Longer daylight hours and the promise of family fun, fishing and camping may be igniting your thirst for a caravanning adventure. Although summer is still a little way off, now is the ideal time to get your vehicle (and you) ready for towing.
Better yet, why not upgrade your wheels so that when the longed-for holiday arrives, you’re ready to hitch up and head for an outdoorsy adventure?
Towing terminology
To identify the maximum weight your car can legally tow, check your owner's manual. However, this isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
Wrapping your head around road rules for safe towing is a little complex. You’ll need to take into account several factors, so here’s a refresher of common towing terms.
• GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) refers to the maximum your vehicle can weigh. This includes the weight of the vehicle and everything you pack into it: people, fuel, and holiday supplies.
• Towball weight is the maximum weight that can be carried on your vehicle’s towbar.
• Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) means how much the caravan weighs when fully loaded and includes the towball weight
• Gross combination mass (GCM) means the weight of the car and the caravan/trailer and everything in each of them.
Weighing your vehicle and van, either by using a mobile weighing service or public weighbridge will provide this information. Find your nearest one here.
As a further guide, remember the loaded mass of your caravan must not exceed the following:
• Rated capacity of the towbar and tow coupling.
• Maximum towing capacity of the vehicle (GCM).
• Maximum fully loaded carrying capacity of the caravan (ATM).
• Maximum fully-rated carrying capacity of the tyres.
This guide to caravan safety has been published by Transport for NSW
What are the best towing vehicles?
With towing terms clarified, you might be wondering which vehicles are up to the task. There are many fantastic petrol and diesel utes and SUVs with towing capacities of 3.5 tonnes. Durable double cabs like the Ford Ranger Wildtrack or Isuzu D-Max make light work of towing due to their impressive torque.
For SUV enthusiasts, it's hard to go past the Toyota LandCruiser especially the VX with its powerful V8 engine producing 200kW of power and 650Nm of torque.
Other notable names include the trusty Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, and Volkswagen Amarok. Not wanting a ute then the Subaru Forester, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz GLC There are many amazing possibilities! Remember also that vehicles use a lot more fuel when towing, which is why many people prefer diesel power.
Handy hints for first-time tow-ers
Learning the art of load stability
Holiday packing is a real art, especially if you’re going for an extended period. For stable towing, the weight must be evenly distributed. Stow all heavier items low and close to the caravan's axle with a small amount of nose weight (the downward force on the tow ball). You can get nose weight gauges to help you get this just right.
Too much weight at the very front or rear of the caravan can lead to snaking (where the caravan sways uncontrollably) and is definitely something to avoid.
Check out this useful Transport for NSW link for more details.
Temperature checks
Keep an eye on the car’s engine and transmission temperatures to make sure they remain within the limits set out in your owner’s manual.
Practice runs
Towing a caravan is a very different beast to driving solo. You're longer, heavier, and your stopping distances are significantly increased. Before heading out, schedule some practice runs with your van in a large empty space. That’ll help you come to grips with making wider turns at bends, smooth, gentle braking, and the complexities of reversing! You should also consider adding extension mirrors for better rear visibility.
Admittedly, there is a lot to think about before hitching up your mobile acommodation! But it’s worth it for the special kind of freedom that comes with escaping the confines of bricks and mortar. It's truly a fantastic way to explore, discover, and make lasting memories.
