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Big van, bigger hill.
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This weekend, I will be driving an automatic long wheelbase van, not quite full of furniture, from Leicester to Swansea.
I enjoy driving vans, I love the vantage point, but I've never driven an automatic. Now, I'm driving to the very top of Swansea and those hills are steep and narrow.
Q1. Whats the best distribution of furniture to be?
Q2. Will the gears automatically drop down as the van needs to increase its revs to climb those hills? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"This weekend, I will be driving an automatic long wheelbase van, not quite full of furniture, from Leicester to Swansea.
I enjoy driving vans, I love the vantage point, but I've never driven an automatic. Now, I'm driving to the very top of Swansea and those hills are steep and narrow.
Q1. Whats the best distribution of furniture to be?
Q2. Will the gears automatically drop down as the van needs to increase its revs to climb those hills?"
I could be your co pilot and talk you through it  |
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"This weekend, I will be driving an automatic long wheelbase van, not quite full of furniture, from Leicester to Swansea.
I enjoy driving vans, I love the vantage point, but I've never driven an automatic. Now, I'm driving to the very top of Swansea and those hills are steep and narrow.
Q1. Whats the best distribution of furniture to be?
Q2. Will the gears automatically drop down as the van needs to increase its revs to climb those hills?"
Heavy stuff over axle
Autos change down and up but just slower than a manual. Tuck your left leg out of way or there be a hole in the floor  |
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largest first ..quilts and soft things packing round to stop damage .. start at the bulkhead and work away down the van heaviest first li ghter stuff stacked on top .. little bags in gaps .. try to be lay unstable things down so they can't fall over .... the automatic gears will compensate for the hilly conditions .. just take your time |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Modern automatics are fine,just don't shove your foot on the throttle as its changing gear,or you'll be bunny hopping,especially up hills,just let it change gear at its own pace,then use the throttle. |
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Unless you making drops along the way put heavier stuff to the front and don't worry about the gears it will sort itself out but as said don't use your left foot for braking windscreens can be expensive  |
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You are all lovely, thank you. They are the sort of hills that you hope nobody stops on for fear of never moving again and I'm a very confident driver. Ah well, it's a big van so if I slide backwards, it wont be me that gets trashed.
(just had a 'carry on'/Norman Wisdom moment; back doors fly open, contents of van shoot out the back and career down the hill, deftly following the bends, before landing in a precarious position). |
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I often drive with different loads of fairly heavy stuff. I've driven 7.5 tonners in London rush hour and hate it.
For weight distribution, you want even loading between front and rear axles, but for practicality, you need to make sure the load is self braced and won't move around.
Tetris is good for load planning - I put the big stuff in first and pack the small stuff around it as I go, with a view to filling the floor completely to brace everything.
I love autos, wouldn't have anything else, except on the track or on a motorbike. |
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"I often drive with different loads of fairly heavy stuff. I've driven 7.5 tonners in London rush hour and hate it.
For weight distribution, you want even loading between front and rear axles, but for practicality, you need to make sure the load is self braced and won't move around.
Tetris is good for load planning - I put the big stuff in first and pack the small stuff around it as I go, with a view to filling the floor completely to brace everything.
I love autos, wouldn't have anything else, except on the track or on a motorbike."
No small stuff, only items of furniture that probably wont completely fill the van. I'll have to call the hire company to find out if they provide webbing.
Last time I was in Canada (Ontario to be precise) I found some rare and amazing roads and bends that demanded a manual car for me to fling around but sadly, all I got was a nancy automatic.
It wasn't the same. |
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By *eavenNhellCouple
over a year ago
carrbrook stalybridge |
"Unless you making drops along the way put heavier stuff to the front and don't worry about the gears it will sort itself out but as said don't use your left foot for braking windscreens can be expensive "
wrong over loaded front axle ! spread the weight as evenly and uniformly down the length of the van and from side to side heaviest item over the rear axle balances the weight of the engine at the front . putting all the weight against the bulkhead will affect handling and braking if it looks overloaded and its spotted by vosa they will stop you and you could incur a fine and or a prohibition notice |
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Didn't notice the inside if the van was covered in blood smears all over the walls until we'd got it loaded though!
Glad you got back safe.
Shall i share my story now?
