Tips to Properly Load a Caravan For Towing

What are your weights

The first thing you need to become aware if is your towing weights. This can be done by calculating your total weight capacity. If you know this figure, your next task will be to find out what your towing loads are (also called caravan and cargo weights). This is done by calculating the weight of each individual item in the caravan.

Obviously, some items will weigh more than others. This can depend on whatever items you have inside the trailer. So, in order to get an accurate total weight, you need a few items; fuel tanks, water tank, pump up tyres etc.

The basics caravan towing tips you should know are:

*Towing capacity - this is the maximum weight that your vehicle can tow. Manufacturers test weight restrictions on vehicles and this is how the tow weight is calculated, based on the vehicle’s maximum pulling capacity behind it. These guidelines should be adhered to as if you tow more it places way too much stress on the vehicle and you risk damage to the vehicle.

• Aggregate Trailer Mass - This is the maximum weight that your vehicle can weigh when fully loaded.
• Gross Trailer Mass - The weight that the fully loaded trailer places on the axle when it’s attached to the tow vehicle.
• Tare Mass - The weight of the empty caravan not including the weight of any accessories fitted aftermarket.

How to load your caravan.

There is a very simple rule when towing, all heavy items need to be placed as low as possible in the centre of the caravan, over the axle. Never load heavy items on the drawbars one at the front or back of the van. You should always make sure that the van is weighed evenly for a smooth, safe ride.

What signs tell you that there is an issue, and your caravan is not loaded correctly.

*Reduced steering control, this becomes a major issue especially when you are out on the highway towing at speeds over 100km/ph.

*Swaying, or swaying, when you are towing, and your caravan gets the wobbles and moves from side to side indicates the weight inside the caravan has not had the weight evenly spread out for safe towing. This makes you at risk of the vehicle and/or caravan overturning which is not just extremely dangerous to yourself and passengers travelling with you but to other road users also.

*Reduced brake control, when you begin to notice that your brakes are less responsive than usual over time as this can lead to the brakes failing and land you in a whole heap of stress and trouble.

Get to know how to use your towing accessories.

There are some very good caravan towing accessories on the market that add to making your vehicle and caravan safe and protected when you are out travelling on the road. Protecting yourself, family and friends and other road users’ needs to be a high importance as towing something behind you becomes a dangerous missile if something goes wrong.

• Weight distribution hitches can be extremely valuable. These have been designed to lessen the stress on the rear of your vehicle and result in a safer experience when you are towing a caravan.
• Electric brake controller assists in manoeuvring you out of a swaying situation
• Airbag suspension may additionally be useful to assist in towing heavy loads.

Some additional basics are:

• Only take what you need to limit the weight inside the caravan.
• Pack heavy items in low cupboards of the caravan
• Pack as much weight as you can on the axels of the van
• Load the caravan evenly on both sides internally.
• Pack everything away when picking up and make sure it is all secured before beginning to move the vehicle again
• Check the weight of the caravan before you add water. You can easily make the van overweight by filling the water tanks unnecessarily.

Finally, before taking off on your trip make sure you do a final check, it’s vital to make sure all your towing accessories are in well working order. Check doors are securely closed and locks work well, make sure all the windows are locked and latched both from the inside and outside, and make sure all cupboards and external storage doors are locked. Make sure your gas bottles are full enough and that you remove the power from the fridge if you have had it turned on and transfer it over to gas. Check the weight of the trailer and if needed fill with water to ensure the van is weighed correctly. Remove the chucks from the wheels, there’s nothing worse than driving over them and they split. Not only will you have a crushed mess, but you will also have none at the other end is you need them.

Now all that’s left to do is load up the family in the tow vehicle, buckle up and drive off to enjoy some time away!