Tips for towing

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.

Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.

Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.

And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.

The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.

STARTING POINT

The first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.

More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.

This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.

TOWING CAPACITIES

All modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.

For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.

The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.

If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.

Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.

Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.

If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.

If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.

BRAKES

There are two common types of trailer brakes.

The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.

New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.

Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.

WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCH

A tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.

Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.

So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.

OTHER GEAR

It is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.

SPREADING THE LOAD

The way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.

Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.

MAINTENANCE

Most trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.

Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.

The same goes for caravans.

They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.

GETTING IT RIGHT

Tow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.

He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.

Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.

He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.

BUYING A TOW CAR

Bigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.

You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.

Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.

Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.

Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.

Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.

Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.

Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.

Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.

TOW DRIVING TIPS

Allow extra distance in traffic.

Apply throttle and brakes more gently.

If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.

Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.

If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest.