TOW CAR TIPS
TOW LIKE A PRO!
To the casual observer, towing might look like a simple case of ‘hitch it up and off you go’ – but there are important things to remember. Here David Motton shares his top tips for safe and comfortable towing
WE ALL LOVE caravanning, but not every caravanner loves towing. Here are some of our favourite tips to make towing safer and more enjoyable.
1 Play the percentages
You probably know what’s coming next. The 85% ‘rule’ has been the caravanner’s friend for decades. Both major caravanning clubs recommend towing no more than 85% of the kerbweight of your tow car, especially if you are new to towing. It’s a strong recommendation rather than a legal requirement, but you’ll find car and caravan more stable if the car weighs substantially more than the van.
Experienced caravanners may be happy towing up to 100% of the car’s kerbweight, but we’d never recommend going above this weight, even if the car’s legal towing limit is higher. Think of the car as a dog and the caravan as a tail. When the tail weighs more than the dog, if it starts to wag you could soon be in all sorts of trouble.