Having the Right Towing Vehicle for Your Caravan

Ensure that your towing vehicle is capable of towing your
caravan. Check the manufacturer's book on the maximum weight
that is recommended and ensure you stay within this limit. It is
an essential part of planning a caravan holiday to make 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 choosing a
special towing vehicle to suit their new van; in most cases it
is a matter of finding a van that will suit your existing
vehicle.

Car manufactures stipulate a safe towing weight for each vehicle
and Australia's national regulations are built around these
specifications. As a general rule, 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 important
to 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 are able to tow large vans, and
manage the boat and a few other items as well. Many travellers
use off-road vehicles without ever venturing off the main road.
Others travel extensively in the outback, unhitching the van
when the terrain gets too rough and either taking a tent or swag
with them, or sleeping in the back of the car.

Transmission

The choice between manual and automatic transmission is one of
personal preference. In the past, manual transmission was always
the preferred option by travellers, however modern improvements
in automatic transmission has meant they perform equally as well
now. In fact automatic four-wheel drives perform quite well
off-road.

Tools and Spares

When setting out on an extended touring holiday it is important
to carry a tool kit in order to undertake minor repairs to your
vehicle and to carry out those household repair jobs around the
caravan. A tool kit should include the following items:

• Blade screwdrivers
• Phillips head screwdrivers
• Set
  of spanners to suit 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 sure that the jack and handle are fitted in the vehicle and
that the jack is in good working order. Make sure that the same
jack will fit both your vehicle and caravan. Before you leave
home, make sure you know how to change your tyres and where the
jacking points are for both your towing vehicle and your caravan.

Carry a jacking board, about 250 sq. mm, to place beneath the
jack when the ground is soft, uneven or wet. A piece of
checker-plate aluminium is okay.

The wheel brace that suits your car may not necessarily fit the
wheel studs on your caravan. Check before leaving home.

Carry a good spare tyre for your vehicle and one for your
caravan. If you plan to travel off the beaten track, you will
need two spares for each unit. On some camper-trailers, the
wheels are interchangeable with those of the towing vehicle. If
this is the case, a total of two spares will be adequate in most
circumstance.

TOWING EQUIPMENT AND MODIFICATIONS

Fitting towing equipment and modifying towing vehicles are
specialist activities and should only be done by professionals.
Dealers will often fit tow bars to new vehicles if requested.
You will have to specify that you need one to match the
vehicle's maximum towing capacity so that you do not end
up with something only suitable 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 perform well. Different makes and models will
have different features and different prices.

Most lightweight bars are suitable for towing trailers and vans
with a gross mass of 1,000 kg or even less. Heavy-duty bars,
such as those fitted to large four-wheel drives, have the
capacity to tow a mass of up to 3,500 kg. Each tow bar has a
specified maximum trailer mass and a maximum static ball weight.
The latter, which is the difference in weight between the
caravan on and off the vehicle, should be around 10 per cent of
the 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 should 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 a choice of towing hitches. Most
standard caravans and trailers get by with a 50 mm ball, while
off-road models may require a more complex off-road hitch.

Caravans and trailers must be fitted with safety chains; these
must 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 a lot of
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 must not exceed the recommended
limit as prescribed by the 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 should be no more than one and a half 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. If
you have any difficulty establishing the parameters of these
requirements, seek the advice of your dealer or an independent
tow-bar manufacturer.

Weight Distribution

We have all seen the car and caravan combination with the hitch
almost dragging on the road. Weight-distribution bars, widely
available at caravan accessory shops, can be used to maintain a
more level profile of the car and van. These tend to be standard
equipment for larger vans, but should really be considered for
all but the lightest of vans. The issue can also be addressed by
correct loading. If the movable load within the caravan is all
packed forward of the axle, this will greatly increase the ball
weight. If the load is more evenly distributed throughout the
van, then the ball weight is less likely to be adversely
affected. Never load a caravan or trailer with more weight
behind the axle than forward of the axle. (It is wise to secure
items to prevent movement).

This is the fourth page of 23 with related information about
making the most of your caravan holiday. Have a look here for
the other pages href="http://www.crikey-adventure-tours.com/caravan-holiday.html"
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About the author:
Ian Molloy is the owner of Crikey Adventure Tours. Visit his
website href="http://www.crikey-adventure-tours.com"target="blank">www.cr
ikey-adventure-tours.com for more information about this
article and other related topics. His site is full of very
helpful travel information including tips on motorcycle travel,
driving cross-country, travelling with a caravan and other
camping and travel information.