Towing With A C5: Stabiliser Couplings And Weight Distribution

[pdjones]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience towing a light (1250 kgs) caravan. Any suggestions on set up and stabilisation/weight distribution set ups welcome. I have a witter tow bar (detachable flange) fitted to a C5 diesel

[coastline taxis]

You couldn't of picked a better site to ask that question. if you wait till mr douglas the moderator comes on he will answer your question. because not only does he have a c5 hes also a moderator on a caravan forum so he will answer your question

[Johndouglas]

Hello.   Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you.   I'm away on a site with no wifi so I've just borrowed a connection.   Your C5 should have no problem towing your van - unless it's a 1.6ltr engine.   The 2.0 ltr car is ideal.   Stability depends on the hitch you have fitted.   Normally they are either Alko or Winterhoff and both control the van well.   Just make sure you have about 70-75Kgs of downward pressure on the ball. 

[paul.h]

I assume you have a pre 2008 model C5 since I could not tell from the post.

 

I have had a number of different towcars and the C5 is the best, the suspension is one of the best features, keeping everything level and I would not go back to a petrol car - diesels give the better economy, less gear changing, easier to drive, nice and heavy for towing stability. Unhitching can be fun since as you wind down the jockey wheel the car will rise but keeping a foot on the car and the caravan handbrake just off will help it release. I have found strap on mirrors with convex lenses are best, with the straps crossing. I lost a clamp on one quite soon after purchase on the M61.

 

First C5 was a 2004 2.2hdi hatchback, used for an Elddis Firestorm, MIRO 1000kg + battery and spare wheel and a few bits, MTPLM 1300kg. The hitch was a BPW without a built in stabiliser and we used a Bulldog blade type stabiliser - towed without any problems, flange towball so stabiliser bracket fastened behind the towball. Car kerb weight (or mass in service from the V5 document) 1560kg which includes 75kg for the driver, which was not included years ago or in older Citroen literature but is now the value used in the 85% kerb weight/caravan weight ratio.

 

Current C5 is a 2007 2.2hdi estate used for an Elddis Avante MIRO 1334kg (terminology now includes about 30kg for water and gas bottles but not the battery), MTPLM 1499kg, Winterhoff stabiliser hitch. This stabiliser tends to let the caravan pitch (go up/down) more than the blade stabiliser and was worse on the old C5 but I think the estate has a stiffer rear suspension. This stabiliser tends to let the caravan sway a bit less than the blade one. This caravan also seemed a bit heavy on the old C5. Car kerb weight (mass in service) 1685kg.

 

Usual recommendations apply on weight distribution, any heavy weights in the caravan over the wheels, hitch about 75 kg - the max of the car. Most of our stuff though is carried in the car since the caravan is kept in storage and the cars have a large boot. Tend to tow on motorways at about 55mph, fuel economy is good enough (about 30mpg) but drops at higher speeds, stability is good depending on weather - slow down if strong winds. Other things also applying to other cars, such as watching for passing coaches and wagons which as they approach push the caravan away and then suck it to them, slowing down going down hills, not going too fast (there was some research published a year or so ago with I think Bailey, with a model that showed as speed increases the stability decreases dramatically so eg what is stable at 50 would be dangerous at say 70mph), etc, come with towing experience.