Caravans are excellent leisure vehicles, but unlike RVs and other mobile homes, they lack an engine. If you’ve recently purchased a new caravan, you’ll need to learn how to tow it with your car. When towing a caravan, or anything else for that matter, safety comes first. You can avoid accidents on the road and protect yourself and your passengers by learning safe towing techniques.
Who could help you guide better for towing than our experts from tow companies in Brisbane? They are used to tow trucks in Brisbane Southside and even Brisbane city towing is not much of a challenge to them. Using their experience and skills we have prepared a list of everything you need to know before start pulling your Caravan.
So let’s begin our complete guide by towing companies in Brisbane:
Inspections and setup
According to our experts from tow trucks in Brisbane Southside, before making any move inspections is crucial for safe towing. Make sure you understand how to use these parts, including how to connect them, replace them, and examine them for flaws.
Also, before towing your caravan, double-check that all of the lights are properly connected and working. Taillights, headlights, turn signals, flashers, brakes, parking, and more are all included.
Accessories for Towing
A trailer coupler on your camper should connect to a towing hitch receiver on your towing vehicle. Make sure your hitch has everything it needs to provide a safe tow. The trailer coupler, hitch receiver, trailer ball, ball mount, electrical hookups, safety chains, and pins and clips are all included in this category.
Again, consult your owner’s manual for information on which receiver your towing vehicle and camper require. Any Brisbane city towing Expert will tell you that towing accessories that can bear the weight of your load are required for safety reasons.
Be aware of your total towing weight
Before you load your caravan with belongings and people, you must figure out how much it weighs. As every tow company in Brisbane will tell you that knowing your weight is essential for towing your vehicle safely.
To calculate your total towing weight, you’ll need this numeric figure. This number is normally found in the owner’s manual. You can get a free handbook online if your caravan didn’t come with one. Simply go to a portal and type in the camper’s make, model, and year.
Estimate the weight of your goods after you know how much your camper weighs, and then add the two amounts together to get the overall weight of your caravan. After you’ve determined the entire weight of your camper, consult the owner’s manual for information on your towing vehicle’s towing capabilities.
According to the experts from a tow company in Brisbane, you are good to go if your camper weighs less than your vehicle’s towing capacity.
How do you tow a caravan safely?
Towing a caravan might be challenging, especially when you’re new to it, but it doesn’t have to be. Controlling a heavy rig combination in a variety of conditions, as well as learning new driving tactics, is a tremendous challenge that, like anything else, gets easier with practice.
Here are a few of our expert recommendations from tow companies in Brisbane to help you learn how to tow a caravan safely
Make Use Of A Checklist
If you’re new to caravanning, making a complete list of everything you need to do before leaving and referring to it at all times during your pre-departure period is a wonderful idea.
Ever wonder why your towing expert often takes a walk circling around your vehicle before towing your car? Here’s why. Doing a final visual check before towing is a great matter of safety. Gently moving from the front of the trailer, where it’s connected to the tow vehicle, to the back, is an excellent habit to get into right before getting on the road.
The trailer plug should be plugged in, and the coupling, safety chains, and breakaway wire (for caravans or trailers weighing more than 2000kg and equipped with electric brakes) should all be properly linked.
Then make sure the trailer handbrake is off, the jockey wheel is securely tucked away, and the jockey wheel clamp is re-tightened. Even though you’d have had to lift the stabiliser legs merely to get the trailer onto the tow ball, it’s still good double-checking that they’re all properly locked in place before travelling.
Check that the weight-distribution hitch is securely connected and that the safety pins are fitted to the A-frame clamps if you’re using one.
Make sure that the gas bottles have been switched off.
Everything Should Be Locked At Its Position
It is an absolute vital tip from tow companies, that before you leave, make sure that all of your caravan’s windows and hatches (as well as the bathroom entry and shower doors) are locked.
Also, make sure the TV bracket is retracted (or, better yet, the TV is hidden), the trailer plug is firmly connected, and the coupling pin handle is securely locked in the down position. It’s easy to forget to put away anything you’ve left out on the benchtops; once you’re on the go, it won’t remain there for long.
Verify that all coupling components are linked properly and securely.
Scrutinize the van’s exterior, making a last check to ensure that all windows, latches, hatches, and the entry door are firmly fastened, as well as that the awning winder is set to the ‘closed’ position and the awning arms are secured.
Finally, remove the wheel chocks and check the ground around the trailer for any objects you may have forgotten, such as the awning pull rod or the stabiliser leg winder handle.
Maintain Your Focus
Even if you’re going slowly, towing puts a lot of strain on you. Allowing for the extra space on the road that a big trailer requires, allowing for extra braking and accelerating distances of a heavy truck, and being attentive to trailer sway, it’s no surprise that it’s easy to grow exhausted when towing. Even experienced drivers from tow truck companies feel exhausted from time to time.
There’s a common understanding among drivers from tow truck companies that, “a driver who is well-rested is more alert.” Towing can be taxing, so make sure you stop every two to three hours for a break. In order to drive and tow safely, awareness and anticipation are essential.
Make sure you stay energised by scheduling regular rest periods – set aside two hours every two hours and stick to it. Caffeine and chocolate bars won’t suffice; you’ll need to get enough rest throughout the day and, if you’re on a multi-day trip, make sure you receive great sleep every night.
Keep An Eye Out For Problems
Being a safe driver is largely about awareness and anticipation, which applies to all types of driving, whether or not you’re towing weight or even an expert from tow companies in Brisbane.
Scan ahead for potential problems – power poles next to a cambered road, large loads on the highway, wildlife on or near the road – and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you – a five-second gap should be enough – as this will allow you plenty of stopping room.
The goal is to strike a happy medium between smooth acceleration, mild braking, small steering adjustments, and consistent momentum. Basically, you don’t want the tow vehicle or caravan to make any quick, jerky changes in direction or speed: no harsh acceleration, no heavy braking, and no fast, sharp turns.
When approaching traffic lights that are transitioning to red or are already red, slow down well ahead of time to avoid having to stop completely.
Plus, smooth driving is safer, more fuel-efficient, and causes less accumulated wear and tear on your car and caravan.
Our experts from tow companies in Brisbane believe that when towing, having the correct equipment, such as towing mirrors, will make you a better and safer driver. Look well ahead of your position on small city streets or country tracks for natural (tree branches) or man-made hazards (other cars, traffic posts) that may obstruct your progress.
Because the trailer will cut the corner, choose the broadest line possible when travelling around a corner. Basically, stay as close to the centre line as feasible while taking the corner as late and wide as possible. Turn as late as possible on roundabouts to ensure the trailer goes around safely.
Overtaking is a lot slower process for a car-and-trailer combination than it is for a vehicle alone, so if you’re going to attempt it, give yourself plenty of time and room on the road to make a safe and smooth move.
Allow a little more speed on approach rather than too little when driving up hills. As you approach the slope, make sure you’re driving at your safe maximum touring speed or the maximum written speed restriction (whichever is lower).
This is expert advice from tow companies in Brisbane that sticking behind a slower truck in the left lane rather than inching past it in the overtaking lane will benefit everyone behind you.
Rather than riding the brakes when driving down slopes, use your ratios to allow your vehicle’s engine braking to safely moderate your pace. Slow down and brace yourself for powerful gusts in high-wind locations.
Keep A Safe Distance From Large Trucks
This tip is like an unwritten rule for towing, our experts from tow companies in Brisbane have experienced it a lot of times. Trucks’ wind buffeting might push your caravan around and produce sway, so alter your driving style accordingly.
When a truck passes you, pull out as far as you can, ease off the gas, brace yourself for a gust of wind, and simply let the huge vehicle pass you by. In high-wind places, the same advice applies: slow down and brace yourself for gusts.
If your trailer begins to waver in any situation, simply ease off the accelerator (don’t touch the tow vehicle’s brakes), use the electric brake override, and apply some gas to bring it back into line.
Reversing a boat, trailer, or caravan follows the same rules: survey the surroundings, practise, and don’t rush.
How To Turn Your Caravan Around
It can be a challenging situation even for new drivers for towing companies. Practice reversing in a non-stressful atmosphere, such as an empty parking lot at a sports stadium. Repeat the technique of reversing a caravan until you’re comfortable with it.
When it’s time to reverse your caravan, get out and inspect the area you’re about to reverse out of or into for hazards (low-hanging tree branches, taps), and barriers (children’s bikes).
Next, don’t rush; rush towing is never a good idea. You’re adding excessive stress to the situation if you rush to back your trailer out of a spot or into a campsite, caravan park site, or your boat and trailer onto a boat ramp, risking damage to the trailer and vehicle, as well as possible injury to persons around.
If at all feasible, have someone stand outside at a safe distance from you and relay directions to you using agreed-upon hand signals or hand-held radio. There is no shame in asking for assistance, even the most seasoned drivers would ask for assistance during Brisbane city towing.
When backing up, a modest, constant speed is essential since it provides you enough time to correct the trailer’s direction. It’s also ideal to change the trailer’s course using small steering wheel movements.
According to the tow company experts, the key to reversing your caravan is to remember to reverse in the opposite direction of how you want the trailer to go, i.e. turn your wheel to the right if you want the trailer to go left.
The most crucial factor that even regular tow companies in Brisbane’s drivers can overlook is that there is a simple cure for a completely messed-up reversal maneuver. That is, if you drive ahead a few meters, the horrible tangle you just made with the truck and trailer will untangle itself. Then pick reverse for a second crack.
When you will follow every step in this guide, there should be no problem for you to tow your caravan. You should also apply these tips to the situation when you are towing any other vehicle.
However, if you face any trouble with your car, you should probably leave towing to the towing experts. Because towing is always challenging unless you are a regular tower. Austow is one of the most recognized towing companies not only in Brisbane but in Queensland. If you face any car trouble, you can contact us anytime. Our expert tow truck drivers would always be happy to help.