Top heavy.

Has anyone here ever actually tipped thier van over?

It's always in the back of my mind, probably due to my spirited driving style and the huge roof rack on top of my Hijet. I've even had a couple of nightmares about rolling it (although I was always just upset about denting it).

I've only come close to it once. I took the 90 degree turn out of the work carpark a little quick, obviously eager to get away, and thorght for a moment I was done for.

So come on, who's taken a tumble? What happened?

I never did but I don't think it will take much effort to do.

I think they are more stable than you think. The weight of the engine (on its side under the seats) gearbox and back axle give it a low centre of gravity.

Forget about your panel van for a minute and look at the Romahome demountable mounted on the pickup. If it was inherently unstable then these vans would roll in a high (gale force) cross wind. I can testify having crossed the high part of the M6 Shap when it was blowing a hooley last year and when we were in the extreme North of Scotland (end of April) it was a non-stop gale.

I have been blown sideways but not with a lift and as I was driving a trunker during the hurricanes of late 1980s I know what a lift feels like.

To conclude I think the design with such a lowcentre of gravity is inherently stable - with standard wheels and tyres I believe tyre adhesion will be lost before the wheels lift.

Jon