Are you planning to buy a caravan? Are you aware of the importance of a good caravan suspension? Do you know what makes a good caravan suspension? Following is what you need to know about choosing the right caravan suspension for the ultimate caravanning adventure.
Suspension is often overlooked when it comes to caravan purchases. However, it is vitally important to understand what it is and why it is so important. Suspension is what sits between the tires and the entire weight of your caravan and towing vehicle. It is what keeps things stable inside the caravan as you travel.
Suspension keeps you safe from bumps when you take your caravan out on the road, particularly when off-road. If you have already shelled out tens of thousands of dollars on a caravan, you are wasting your money by choosing a cheap quality suspension.
Where Do You Plan To Take Your Caravan?
The choice of suspension depends a lot on the conditions your caravan will have to face. If you don’t plan to go off-road and feel your caravan will always be on the road, there is no point in spending extra money on independent suspension as the regular leaf spring beam axle setup is usually enough for on-road travel.
However, if you are planning to go off-road and enjoy the countless adventures Australia has to offer, it is best to invest in a system where every wheel is able to move independently along with the bumps and dips of the terrain.
Such systems ensure that only the wheel that encounters a bump moves without any effect on the other wheels. This will help to keep your ride smooth and keep your things inside the caravan completely stable. Of course, you will have to pay extra for this but the comfort you will enjoy is almost priceless.
While many prefer the full off-road experience, there are others who venture into the grey area of semi-off-road caravanning. Think of it as taking your caravan on some gravel or dirt roads with the majority of the time spent on the road. In short, you are not going to the extremes but at times, the suspension will need that extra support.
In such cases, suspension upgrades are recommended and there are independent coil setups that can be bought for this type of caravanning. You also have the option of installing a load sharing roller rocker system which is designed for semi-off-road conditions and performs equally well on the road.
Take Care Of The Weight
One of the biggest mistakes people make is they put anything and everything they want in their caravan without thinking about the overall weight capacity of the caravan suspension system. You want your life inside the van to be comfortable but that does not mean that you can just throw anything you want into your van.
It is important to understand how much weight your caravan can take on safely and stick to that limit. If you are unsure, go to a weighbridge and find out how much weight you can still add to the vehicle. It is much better to do this if you feel you are pushing towards the maximum weight.
Quality Of Components
Another common mistake people make is they do not pay attention to the quality of the components of their suspension system even when they have done their research in choosing the right suspension system. The quality of your suspension system is the single most important element of your entire caravan, so don’t scrimp on costs.
At the end of the day, you should make sure that the bushes, shackled bolts and the centre rocker arm are made from high-quality materials as these are the components that are subject to the most wear and tear. You do not want to end up in a situation where the springs collapse and the bushes are worn out as you will then have to replace the whole system.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, choosing the right suspension system depends on where you plan to take your caravan. If you’re planning to spend a majority of your time on sealed roads and gravel roads, the regular beam axle leaf spring suspension setup should work fine. However, if you want to go off-road, and remain comfortable, consider investing in an independent suspension system.
And remember, don’t scrimp. Choosing a cheap suspension system will eventually cost you a lot more as you will need to replace it much earlier compared to a quality independent system. Worse still, your suspension could fail you when you’re in the middle of nowhere – and this is the last thing you want to happen!
If you are looking for the most reliable caravan suspension in Australia, look no further than Alpha Suspensions.
Please call us today on 03 7009 2660 and get a free quote for any on or off-road caravan suspension requirements you may have or you can leave an inquiry.
