Am I going to kill my van ? Towing

Post by **sternal** » 27 Feb 2016, 21:33

Hello all

Hope you're all well.

Bought an Eriba Pan familia back in September (2015) towed with the Passat so no issues with the car !

Today we had a test run with the van up the A1 15 miles and back again, certainly could notice that there was an Eriba on the back, hit a slight hill and its down to 40mph from 52\3mph and this is with the Eriba and van unloaded - no bikes/ clothes food etc, I'm guessing when its loaded it will be even slower ?? When on the flat didn't really make much difference to the van.

I think Im going to have to accept its car and Eriba and camper van and tent - I wanted camper van and Eriba !

Am I going to kill my engine pulling the Eriba ? Obviously when the van was new it would have pulled it no problem.

Any thoughts/advice gladly taken

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 27 Feb 2016, 22:21

A mate used to drag an Eriba Puck behind his 1.9DG camper for his daughters with no ill effects ...

Maybe it's the dieselness ? I can't comment on that.

Ian

Post by **sternal** » 27 Feb 2016, 22:26

Pan Familia is slightly bigger than the Puck, mine is 690kg unloaded 850kg loaded

Post by **Plasticman** » 27 Feb 2016, 22:40

you wont bust a non turbo , just back off and accept it will be slow on the hills, hey your not commuting your on hols
mm

Post by **Mocki** » 27 Feb 2016, 22:55

It's a agricultural engine, it will be fine pulling a shed .....

Post by **Ralf85** » 27 Feb 2016, 23:24

Going by regular advice, a 1.6 non turbo diesel engine pulling a 1.5 ton van is not ideal for pulling a shed. A 2.1 petrol could do it. A tent/awning or a trailer tent would be a better option n'est pas?

Post by **sternal** » 27 Feb 2016, 23:39

Well that's okay I don't have a 1.6 non turbo diesel its a 1.7 non turbo diesel !

it makes all the difference !!

Post by **dsa** » 28 Feb 2016, 10:03

Not ideal the weight is ok but you seriously lack bhp for towing not sure where you plan to tow but on long steep hills you could be so slow you will be a hazard to other road users especially if you have to slow brake or lose any speed you have built up its going to be a slow climb to the top you could find yourself in 1st and 2nd gear situations crawling along I know when on holiday there is no rush but when you are that slow other drivers start to take chances cut you up and then you don,t enjoy the drive so much. if the eriba is a long term purchase you should consider a tdi conversion

Post by **Ralf85** » 28 Feb 2016, 10:37

Thinks - laterally. A more radical solution would be to sell the tin top and the shed, then use the money to buy a 4 berth petrol camper. That way you can climb hills too. You can still carry the tent as back-up. Result!

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 28 Feb 2016, 11:36

dsa wrote: if the eriba is a long term purchase you should consider a tdi conversion

From talking to Mr Winchweight you'd be cheaper buying a second-hand gin palace

Ian

Post by **Mocki** » 28 Feb 2016, 11:48

Frankly , going on winch weights engine , you would be towing a oil bowser not a sleeping hut

Post by **billy739** » 28 Feb 2016, 11:54

it will tow it no problem , you just have to decide if your happy with the speed it will tow at.

Post by **Plasticman** » 28 Feb 2016, 19:13

aye once rolling it will be fine same as my 1.6 but if and when you loose momentum its kills the speed and if on a slope (forget hill) then it s often a crawl back to motion. uk is fair enough though some of the big steep bits in the lakes and even blue bank up here are a hassle without a shed behind, france and real hills .i personally wouldnt , i took my old 2.2bmc dieseled ambulance over the very top of napoleons pass in the snow (well it was at the top) , took forever and the wagons and such were getting well peed of on the lower sections , reckon it would be worse now
mm

Post by **sternal** » 28 Feb 2016, 19:16

Thinks - laterally. A more radical solution would be to sell the tin top and the shed, then use the money to buy a 4 berth petrol camper. That way you can climb hills too. You can still carry the tent as back-up. Result!

a good plan but not one thats going to happen anytime soon...don't want a petrol van and don't want a 4 birth van - like the look of tin top vans

Frankly , going on winch weights engine , you would be towing a oil bowser not a sleeping hut

I'm confused ??? explain

it will tow it no problem , you just have to decide if your happy with the speed it will tow at.

off to Holland this summer...its flat so should be okay !

and less of the shed comments !!! its cool my 8 and 6 year old tell me !

Post by **Smcknighty** » 28 Feb 2016, 19:30

What about an na upgrade e.g 1.9 na? Would that not be man enough?

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