Having the Right Towing Vehicle for Your CaravanPosted by Kara Mays on April 24th, 2021 Ensure your towing vehicle is capable of towing your caravan. Check the manufacturer's book on the maximum weight that's recommended and ensure you stay within this limit. It is an essential part of planning a caravan holiday to be sure your towing vehicle is safe, well maintained and well equipped. Size and Towing Capacity The majority of travellers do not have the luxury of selecting a special towing vehicle to suit their new van; in many instances this can be a matter of finding a van which will suit your existing vehicle. Car manufactures stipulate a safe towing weight for each vehicle and Australia's national regulations are designed around these specifications. In most cases, the most suitable towing vehicle is one that is heavier than the caravan it is towing. This will then allow for the fully loaded weight of the caravan that is to be towed. Small cars are usually limited to towing camper-trailers, folding caravans, and small caravans or pop-tops. Bigger cars can manage caravans and pop-tops at the larger end of the market. In addition to weight, it is very important take into account the overall measurements of the unit you intend to tow. If your caravan is very high or wide then extra power is needed to overcome wind resistance. Off Road Vehicles Four-wheel drives have become very popular towing vehicles and are extremely capable. They could tow large vans, and manage the boat and some other items as well. Many travellers use off-road vehicles without ever venturing off the primary road. Others travel extensively in the outback, unhitching the van when the terrain gets too rough and either taking a tent or swag using them, or sleeping in the back of the car. Transmission The decision between manual and automatic transmission is one of personal preference. Previously, manual transmission was always the most well-liked option by travellers, however modern improvements in automatic transmission has meant they perform just as well now. Actually automatic four-wheel drives perform quite nicely off-road. Tools and Spares When setting out on a protracted touring holiday it is very important carry a tool kit to be able to undertake minor repairs to your vehicle and to perform those household repair jobs round the caravan. A tool kit should include the following items: Blade screwdrivers Phillips head screwdrivers Set of spanners to fit your car and van Hammer Pliers Small adjustable shifter Larger shifter for gas bottles Scissors Wheel spanner Set of spike-resistant jumper leads Tyre-pressure gauge Tow rope or tow strap Make certain that the jack and handle are built in the automobile and that the jack is in good working order. Be certain that the same jack will fit both your vehicle and caravan. Before you set off, make sure you learn how to change your tyres and where the jacking points are for both your towing vehicle as well as your caravan. Carry a jacking board, about 250 sq. mm, to put beneath the jack once the ground is soft, uneven or wet. A piece of checker-plate aluminium is okay. The wheel brace that suits your vehicle might not necessarily fit the wheel studs on your caravan. Check before leaving home. Carry a good spare tyre for your vehicle and one for the caravan. If you intend to travel off the beaten track, you will require two spares for each unit. On some camper-trailers, the wheels are interchangeable with those of the towing vehicle. If this is actually the case, a complete of two spares will undoubtedly be adequate in most circumstance. TOWING EQUIPMENT AND MODIFICATIONS Fitting towing equipment and modifying towing vehicles are specialist activities and really should only be achieved by professionals. Dealers will often fit tow bars to new vehicles if requested. You will have to specify that you need someone to match the vehicle's maximum towing capacity so that you will do not end up with something only ideal for towing a small household trailer. If you already have a vehicle, contact a specialist tow-bar retailer and mechanic; check the Yellow Pages under "towing" or find one via the internet. Towing Equipment All commercially manufactured tow bars in Australia are built to a stand and should succeed. Different makes and models will have different features and various prices. Most lightweight bars are ideal for towing trailers and vans with a gross mass of just one 1,000 kg and even less. Heavy-duty bars, such as those suited to large four-wheel drives, have the ability to tow a mass of around 3,500 kg. Each tow bar has a specified maximum trailer mass and a maximum static ball weight. The latter, that is the difference in weight between your caravan on and off the automobile, should be around 10 per cent of the full total trailer weight. So, if the loaded trailer weight is 1,000kg, the ball weight should be around 100 kg. All tow bars are restricted to the maximum recommended capacity of the vehicle. To make absolutely sure you are not towing more that you ought to be, get your caravan weighed fully loaded. Exceeding towing weight limits can result in accidents, fines and non-payment of insurance claims. Tow bars are fitted with either towing hitches. Most standard caravans and trailers manage with a 50 mm ball, while off-road models may necessitate a more complex off-road hitch.
Caravans and trailers should be fitted with safety chains; these should be securely attached to the towing vehicle.
Towing Limits
In 1999 the National Road Transport Commission (NRTC) introduced a set of recommended towing limits, which were adopted by all States and Territories. Until that point up to five different towing limits applied across Australia, which meant many confusion for caravanners crossing State and Territory borders.
The national regulations, as laid out by the NRTC, state that the weight of the loaded caravan should never exceed the recommended limit as prescribed by the product manufacturer of the towing vehicle, or the stated capacity of the
towing apparatus fitted to the vehicle. If the manufacturer has not specified limits, which, surprisingly, is not that unusual, the weight of the loaded caravan ought to be no more than one . 5 times the unloaded weight of the towing vehicle, provided the caravan is fitted with brakes. If the caravan is not fitted with brakes, then the loaded caravan should equal the weight of the unloaded car. Assuming you have any difficulty establishing the parameters of the requirements, seek the advice of your dealer or an unbiased tow-bar manufacturer.
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