tests that found no issue?

There were GM execs who said the same as Nader, he wasnt alone. And the later models revised the system. I cant find it, but i have seen footage of one swinging out of control under testing and it seems pretty obvious the rear end keeps it swinging. I dont want to think about how much worse it would be with a caravan at 200.

That and GM stated running 15 psi tyre pressure fixed any issue.

Seppos were only used to driving overweight front engine lumbering understeering tanks until the Corvair came along . Here was a rear engined lightweight oversteering car . Got way worse press than it ever deserved . Basic layout , rear mounted air cooled flat six driving through a transaxle to the rear wheels immediately in front of the engine with independant suspension all round , sound familiar ? I have a vague recollection of some guys in Stuttgart doing something similar .All the seppos had to do was adjust their vehicle steering style a little or shock horror of horrors actually learn to drive and there would never have been a problem . I agree G.M. did themselves no favours with the ridiculously low tyre pressure but who in their right mind would leave them there other than the great sea of unwashed masses who know no better . How many of us here actually run our cars at the manufacturers recommended ( for a smooth ride ) tyre pressures . I hate G.M. with an absolute passion but on this one they were wrongly convicted in the court of public opinion by an ignoramous .

fmc351 · 25-11-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Seppos were only used to driving overweight front engine lumbering understeering tanks until the Corvair came along . Here was a rear engined lightweight oversteering car . Got way worse press than it ever deserved . Basic layout , rear mounted air cooled flat six driving through a transaxle to the rear wheels immediately in front of the engine with independant suspension all round , sound familiar ? I have a vague recollection of some guys in Stuttgart doing something similar .All the seppos had to do was adjust their vehicle steering style a little or shock horror of horrors actually learn to drive and there would never have been a problem . I agree G.M. did themselves no favours with the ridiculously low tyre pressure but who in their right mind would leave them there other than the great sea of unwashed masses who know no better . How many of us here actually run our cars at the manufacturers recommended ( for a smooth ride ) tyre pressures . I hate G.M. with an absolute passion but on this one they were wrongly convicted in the court of public opinion by an ignoramous .

The way I understood it, under extreme circumstances, like highway speed and immediate evasive action, unless tyre pressures were set to 15 psi, the car became unstable, and 'runaway' steering was inevitable. That was from GM, not Nader. It was running higher pressures that caused the problem, sticking to the factory settings made the steering issue less of a problem. the opposite of what youre saying. Thats how I understood it.

Just because a Euro Co got it right, doesnt mean GM came close simply by using a same basic idea, engine at back.

Regardless, it would certainly have issues at high speed pulling a monster caravan, given the tendency of trailers etc to push the back of heavier vehicles, let alone a light weight car with or without the handling issues.

barra265t · 25-11-2010, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhiaEB

Only in Adelaide is all i can say.

P.S. I lived in Adelaide for 4 years.

When I was in Adelaide for a weekend and checking into a hotel, heard this awful screeching noise outside. Turn my head to see a Police Hilux going sideways through a red light, mount a median kerb in excess of 60kmh and go airborne for a second before making a nice landing. With police drivers like that, I'm suprised they called off the pursuit.