Hey guys well I have just bought my first caravan. Finally upgraded from our tent. It's a great Luna 5 berth to fit the family with double beds either end. Managed to sort storage as well. caravan dealer is putting in a starter kit I.e electric cables, water carriers, gas etc really excited about going out on our first trip. Neither me or my husband have towed before so a little nervous. Any towing tips you can offer as it's about 21ft x
Hi
I know it's an extra expense but we really do recommend a towing course from the camping and caravan club or the caravan club, they go through hitching, loading and towing - it really is a must if you have never towed something so long before. How you load the van is very important as well and changes how the van tows.
There are some really useful videos on YouTube, I think by a couple of Australians. It really helped us when we picked up our first caravan in Sept last year. We're going to the NEC and have booked on to the free 15min towing lessons. We were going to go on a full course with the CC or C&CC but have just had a mover fitted so have less of a need esp with these free taster sessions.
Enjoy! We're very excited about a full season with ours, managed two short breaks last year. I suggest you go somewhere close to home for a first short trip as there's lots to learn! Also thinking about buying a caravan handbook from amazon someone on here recommended as there's so much we're having to learn,
------------- From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!
We did the free towing experience at the the NEC. And it was very good but it doesn't cover reversing, loading etc, its a taster of towing. Having witnessed a chap pull away at the services and swipe the wing mirror off the car next to him because he had forgotten or wasn't aware of the over hang of his van when turning I would recommend a days course - I think they are around £100 and every one I have spoken to who has been on one says they are invaluable. Towing isn't about pitching with the mover its about towing on the road, tight turns and spacial awareness.
Oh ..... Bit disappointed about that!!! We booked the taster at the NEC hoping just for some reversing experience! As we've not got a Motor Mover and we had to have a new clutch last year.... Don't fancy paying £1k again for a new one!
As already saidloading is of great importance. depending on how confident and aware you are on the road I would also say do a towing course as itoo have heard they are very good.
Best of luck and welcome to the tin tentclub
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Yes we were looking to do a towing course at some point. We have pulled a box trailer but not the same! My husband is used to driving long vehicles. Most of its common sense and awareness. I was told not to put too much in the caravan and keep weight over axles x I'm doing lots of reading up
Quote: Originally posted by Tc1962 on 25/1/2014Towing isn't about pitching with the mover its about towing on the road, tight turns and spacial awareness
This pretty much sums it up.
If you forget how long you are then you're going to have problems.
Bear in mind that when the vans wheels turn left or right, they essentially pivot the van so the back end will swing wide. Very important on tight corners and road junctions. You don't want to take out a traffic bollard with the back of your van.
Allow extra braking distance, and remember the extra height and width when noting low bridges or width restrictions.
Not a towing tip per-se but get used to your new fuel economy, expect fewer miles per tank and plan your fuel stops on longer trips. We drop from about 38 without caravan to 30 on a typical trip and always make sure we have a full tank before setting off.
It's no surprise given you're towing something as aerodynamic as a brick, despite the slope that manufacturers add to the front of the caravan. Before the caravan we had a folding camper which sat below the roofline of the car and hardly affected the fuel economy at all despite it being only 200kg lighter than our caravan.
Apart from that, whilst you're getting used to the length of the car+caravan combo take it slower on corners and roundabouts and use your mirrors a lot to keep an eye on the caravan's position on the road. You'll soon get the hang of how the caravan behaves when cornering and how it tends to cut corners.
If people get frustrated that you're not hoofing it round bends then that's their problem. Don't rush just because you have people queued up behind you.
Many's the time where people have gone screaming past me only to find the reason I'm going slow is that the car in front of me is limiting my speed and it's not been safe for me to overtake it with the caravan in tow
Personally I tend to find it less stressful towing than when not towing, especially on motorways when I set the cruise control to that of the truck I'm behind and just sit there whilst everyone else rushes past.
Quote: Originally posted by gould300 on 25/1/2014
Personally I tend to find it less stressful towing than when not towing, especially on motorways when I set the cruise control to that of the truck I'm behind and just sit there whilst everyone else rushes past.
Yep, forgot that one.
If you have cruise control, use it on the motorways and match lorry speeds. That way, you should eb able to stick to lane 1. Won't be overtaken by other lorries and so won't be knocked about by the turbulence as they pass you, and doing 56mph vs 60mph will only make a 120mile journey take an extra 9min. I also agree that when towing I find it less stressful. I think it's the fact that I am limited on my driving performance, and so I'm not worried by rushing to get anywhere as we allow plenty of extra time when towing.
I would echo what others have said. Take it easy! You are on holiday from the moment you set off from home, you are not in the Grand Prix.
Towing a caravan will limit your performance as well as increase your fuel consumption. Just allow more time, relax and enjoy the journey. Respect other road users but don't let them bother you, there are plenty of idiots out there. You will find most of them when you tow a caravan, as you do when you drive a coach as I did for many years.
Quote: Originally posted by sprouty85 on 26/1/2014
Thanks for all the advice guys really appreciate it. Think I need to so some reading up loading the caravan x
If loading the caravan is something you've not done before, just remember you don't need to take everything you own out of your wardrobe plus the kitchen sink (you already have one!)
Often its tempting to think ' I'll take 3 pairs of jeans, just in case' or 'we might need the best recliners in case the sun comes out' but be honest about what is actually essential for your trip and what is a nice-to-have. The nice-to-haves all add unneccessary weight, which makes the van heavier and less predictable to tow and reduces your fuel economy.
Most caravan sites have their own laundry rooms, so even taking enough underwear for a fortnights break isn't really neccessary because you could take half as much and just do a machine load and tumble-dry half way throuh your holiday instead.
We tend to load most of our gear in the car and then anything else is placed on the floor of the caravan over the axles. This keeps the weight in the centre, not over the towhitch or at the far end of the van, and as low down as possible. This will make your van as stable as possible when you are towing.
Have fun on your holidays!
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Topic: My first caravan
