Not enough luggage space when going on holiday in the Stag?

[mjheathcote]

At work today I was chatting with a customer about his summer holiday to France with the kids camping, and how you never have enoughluggage space etc.

Anyway I mentioned how having a Stag luggage space is really tight with four on board, and that I was considering fitting a towbar for a small trailer for all the camping gear etc.

He suggested that I consider what he did this summer, and lateron in theafternoon he emailed me a picture of his car on holiday, ....and yes the box is from the gardening section of B&Q!!

One advantage he mentioned was the fact that you can use the outside lane of the motorway, and are not limited to 60mph if pulling a trailer!

Do you think this would work on a Stag?

:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:: shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::s hock::shock::shock:



I could not stop myself laughing when he sent me the picture of his car, and yes this is absolutely genuine I have seen his car it is not a random picture off the web!

[StagnJag]

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You don't need to do that, just chuck it on the roof!

[dasadrew]

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:shock::shock:

Only problem being that all of that weight counts to the car's maximum allowable weight as opposed to a trailer which counts as a towed weight!

Most cars with 4 adults and a couple of bags usually nowadays exceed the maximum allowed vehicle weight; possibly even the tyres' maximum load rating. Favourite target for German and French police. Hefty fine, obligation to unload on the spot and probably driving uninsured as well!

(Not saying your customer doesn't know this, but that car looks pretty well down on its haunches to me and roof loading is normally only around 75kg total too!)

[richardthestag]

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but the steering is really light :shock:

[ethel]

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mjheathcote wrote:

One advantage he mentioned was the fact that you can use the outside lane of the motorway, and are not limited to 60mph if pulling a trailer!

But in france IIRC the speed limit for trailers (and the cars towing them) is the same as a car on its own and most of the autoroutes are only two lanes anyway.

John.

[Stagster]

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You think you've got space problems...

Jer:dude:

[mad cyclist]

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http://www.roofbox.co.uk/allprods/Thule_BackUp_rear_storage_box_no_900.php

thule have beaten your buddy to it, as always i would rather have a bit built and tested to do the job than some thing that could fall off and rak havoc at 80mph

[ethel]

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mad cyclist wrote:

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/allprods/Th...box_no_900.php


thule have beaten your buddy to it, as always i would rather have a bit built and tested to do the job than some thing that could fall off and rak havoc at 80mph

I've got one of their bike racks that clamps onto the towball and it works well, but one thing has always slightly worried me is that the towball and towbar are originally designed (I presume) to have a pivotting connection to thetrailer so the ball just sees a vertical load. With these clamped carriers you're putting a bending moment in at the ball in addition to the vertical load - are the towbars designed for this?

John.

[mad cyclist]

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ethel wrote:

mad cyclist wrote:

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/allprods/Th...box_no_900.php


thule have beaten your buddy to it, as always i would rather have a bit built and tested to do the job than some thing that could fall off and rak havoc at 80mph

I've got one of their bike racks that clamps onto the towball and it works well, but one thing has always slightly worried me is that the towball and towbar are originally designed (I presume) to have a pivotting connection to thetrailer so the ball just sees a vertical load. With these clamped carriers you're putting a bending moment in at the ball in addition to the vertical load - are the towbars designed for this?

John.

Hi Jon

I sell Thule bike racks and they will never slip on the ball. you can adjust the tension on the clamp. the weight of a few bikes is probably no more than 60 kg's. muine has done 1000's of miles with only one hitch.....i gor got to tighten up the folding verticle bar and bike was dragged along the ground a few km's....oops

[ethel]

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mad cyclist wrote:

....they will never slip on the ball. you can adjust the tension on the clamp. the weight of a few bikes is probably no more than 60 kg's. muine has done 1000's of miles with only one hitch.....i gor got to tighten up the folding verticle bar and bike was dragged along the ground a few km's....oops

I agree, as long as you degrease the ball and tighten the clamp properly then it doesn't come loose

What I was trying to say was that the stress on the structure of the towbar is more for a cantilevered load than forthe simply supported load case that exists when you consider the nose weight of a trailer. There's also the side to side rolling which will try to twist the towbar which doesn't happen with a trailer.

John.

[mad cyclist]

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ethel wrote:

mad cyclist wrote:

....they will never slip on the ball. you can adjust the tension on the clamp. the weight of a few bikes is probably no more than 60 kg's. muine has done 1000's of miles with only one hitch.....i gor got to tighten up the folding verticle bar and bike was dragged along the ground a few km's....oops

I agree, as long as you degrease the ball and tighten the clamp properly then it doesn't come loose

What I was trying to say was that the stress on the structure of the towbar is more for a cantilevered load than forthe simply supported load case that exists when you consider the nose weight of a trailer. There's also the side to side rolling which will try to twist the towbar which doesn't happen with a trailer.

John.

thule test them by going severe off roading with 3 times the recommended weight... i am told

[Dave M]

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I towed my caravan for miles with no issues, then I used the tow bar with one of the ball mounted bike racks with two adult bikes on it and both of the rear wing to boot/hood stowagepanel seams developed cracks. Could just be coincidence I guess.

Dave