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Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > 8ft wide twin axel van - anyone tow one?
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Stacey007



Member Since: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3693

United Kingdom 
8ft wide twin axel van - anyone tow one?
Hello

5 years ago our caravan was stolen, we were just a week before our summer holiday and ended up buying a tent. We have carried on, camping, glamping, pods, cottages, etc etc...

However we do miss our own space..

So I started looking again, typically the layout we like is the biggest 8ft wide and a twin axel.

So my questions...

Anyone tow one behind a defender, how is it? Any pictures of your rig Smile

What's it actually like on our roads...I know on Scotland, Devon and the lakes I've been down some interesting roads with a normal sized single axel.


Motor mover... our last van being single axel could do a 360 on the spot, ideal for turning on our drive, if the twin axel has a 4 motor mover set will it do the same?


Anything else ?
Post #918176 22nd Aug 2021 9:52am
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nosnibod



Member Since: 15 Aug 2007
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 365

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Corris Grey
One thing to be very careful about is that Defenders are very narrow compared to modern cars and even with Milenco extended mirror arms I can just about see down the sides of our 7’3" wide van.

I haven’t seen an extended mirror that is long enough to be legal with an 8ft van and a Defender. Dave
Gracie - 2015 110 XS County Station Wagon
Post #918201 22nd Aug 2021 5:17pm
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markb110



Member Since: 22 May 2010
Location: Guildford
Posts: 2506

England 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
Wasn’t there a recent rule change to make it a legal requirement that you had to have mirrors that could see down the sides of trailers etc?
Post #918204 22nd Aug 2021 6:07pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Yes and yes.......



Click image to enlarge


More commonly I tow with a LWB T5 Transporter but have also used the 90 with no issues albeit I do tend to be far more pedantic with speeds as I find the shorter wheelbase can be nervous at times and the state of some of the truck ruts we have can often set things off to be a bit lively
I have found a set of extra length Millenco arms and the Def's mirror arms at 90deg just about works

Have towed all kinds of twin axle car transporters / trailers / etc over the years (probably 30'ish) but these are very different I find and take a little getting used to as you basically fill the lane and has taken a while to get to instinctively know where it sits
Post #918205 22nd Aug 2021 6:19pm
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Sulisuli



Member Since: 30 Oct 2016
Location: South west
Posts: 4788

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
How long is that van dreamer Shocked it does look very nice. 2015 HT XS 90
2008 SVX 90
2000 XS TD5 90
Post #918227 22nd Aug 2021 7:37pm
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Stacey007



Member Since: 25 Sep 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3693

United Kingdom 
90 dreamer...


Nice outfit Smile no more questions...

Do you have a picture of those mirror arms on the defender?

Do you have a 4 wheel motor mover fitted? if so can the van on the motor spin on its axles? full 360?

Off the man roads / motorways is it ok on the smaller approaches to campsites?

I would be towing with a 110 but (if I get a towbar) could also use a FF Range Rover that would be a fair bit wider?


Thanks
Post #918228 22nd Aug 2021 7:38pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Don't have pix of the mirrors to hand but was given some std Milenco Aero type mirrors when we bought the van (if I knew what I know now I would have simply chucked them back at the dealer and asked for one thing wider!!)
Was pretty obvious in the first 5mins of the 100+mile trip hom the mirros were useless in this format!!

A quick ebay search shows these for samples of the extended arms.......

Extra long arms
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133518060649?_t...%3A2334524

And Aero's
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203508535401?ep...SwdsZg2yLX
Post #918233 22nd Aug 2021 7:54pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
I do have a 4wheel motor mover but have never tried to spin it as no need with the storage we have

Will try and sort some mirror pix

In terms of country roads we have done plenty of smaller roads with no issue albeit I do tend to try and scout out access before we book sites as it is certainly slightly more challenging than a std width outfit
I would say you just need to be a bit more methodical and patient in terms of some of the roads

In terms of length she is basically 8mtrs long and 2.5mtrs wide
Post #918234 22nd Aug 2021 7:58pm
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1758

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
markb110 wrote:
Wasn’t there a recent rule change to make it a legal requirement that you had to have mirrors that could see down the sides of trailers etc?


As far as I know, it's always been the case that you have to be able to see clearly down the side of any trailer, so if the trailer is wider than the towing vehicle, mirror extensions are probably needed.

@90 Dreamer, that's huge! I regularly tow a 2.7t twin axle box trailer behind my 110, and a LWB van, but that's a whole different kettle of fish on size.
Post #918254 22nd Aug 2021 10:29pm
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Buz1500



Member Since: 07 Jul 2020
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 146

United Kingdom 
Here’s our 8ft wide outfit. We use mirrors from Repusel which give excellent vision and are rock solid

It’s not a twin axle but it’s as long as many twin axle vans (8.24 metres). The advantage of having a single axle is that it’s very manoeuvrable.



Click image to enlarge
Post #918272 23rd Aug 2021 7:09am
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Generally not as stable as a twin axle chassis at that size I find but each to their own.........



Click image to enlarge


These ae the Milenco mirros I use, the old arms were approx 300mmand the new ones are just over 400mm long.....
Post #918377 23rd Aug 2021 7:03pm
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Buz1500



Member Since: 07 Jul 2020
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 146

United Kingdom 
The Isonzo uses an Alko Delta chassis with an extended A-Frame to ensure great stability.

I’ve never had any issues with stability in the three years of ownership.
Post #918384 23rd Aug 2021 7:19pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
As does ours, but with twin axles.........

Having towed both styles I personally would choose a 'twin' everytime, as I said each to their own
Post #918386 23rd Aug 2021 7:27pm
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2045

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey
Just for a comparison here is the 8' van with our more common Transporter rather than the 90 on the front


Click image to enlarge
Post #919234 30th Aug 2021 4:13pm
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miker



Member Since: 13 Sep 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1758

United Kingdom 1999 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Rioja Red
Not caravans admittedly, but my biggest issue with big (and heavy) single axle trailers is that if you lose a tyre you're in for a bad day.

Lost a rear on the ifor a few weeks back, and was able to get it to the hard shoulder with minimal fuss due to the second axle.
Post #919271 30th Aug 2021 10:15pm
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