# Grounding issues on the larger SE and Autograph models



## PF13 (Aug 2, 2013)

Based on a comment on another thread, I thought that it would be useful to explore any grounding issues on the SE and Autograph.

Also I have a 750 on order and kind of don't want to think that I have made a mistake. Planning on plenty of touring, Scotland being a big draw and some wild camping, although probably just edge of the road, Scottish beach car park kind of stuff.

My observations are that:

The clearance and overhang on the SE 740, 745 and 760 look pretty much identical. The SE had what was called the low profile chassis.

The clearance, wheelbase and overhang on the autograph 740, 745, 750 and 765 again looks the same to me. This has what is called the Ultra Low Profile chassis.

Am I correct in my assumptions above?

Also, how many people have had issues with grounding on either the SE or Autograph?

Also, how much closer to the ground is the Autograph vs the SE? I remember reading about it being 7cm lower, but I don't know whether this has all been taken out of ride height, or whether the chassis is slightly thinner as well?


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## szd48 (May 2, 2012)

We looked at these too and the 750 & 765 are on a longer wheelbase than the 740 & 745 so will be more likely to ground over convex bumps and surfaces.

Hopefully I've attached a picture I made up that shows the difference.
And you can see just how low that chassis is..

The 740/745 look a much better balanced van (though still low slung) in my opinion.


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## jonasw19 (Jun 11, 2010)

off topic

SZD 48

Have you got a Jantar Std?

Jon (LS7)

For the non gliderpilots these are glider types


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## szd48 (May 2, 2012)

jonasw19 said:


> off topic
> 
> SZD 48
> 
> ...


Yes! We'll I used to. A Std. Jantar 1, but I haven't flown for a few years now.


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## mh2sn (Dec 7, 2013)

PF13 said:


> Also, how many people have had issues with grounding on either the SE or Autograph?


I wouldn't think that there are many of the longer-wheelbased Autographs out there yet - they don't seem to have been on the forecourts for very long - and probably not wild camping or getting off the beaten track at this time of year anyway.

Effectively you'd be Bailey's test driver!


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## PF13 (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks for the pics, useful, and yes you can see the difference in the wheelbase.

Just another question, mh2sn and szd48n do you have a 750 aswell? or are you the same person as duc12?

Cheers

PF13


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## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

I have a 760 and got into trouble with a ramp which went down but had to manoeuvre to get back out again. I do not envisage going too far off road.


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## PF13 (Aug 2, 2013)

I have some info from Bailey which is:

The ground clearance is the same across the Motor home range, and is 260mm. 

The lowest point is always the watertank.
The wheelbase on the 750 is 4700mm compared to 4102mm on the 745.

I have now asked them to give me the comparable figures from the SE so that I can judge how much lower the Autograph is than the SE.

So the wheelbase is longer on the 750, but only by 600mm. I would imagine that this makes the van steadier on the road and also reduces the overhang at the back, making the risk of grounding the back less on approach to a ramp.


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## 944T (Apr 23, 2008)

Longer wheel base is more stable but slower to turn. Better for towing, not so good when parking.
I find my 745se very stable. It grounded on a local speed bump so I now avoid it. I do not wild camp but would find a lower chassis a problem on hump back bridges, have only just cleared a few. Can not use one of my favourite sites as it wont clear the bridge.


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## johnthompson (Jul 29, 2010)

Could prove problematic touring in Spain where they have speed bumps that have many groves in them from vehicles grounding on them. My Hymer S700 has grounded a number of times on main road bumps here. Some on the side roads bumps are even higher.

I don't mean speed bumps as you find them in the UK but speed bump after speed bump at every junction in streets or at crossings even in tiny villages where the speed limits are 20kph (12mph) or 30kph (20mph) and you don't half bounce if you go over them any faster.


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## SteveB123 (Jan 28, 2013)

I have a 760SE and have toured Scotland and North Wales including using single track roads, I have also been to Spain once and no problems however I kept to main roads where possible in Spain. You have to be careful at petrol stations though the door step is very low and I have nearly caught it on petrol pump islands a couple of times. Enjoy your new van.


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## etatcir (Oct 18, 2013)

We have an Autograph 740 and are on our first trip to the South of France, we were concerned about the low clearance but so far no problem with ferry or roads. Have to say the vehicle stability is great having travelled down through high winds and torrential rain.


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## Paddy7 (Aug 22, 2012)

I Have the 745 SE Model and have not had any issues in the 9 months we have travelled around. Cannot say we have been over any humpback bridges tho' but i will keep an eye out. 
I tend to travel on the major roads where i can, only using smaller roads where required as access to sites.
Not noticed or had any trouble in petrol stations either.
Parking in supermarket carparks is fun, always use four spaces  

Paddy.


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## TheFlups (Nov 9, 2012)

We have a 740SE. To date we have "touched" bottom twice and both times no more than a gentle scrape! Both times it's been the spare wheel bracket! We are currently on a 3 month tour of Portugal and Spain and are wild camping virtually all the time.

We have been in some very tight situations up one way streets the wrong way because of tight squeezes...in fact we have messed up several times but never felt we couldn't get out of a situation.

It's true that the ground clearance is not great but if care and thoughtfulness are taken and the van is driven slowly in dodgy situations then I don't think much harm will come. In fact with any large camper the same consideration should be given.

One of the drawbacks of the 740 we found was the lack of outside storage especially the extra gubbins needed when wild camping...to this end we have decided to have a close look at the 750 when we get home and are considering an upgrade.

All in all...value for money and comfort considered the Bailey has been very very good, we wouldn't hesitate to have another.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

We have just taken in our 2year old 745 into our dealers and pick up our new Signature 745 in about 10 days. One of the attractions was that the rear bed has been raised higher and the under bed access door increased in size. Much better access and amount of storage. We looked at the 750 but the interior seemed to be crowded, kitchen is tiny and bathroom smaller. 
We are having the mgw upgraded to 3850 as, with solar panels etc installed we felt the load margin too small for longer trips.
With regard to clearance - if you look at the larger Swifts they have a similar low chassis. We have never found a problem with the old van and can't foresee any with the new one.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I have an Autotrail Cheyenne 696, it has a 2.5m rear overhang and I have never grounded yet and it has a tow at which lengthens the overhang by about 300mm and lowers the rearmost extremity as well.

I wouldn't worry about it!!


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## PF13 (Aug 2, 2013)

Well we pick the van up shortly so I guess time will tell.

I had the handover the other day, and looked at some other Bailey vans and have some observations on the ground clearance.

- The water tank is always the lowest point, sticking out just below the chassis rails.
- The 745 and 740 have a shorter wheelbase but a longer rear overhang.
- The 750 and 765 have a longer wheelbase and shorter overhang.
- The watertank on the 750/765 is just forward of the rear axle, in the 745 it seems closer to the centre of the wheelbase.
- On the 750 and 765 I viewed the water tank was just poking below the chassis rails and the proximity to the rear wheels makes me reasonably comfortable about not grounding it on ramps etc.. but it will remain vulnerable to very uneven ground and stones sticking up.
- On the 745 I viewed the water tank stuck out noticably lower than the chassis rails and as said earlier was further forward of the rear wheels. I don't know if this was properly fitted, but it looked a good 10cms below the chassis rails.

Once I take delivery on Tuesday and have driven the van for a bit I will report back.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Your experiencing one of the problems with the majority of British built coachbuilds in that the fresh water tank is underslung instead of being inside and out of the way I'm afraid.

However, you should be so lucky, the current Auto-Sleeper Bourton has two fresh water tanks, one onboard and one underslung. This gives the worst of both worlds, one taking up storage space and the other taking on the freezing weather. Because of the extra pipework involved linking the two, and no end of leaks, I had the outside one got ride off and increased the size of the inner which only took up marginally more room for the total loss of only 5L capacity. Why do they do it?

Ron


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