British Travel Trailers

[Tequila]

Someone posted this video at the Lance owners Forum. I was in Britain a summer back and noticed sizable TT's being towed by ordinary cars. I wondered how they did it. Its interesting how these trailers are put together in a modular fashion which I imagine makes repair easier. They must also be very light weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7zBTYOA8s

Notice at the end how 2 guys are able to pull what appears to be about a 20 ft trailer.

[RobertRyan]

Review of British Travel Trailer in Australia

[RobertRyan]

Mike Up wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:
Lounges like these

The below isn't even a full dinette. Just big enough for one person on each bench and this is NOT typical but the exception.
UK Caravan lounges

The below is not a dinette AND sofa, but a two bench dinette.
Another typical lounge

Let's just agree to disagree.

That is the type they sell more of here, the first type..actually more than one person can sit on the seats and I am not talking about tiny people
Not much different to a basic US Travel Trailer or Hybrid , some of the UK stuff a whole lot nicer inside
Basic US travel Travel Trailer

[Mike_Up]

RobertRyan wrote:
Lounges like these

The below isn't even a full dinette. Just big enough for one person on each bench and this is NOT typical but the exception.
UK Caravan lounges

The below is not a dinette AND sofa, but a two bench dinette.
Another typical lounge

Let's just agree to disagree.

[RobertRyan]

Lounges like these
UK Caravan lounges
Another typical lounge

[RobertRyan]

Mike Up wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:

Mike Up wrote:

Tequila wrote:
Someone posted this video at the Lance owners Forum. I was in Britain a summer back and noticed sizable TT's being towed by ordinary cars. I wondered how they did it. Its interesting how these trailers are put together in a modular fashion which I imagine makes repair easier. They must also be very light weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7zBTYOA8s

Notice at the end how 2 guys are able to pull what appears to be about a 20 ft trailer.

They are able to do because you're only allowed to tow at a very low speed. Their tongue couplers have built in friction pads (that go on the ball itself) for sway control. They have super light tongue weights (that make sway bad but are light for inadequate CARS), and car makers don't have to worry about consumer protection laws like we have in the US.

We come out a head here in the US. BTW, have you seen the inside of those European TTs? They are super cramped, don't usually have bathrooms, don't usually have BOTH a sofa and dinette, and have very small dinettes. They aren't for well fed people in the states!

I'll take my truck and Jayco any day over their little cars and cramped TTs.

No, In have posted this before, general towing is not a problem, only on uneven services, where friction damping not so effective. Yes they do have bathrooms, some have Sofa and Dinette. Major problem with them is a small payload

Most model floorplans I've have seen don't have bathrooms and most only have a L shaped dinette and no sofa.

Well they are part of the English Caravans imported here.

[Mike_Up]

RobertRyan wrote:

Mike Up wrote:

Tequila wrote:
Someone posted this video at the Lance owners Forum. I was in Britain a summer back and noticed sizable TT's being towed by ordinary cars. I wondered how they did it. Its interesting how these trailers are put together in a modular fashion which I imagine makes repair easier. They must also be very light weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7zBTYOA8s

Notice at the end how 2 guys are able to pull what appears to be about a 20 ft trailer.

They are able to do because you're only allowed to tow at a very low speed. Their tongue couplers have built in friction pads (that go on the ball itself) for sway control. They have super light tongue weights (that make sway bad but are light for inadequate CARS), and car makers don't have to worry about consumer protection laws like we have in the US.

We come out a head here in the US. BTW, have you seen the inside of those European TTs? They are super cramped, don't usually have bathrooms, don't usually have BOTH a sofa and dinette, and have very small dinettes. They aren't for well fed people in the states!

I'll take my truck and Jayco any day over their little cars and cramped TTs.

No, In have posted this before, general towing is not a problem, only on uneven services, where friction damping not so effective. Yes they do have bathrooms, some have Sofa and Dinette. Major problem with them is a small payload

Most model floorplans I've have seen don't have bathrooms and most only have a L shaped dinette and no sofa.

[RobertRyan]

easycamper wrote:
Contrary to popular belief in North America, passenger cars can do an excellent job towing a camping trailer. GVWR is a limiting factor, but within that capacity they can do a great job.

My 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan (I know, not a car, but still) actually has a higher passenger and cargo capacity than the truck does, perhaps not so suprising since it's designed to hold seven adults plus cargo.

Very true

[RobertRyan]

Mike Up wrote:

Tequila wrote:
Someone posted this video at the Lance owners Forum. I was in Britain a summer back and noticed sizable TT's being towed by ordinary cars. I wondered how they did it. Its interesting how these trailers are put together in a modular fashion which I imagine makes repair easier. They must also be very light weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7zBTYOA8s

Notice at the end how 2 guys are able to pull what appears to be about a 20 ft trailer.

They are able to do because you're only allowed to tow at a very low speed. Their tongue couplers have built in friction pads (that go on the ball itself) for sway control. They have super light tongue weights (that make sway bad but are light for inadequate CARS), and car makers don't have to worry about consumer protection laws like we have in the US.

We come out a head here in the US. BTW, have you seen the inside of those European TTs? They are super cramped, don't usually have bathrooms, don't usually have BOTH a sofa and dinette, and have very small dinettes. They aren't for well fed people in the states!

I'll take my truck and Jayco any day over their little cars and cramped TTs.

No, In have posted this before, general towing is not a problem, only on uneven services, where friction damping not so effective. Yes they do have bathrooms, some have Sofa and Dinette. Major problem with them is a small payload

[SplinterFL]

easycamper wrote:
"I'm within my weights, therefore I'm safe" is not a valid conclusion to make.

I lived 11 years in Germany, so am very familiar with the autobahn. Considering it's actually hard to get a german license, extensive classes, 30+ hours of professional training, high cost....(formula one course essentially)

The speed limit is what you can SAFELY travel for your given VEHICLE, LOAD and road CONDITIONS. Yes, they can give you a ticket for excessive speed with a swaying load, even if there isn't a speed limit for that stretch. (most tickets are a precentage of income, thus they all hurt the same, rich or poor. One rich driver had a $120k speeding ticket.)

Most trucks and trailers are limited to about 60mph, the MFG can actually put a speed limit sticker on the back. (just like UHAUL trailers) and the cops will use that as your limit.

[easycamper]

Campfire Time wrote:
Here's an interesting blog post. I don't know how accurate it is. You be the judge.

That is interesting. Thanks for posting. The linked paper is even more so.

I think what he says in the blog post is accurate as far as he's taken it.

One take away, for everyone no matter what they tow with, is that speed is a major factor in stability. I think that RV.net puts far, far too much emphasis on weight and wheelbase in isolation without considering the effect of speed. "I'm within my weights, therefore I'm safe" is not a valid conclusion to make.

[Mike_Up]

Tequila wrote:
Someone posted this video at the Lance owners Forum. I was in Britain a summer back and noticed sizable TT's being towed by ordinary cars. I wondered how they did it. Its interesting how these trailers are put together in a modular fashion which I imagine makes repair easier. They must also be very light weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G7zBTYOA8s

Notice at the end how 2 guys are able to pull what appears to be about a 20 ft trailer.

They are able to do because you're only allowed to tow at a very low speed. Their tongue couplers have built in friction pads (that go on the ball itself) for sway control. They have super light tongue weights (that make sway bad but are light for inadequate CARS), and car makers don't have to worry about consumer protection laws like we have in the US.

We come out a head here in the US. BTW, have you seen the inside of those European TTs? They are super cramped, don't usually have bathrooms, don't usually have BOTH a sofa and dinette, and have very small dinettes. They aren't for well fed people in the states!

I'll take my truck and Jayco any day over their little cars and cramped TTs.

[easycamper]

Contrary to popular belief in North America, passenger cars can do an excellent job towing a camping trailer. GVWR is a limiting factor, but within that capacity they can do a great job.

My 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan (I know, not a car, but still) actually has a higher passenger and cargo capacity than the truck does, perhaps not so suprising since it's designed to hold seven adults plus cargo.

[Tequila]

pappcam wrote:
I believe they avoid putting weight on the tongue over there which I assume could create a harrowing journey once you pick up speed.

They also boil meat and eat black pudding so take that into account as well...:)

That black pudding is disgusting. My wife tried it, I gagged at the thought. And i was born in the UK.

[GrandpaKip]

A lot of the cars in the UK are diesels and manual transmissions so they tow better, but mostly slower.

They also have fish n chips, and an English, Irish, or Scottish breakfast is about the best way to start the day.