SAFE TOWING ON THE ROAD

Hopefully, by the time your tour begins, much of the hard work of preparing for your trip will be behind you. Having said that, there are still plenty of things to attend to while traveling. You will have daily, weekly and ongoing checks to make sure your platform is well maintained. Understands and has practiced safe driver towing techniques necessary for safe travel. There are daily checks to be made, fuel consumption to be calculated, caravan parks to be selected and set up, ongoing financial issues and daily health and safety issues to consider.

The information contained on this page will help you carry out your towing tasks safely in the most efficient way possible so that you have enough time to enjoy your caravan holiday.

SAFE TOWING

Towing a caravan or motorhome is not just a matter of hitching up and going. Specialized driving skills are needed and regulations must be observed.

Towing Regulations

Australia has a set of national regulations for weight limits for towing vehicles. Speed ​​limits may also apply. In most states, motorists are only required to observe normal speed limits as posted. On some of the inland roads in the Northern Territory where there are no limits, caravaners are asked to drive at a safe towing speed. In Tasmania a limit of 90 km/h applies. In Western Australia a limit of 90 km/h applies when the caravan weighs more than 750 kg and 100 km/h for caravans under 750 kg.

SAFE TOWING SKILLS

If you’ve never towed a camper before, be sure to practice a little before you leave home. Waiting until you’re on the road to perfect your safe towing techniques can result in you annoying other drivers, attracting bewildered onlookers, especially when you’re trying to back your camper into your campsite and you may have to deal with bad roads and bad weather. conditions in an unknown and possibly dangerous towing ability.

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Reversing is one of the most important towing skills. You will regularly need to back your caravan 90 degrees into a gap and often cross a curb. Before you start your ride, pull your truck into a large parking area (mall or sports complex parking lot) on a calm day and practice until you feel confident. After that, parking and reversing shouldn’t be a problem.

The simple rule of thumb is that steering works opposite to normal, so if you want the truck to pull to the left, turn your car’s steering wheel to the right (“right hand down”).

Overtaking

Another safe towing skill is passing. You won’t have as much power as normal when towing a van, so allow adequate distance for your car’s reduced acceleration. Also be aware of the additional length of your unit when turning left to return to the driving lane. If you are being passed, slow down or at least maintain your current speed and stay to the left but not far enough to force your truck’s wheels off the sealed surface.

Avoid trailer sway

Crosswinds can be a problem when towing because the camper picks up the wind and doesn’t deflect it. The combination of high speeds and crosswinds can cause the trailer to sway, dangerously unstable to both the towing vehicle and the trailer. When you are driving, you will feel it and a look in the rear view mirror will confirm the problem. Rectify the situation by slowing down. Brake, if necessary, very gently to prevent the problem from worsening, and then gradually increase speed again to a safe speed.

Be courteous to other drivers

Caravans and motorhomes must travel as safely as possible with the flow of traffic. We have all seen cars towing caravans going down a main road at about 60 km/h, with an endless stream of traffic behind them. If you want to travel at a slower speed and traffic is backing up behind you, you should pull off the road regularly to let the traffic flow.

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Towing a van will make your vehicle’s acceleration and braking much slower. A couple of driving techniques can help. On long, steep uphill sections, select a speed that the tow vehicle is comfortable with. Keep the RPMs at the top end of the operating range to help prevent overheating. Avoid letting the engine crank at low rpm in a higher gear. On long, steep downhill sections, keep your speed under control and keep your brakes as cool as possible. Select a lower gear and let the engine brake as much as possible. Increasing the efficiency of the electric trailer brakes in the controller will allow the truck to help slow the tow vehicle. Many motorhomes are equipped with engine brakes, which work very efficiently on long downhill sections.

This is the fifteenth page of 23 related information on how to get the most out of your caravan holiday. Visit our website at www.crikey-adventure-tours.com/caravan-holiday.html to see our other items.