FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I have the commodore wheels on the FC. The car has been lowered 2". As some of you know I am working on the 1959 timber caravan to match. I am going to have electric brakes (have purchased the brake electronics as recommended by Pete).

My question  is around - should I have a drop axle  for the caravan and if yes why and then how much of a drop axle (2"). I cannot get my head around what it will do.

Thanks in advance for you help.

PS I have been lurching in the background. Have not disappeared. My sister passed away and just couldn't be bothered.

Regards Wayne b

G'day Wayne,

Sad to hear about your sister passing.

You may or may not need to drop the trailer. Only way to find out is to bolt up the caravan to the car's towball, and see how level the caravan drawbar rides. If the drawbar on the van is pointing way too much downhill, you may need to drop it. In some cases you can more simply change the towbar tongue to a stepped one rather than change the trailer axle.

Cheers,
Harv

Thanks Harv.

Regards

Wayne b

Wayne , I totally agree with Harv, I would estimate the weight and positions of all the fittings and extras you are installing , then put the van drawbar on a chassis stand and check the balance . Then put it on the ute and recheck the balance and ride height . I'm guessing that you intend to replace the springs and the axle . You maybe can move the centre bolts when you get new springs, slightly [only slightly and set the springs to ride height] to change the balance . Haydn

Thanks Haydn, yes replacing the whole setup. Steady,steady.



Regards Wayne b

Wayne , there is a place at Beenleigh that can do the lot . Electric brakes hubs to stud pattern ,springs on bespoke axle . I use them when needing parts for horse drawn vehicles for my Dad . Active Fabrication 63 Logan River Road Beenleigh 38076666 . Cheers Haydn 

I've missed your inspiration Wayne. When you are setting it up, make sure you put some scales on the towball and ensure the towball weight doesn't change too much. It shouldn't cos your using the original wheel well most probably, but there were vans that had rubber suspensions etc that had certain configurations for a reason. But here's a thread and forum that may be of interest. http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7558&start=40

I think some things that ppl do or don't do.

-don't choose an over rated spring on an old light caravan.
-choose a controller with manual over ride slider so that you can control a sway, especially on an old car. So if you got a sway up down hill, rather that gently applying brakes, u can slowly brake the caravan only, to get rid of dangerous sway. Normally more common on light combinations.
-always consider how you can accommodate the original lowest ride height first like the others said by changing the hitch or the ball/towbar mount.
-simulate the loaded weight of both vehicles at trial fit.
-I would use a square axle over round.
-older cars tend to have low tow balls.

Also make sure you always use bars. It doesn't matter if you have a level tow vehicle (four wheel drive ppl don't get this a lot of the time), so regardless how level it looks, it's the ball weight that pushes down that still take more weight off front wheels. So bars are for brake balance not only levelling. Brakes on car lock up with less weight on front wheels.
_

Thanks Deanno. I miss all the planning for the Fc, sinking myteeth into this van has replaced some of that. I appreciate your feedback. Haydn I am certainly considering  a one stop shop.


Regards Wayne b

Lol. I know your a smart man and I wondered later if I said too much. But good general info. I did my apprenticeship as a diesel mech, so u learn a bit about the physics of it all. I just sold our van.

You over estimate my brain power, especially mechanically. It has been proven I have the mechanical aptitude of a child.  ;D All of those pulley's and things in the psych tests drive me mad. I have to compensate that with a hunger for information and trust people along with a  couple of high aptitudes in other areas. It gets me by and as has been said on this forum many times "When a question is asked someone knows the answer".

So in answer to your reply you certainly did not over sell your response. It was what I needed and yes others can now use it.

Regards

Wayne b

Yep. You get a feel for what is happening out there and there seems to be a lot of caravan stuff happening.