The Caravan Towing Guide:1 - National Caravan Council

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INDEX What’s covered by the guide page 3 What the guide does page 3 Definitions – terms used in the guide page 4 Calculating the caravan/car weight ratio page 9 Safely match the caravan with the car page 10 Car/caravan matching information sources page 11 Loading your caravan page 12 The towball assembly page 14 Hitching up and unhitching your caravan page 15 Caravan electrical connections page 22 Breakaway cable page 23 Practical towing guidance page 24 Car’s rear suspension page 26 Road lighting page 26 Towing mirrors page 27 Wheels and tyres page 28 Driving licences information page 29 Touring caravan weight ranges page 31 Helpful organisations page 32
What’s covered by the guide: The guide has been written to help both experienced caravanners and novices to tow a caravan safely and legally. The guide applies to all trailer caravans: • with a maximum laden weight not exceeding 3,500 kg, • overall width not exceeding 2.3 metres • overall body length not exceeding 7 metres, excluding drawbar and coupling. This is the maximum size of trailer that can be legally towed by a motor vehicle whose maximum gross vehicle weight is no more than 3,500 kg. Although there are caravans in use whose width is greater than 2.3m, these can only be towed by a vehicle with a weight greater than 3,500kg, typically a commercial vehicle. What the guide does: Provides simple, easily understood advice on: • the safe matching of cars to caravans • the selection of the ratio of caravan weight to car weight for safe towing • what you need to take into account before towing a caravan • good driving techniques so you can tow with confidence. 3
Page 1: THE CARAVAN TOWING GUIDE Published
Page 5 and 6: Optional equipment Items made avail
Page 7 and 8: THE CAR The towing vehicle in this
Page 9 and 10: CALCULATING PAYLOAD AND ACTUAL LADE
Page 11 and 12: Your car’s MAM is not exceeded, Y
Page 13 and 14: The loading process Follow these si
Page 15 and 16: HITCHING UP AND UNHITCHING YOUR CAR
Page 17 and 18: ENGAGE the car’s handbrake fully
Page 19 and 20: CLAMP the jockey wheel with its loc
Page 21 and 22: Walk all around the caravan to ensu
Page 23 and 24: BREAKAWAY CABLE All caravans with a
Page 25 and 26: When going uphill, change gear in g
Page 27 and 28: TOWING MIRRORS The law demands that
Page 29 and 30: Wheel nuts or bolts should be check
Page 31 and 32: Drivers who passed a car test on or

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