Safe Towing – get in the know before you tow.
Heading off with a trailer, boat, or caravan can be great fun, but knowing how to tow safely takes preparation, knowledge, and some savvy driving skills. Whether you’ve been towing for years or you’re gearing up for your first long haul, understanding the safety guidelines and careful planning before you hitch up will give you more confidence, more control and more peace of mind on the road.
Know What You’re Towing
Plan your trip. What you’re towing and where you’re going matter. Are you hitting the Great Ocean Road? Heading bush? Or just dragging the trailer to the tip? Whatever you do, putting together the right trailer/tow vehicle combination is vitally important – make sure your tow setup suits the task, and your trailer, camper or caravan is up to the job.
Know Your Vehicle’s Limits
Finding a vehicle that can tow a bigger trailer or caravan can be tricky. Once you’re talking over 3,000 kg, your options start to narrow. Generally, you’re looking at the heavier SUVs or bigger utes to handle something that large.
That being said, every vehicle has a specified maximum tow rating and tow ball vertical down load – you’ll find both in the owner’s manual. Tow ratings can vary depending on the vehicle variant, fuel type and the weight you’re towing. Don’t guess, and don’t push the limits; towing beyond your vehicle’s capacity can cause mechanical problems, make driving unsafe, and even lead to accidents.
Have your car and caravan weighed for compliance
According to the car and caravan weighing service Take A Weigh Sydney, there are a lot of horror stories about insurance companies refusing to pay insurance claims because either the car or caravan is overweight in one of the many compliance ratings. In fact, over sixty percent of the car and caravan combinations weight are illegal. Here are some of the ratings where complance is required:
- GVM - Gross Vehicle Mass - hitching a caravan can add over 300kg to the weight of the car towing it which puts the car over its GVM limit.
- ATM - Aggregate Trailer Mass - this is the unhitched weight of the caravan. It's easy to go over this weight when the onboard water tanks are full.
- GCM - Gross Combined Mass - The GCM is typically lower then the car's GVM and van's ATM. While these might be OK individually, when combined they may be over.
- Towball Mass - This is the downward pressure the carvan puts on the towbar. While this is typically 10% of the eight of the van many cars, particularly wagons have a much lower towball mass than this.
Get the Right Gear
The right towing setup is all about keeping you and others safe. Make sure your towbar matches your vehicle's tow rating. Anything you tow over 750kg usually requires trailer brakes, and heavier setups may need automatic breakaway systems or monitors.
Keep an Eye on Everything
Your car’s regular mirrors weren’t designed to give you a clear view past your caravan or trailer; you’ll need extended towing mirrors. There are a few different types, so it’s just a matter of picking the one that works best for your vehicle and your setup.
You can also use a rear-view camera to see what’s directly behind the caravan. They’re handy when reversing or manoeuvring, but don’t rely on them for judging distances; nothing beats proper towing mirrors for that.
Stay Connected with Shackles and Chains
Using properly load-rated shackles and safety chains on your tow bar is essential to keep your trailer secure if the coupling fails. The key thing is that the chains and shackles are strong enough to hold the trailer if it ever comes loose, ideally with a bit of extra margin for safety.
Cross the chains under the tow bar in an ‘X’ to help stop the trailer from completely detaching. We recommend using a shackle that meets Australian Standard AS 2741-2002 and has a break load at least 1.5 times higher than the trailer’s ATM (that’s the total weight of the trailer fully loaded).
Balance the Load
If you’re towing a caravan, the extra weight on the back of your car can affect braking, steering and fuel use. A weight-distribution system (or load levelling hitches) can help level things out, giving you more control and a steadier feel on the road. But be careful, they are not a one-size-fits-all device. You need to choose your kit based on your coupling position, a-frame height, down ball load, and tow ball height to avoid disaster.
Keep Sway in Check
Trailer sway is no one’s idea of fun. Slow down, drive smoothly, and be mindful of crosswinds and road conditions. You can also fit sway-control systems that work hand-in-hand with weight distribution to keep things steady before sway even starts.
Pack Smart
Good packing makes a big difference. Put heavier items low and over the axle and avoid stacking everything at the front or back of the trailer, as it can cause issues with down ball load and stability. Water tanks, jerry cans and gas bottles all affect balance too, so think about where they sit before you hit the road.
Adjust Your Driving Style
Give yourself more room to brake, more room to turn and be much more patient. Keep a safe gap – at least 60 metres is a good rule of thumb and turn off your overdrive. In Australia, the maximum towing speed for a GCM (the maximum total weight of a towing vehicle and its trailer combined, including all passengers, fuel, and cargo) over 4.5 tonnes is 100 kph, but check your vehicle specs; many, like Subarus, are limited to 80 kph.
Your tow has a larger turning radius and swings wider than your vehicle, so take bends slowly to avoid jack-knifing or losing control, especially on corners and roundabouts. And remember, towing is way more tiring than normal driving, so plan in extra breaks into your journey as well.
Check Your Trailer Tyres
Trailers that are only used a few times a year could have dangerous tyres. It's likely that the tyres appear fine due to minimal wear. However, they may be old and cracked and might blow-out suddenly on the highway. Have your local Tyres & More store check the date codes and check them for cracks.
Not Sure Your Setup is right?
Drop into your local Tyres & More store or give us a call. We’re happy to check your tow setup, talk through equipment options, or simply point you in the right direction so you can enjoy more safety and more confidence every single time you tow.