Be prepared for heavy-duty holidays, warns Kilen
Each year, thousands of holidaymakers hook up their caravans and trailers, taking to the open road in search of good times and a relaxing break.
However, when towing or transporting a heavy load, vehicle handling can be adversely affected. With the best of the weather now upon us, Kilen Springs offers advice on how to improve vehicle handling for the rest of the summer season.
Typically, a caravan connected to a fully loaded car will cause the rear of the vehicle to sit noticeably lower than the front.
This ‘sitting down’ effect puts extra stress on the rear springs, which may result in sag (long-term shortening) and increase the risk of premature breakage. Additionally, because the rear springs have been severely overloaded and are unable to return the vehicle to its original ride height, vehicle handling will be adversely affected unless the suspension is changed. Standard springs are not designed to do a heavy-duty job!
To compensate for the additional load and to reduce the ‘sitting down’ effect, Kilen has designed a tailor-made range of heavy-duty coil springs. Kilen produces and stocks a comprehensive range available for same day delivery.
Kilen’s heavy-duty coil springs are 15 to 30% stronger than standard springs, depending on the vehicle, and this means they are able to support a heavier load without compromising vehicle handling. Kilen’s heavy-duty springs are also designed to have a progressive spring rate, meaning that resistance increases as the load increases, allowing heavy duty springs to be used even when the vehicle is unloaded, with minimal reductions in ride comfort.
The springs work with standard shock absorbers, so further suspension upgrades are not required, and most heavy-duty springs are slightly shorter than standard springs to ensure the car does not sit too high when unloaded.
Given their different characteristics to standard springs, it is of course vital that heavy duty springs are fitted in axle pairs to avoid creating a potentially dangerous imbalance. Installing heavy-duty springs in pairs, when towing or transporting heavy loads, will secure improved vehicle handling at the correct vehicle ride height, avoiding potentially severe safety risks such as less responsive steering, less secure road holding, and increased braking distance.
All Kilen’s heavy-duty coil springs come with a three-year warranty and the range covers popular models including the Opel/Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Passat, Renault Espace, Nissan Primera and the Audi A4, to name a few.
