Discovery 2 td5 towing issue

Hi

I have a 16ft ifor Williams I regularly tow with my 2001 discovery 2 td5

These 2 should be a match made in heaven but I'm not quite happy with it

Even with the trailer empty ( empty the ifor weighs 1000kg) it snakes slightly

Loaded it snakes as well

Doesn't really matter how much or little weight I have on there it still snakes

Sometimes worse than others

I realise sometimes it might be due to the HGV 'ruts' in the beloved M5 but I really think empty I should almost be able to forget it's on there

I've already tried quite a few things

I've got rid of the 16 inch AT tyres and for for 18 inch road tyres
Altered the tow bar height as it's an adjustable version
I've gone up & down with that

I've had the trailer services by a reputable local trailer centre to make sure the brakes weren't binding or it was twisted etc etc

The car has just been motd by my local garage who the owner is a Land Rover enthusiast and he has checked any thing & everything up underneath the car to make sure he can't see snything wrong but other than 2
Anti roll bar links that needed replacing everything was A1

The car does have rear air suspension but that seems to work well and the compressor is around 12 months old

Really stuck on this one

I'm not a speed freak on the motoway either usually sit around 55-60mph

Any ideas would be gratefully tried !!!!

Tyre pressures on trailer and Disco?

As above tyre pressures on both.The tyre pressures for the trailer can be as high as 116 psi depending on the tyres fitted.

In addition to checking tyre pressures as already mentioned. Check the towball height is correct for your trailer, too high or too low will cause snaking.

What's the nose weight on the trailer? It should be as high as you can get it within the lowest of the limits (normally 150 Kg on the tow ball). Too light is a common cause of snaking with caravans.

Air suspension won't make any difference to stability (in fact will improve it as the ride height is kept constant) as the axle is located sideways by the radius arms and Watts linkage.

iansoady said:

What's the nose weight on the trailer? It should be as high as you can get it within the lowest of the limits (normally 150 Kg on the tow ball). Too light is a common cause of snaking with caravans.

Air suspension won't make any difference to stability (in fact will improve it as the ride height is kept constant) as the axle is located sideways by the radius arms and Watts linkage.

Click to expand...

Ideal Nose Weight should be around 7% of Trailer + Load weight but must not exceeed the Lowest figure of:-
Tow bar Weight (normally 150kg for disco)
Tow ball Weight (normally 150kg for disco)
Trailer Hitch Weight (normally around 100kg)

Nose weight too low

Thanks for the answers guts


How do you weigh the towbar weight though

Tyre pressures are all right my trailer tyres are 95psi recommended by ifor Williams

Thanks
Nic

Piece of wood into the tow hitch and rest on bathroom Scales - then raise jockey wheel

Is it 2 wheel or 4 wheel trailer?

16ft twin axle

It's a twin axle trailer

ridegreen said:

It's a twin axle trailer

Click to expand...

I would guess it is lifting the towball, or very little noseweight. Can be almost undriveable if the trailer is lifting the car. If it is set up right it should drive as well as the vehicle on its own.

The trailer coupling is not usually adjustable, you need to set the height of the towball, using a droplate, different tyres on car or trailer, or different springs.

As a rough guide, if a strong adult can lift the coupling off the towball, noseweight is not enough.

ridegreen said:

Thanks for the answers guts


How do you weigh the towbar weight though

Tyre pressures are all right my trailer tyres are 95psi recommended by ifor Williams

Thanks
Nic

Click to expand...

if you can easily lift the tongue when loaded then it is to light. If you can lift it with effort just right, if you can't budge it then to heavy. If it tail wages stop and adjust the load, a couple inches either way should do.

Again thanks guys for the answers with the trailer empty & the car running so suspension is pumped up
The trailer looks slightly high at the front

I've also tried it on the slightly lower setting with the trailer more or less level

I drove down the m5 today the weather wasn't Gd but still I was very aware of the trailer

Has anyone got a td5 on 255/60/18 with a fixed towbar that would mind measuring the height of it please
??


Thanks again

Nic

Mines 17.5 inches from ground to top of ball without engine running (so add an inch on that when engine running). Note the correct tyre size for 18" wheels is 255/55R18.
Is your towbar solidly fixed? ie, no rot around towing bolts.

Yea it's all solid it is an adjustable height one but there isn't excessive play in it or anything. Do you tow much with yours ???

Have a similar size Richardson trailer, weighs slightly more than yours. Tows beautifully, in fact you forget it's on even when loaded with 1 tonne or more.#
Are you sure your bar is secure. Have you checked your chassis rails?

Mine is 420mm to the top of the ball on 255/55 x 18 tyres and air suspension - engine running or not.

EC Directive heights are between 350 - 420 to the centre of the ball so on a 50mm ball mine would be around 395 mm so almost perfect.

This height gives a very slight nose down attitude for the caravan.