Many people shopping around for a caravan or camper trailer find themselves confused by the huge range of options and conflicting information related to what a particular vehicle can or cannot tow. This is a pity as it sometimes results in purchase plans being put on the back burner rather than prospective caravanners taking the plunge and enjoying this great leisure time activity.
Our aim is not to add to the confusion by quoting all the relevant regulations but to present a simple guide to ensure that a car and caravan combination is safe and reliable. However the story would not be complete without a brief outline of the current situation in regard to the national towing scene.
BACKGROUND
Some years ago there were inconsistencies between the various States and Territories in regard to the mass of a trailer that can be towed by a light motor vehicle. By definition a ‘Light Motor Vehicle’ is one with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), or maximum allowable laden mass, of 4.5 tonne or less. Similarly a ‘Light Trailer’ is a unit with a Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) of less than 4.5 tonne.
In 1997, after considerable consultation with industry and relevant community bodies, the National Road Transport Commission developed a set of national towing regulations that has been adopted Australia wide. This means that a particular car-trailer combination can be legally operated anywhere in Australia without having to worry that rules may vary.
THE CURRENT SITUATION
In a nutshell, the amount you can tow behind any vehicle depends on the vehicle manufacturer’s towing specifications as well as the rating of the towbar – which ever is the lowest amount. For example, if the owner of a Commodore contacted Holden’s regarding the towing specs, he or she would be told that the maximum you can tow with that vehicle is 2100kg. But in the owner’s manual it mentions three different towing packs – 1200kg, 1600kg and 2100kg. So in order to take advantage of the 2100kg mentioned by Holden’s, the car would have to be fitted with a 2100kg tow package. If only a 1200kg towbar was fitted, this would be the maximum trailer weight that could be towed. The same can apply to other vehicles.
Some people will tell you that you can tow up to 1.5 times the unladen weight of the tow car. This only applies if there are no towing specifications given by the car manufacturer. As all vehicles that are likely to be used for towing have manufacturer’s specs, the 1.5 times rule doesn’t really apply. One exception could be cars that are privately imported.
ARE THE TOWING SPECS RELIABLE?
Unless you were told differently, you could be forgiven for assuming that car company engineers decide how much a car could tow. And in many cases engineers do have an input. Sadly, however, in several cases the marketing people seem to have the upper hand and decide what the towing specifications should be.
Many caravanners chose a 4WD for towing. While these are capable vehicles, it is not always possible to believe the claims made by the manufacturers or, probably more correctly, the marketing people. Take the Land Rover Discoveries series I and II as an example. Early models were rated at 4000kg towing capacity. Currently the maximum is 3500kg. Not only is that a lot of weight but such a large caravan could be difficult to handle under windy conditions or when passed by a big truck.
While the Landcruiser also has a rating of 3500kg, Toyota only went to this amount to meet its competitors claims. The Nissan Pathfinder is another vehicle with an optimistically high towing capacity. The pre 2005 model was rated at a realistic 2000kg. With the currently model this has increased to 3000kg. While it is an extremely good vehicle, it is not 50 percent better than it predecessor. At the same time the equally capable Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero are permitted to tow 2500kg.
Always read the towing specifications carefully and more importantly the small print. Nissan has a sliding scale where the more you load into the vehicle, the less you can carry on the towball. Other manufacturers may have different specifications for diesel and petrol engines or auto and manual transmissions.
So why the variations or high numbers? Simply put, the sales and marketing people want the public to believe that the vehicles their company produce are superior to those of the opposition. When it comes to offering towing safety, a little conservatism never goes astray.
OTHER FACTORS
In addition to manufacturers recommendations and the obvious towbar rating there are some other factor that need to be considered. Although we don’t want to labour the point about weight, it is a fact that in order to achieve maximum towing stability under all conditions it is desirable that the trailer weight is about the same or less than the weight of the towing vehicle. This applies particularly to those new to caravan towing. When a light object pulls a heavy object it is possible under certain conditions for the heavier object to impose its will on the lighter object. Especially if the trailer is not loaded correctly, the proper towing equipment is not fitted or the driver does not have the skills to handle emergency situations.
Another factor to keep in mind is that as the van gets heavier, the odds are that it is also bigger. And the longer and higher the van body, the more likely that it will be affected by gusty winds or wind pressure from passing vehicles. We are not suggesting that you shouldn’t tow anything that is heavier than the towing vehicle. But once the trailer weight is more than that of the tow vehicle, you need to make sure that everything is on your side.
The final, but by no means least, consideration is the available engine power. Although having a powerful engine is not necessarily the most important ingredient, there is nothing worse than towing with an underpowered vehicle. There should be enough power to allow passing manoeuvres to be made safely and to enable a reasonable speed to be maintained when climbing a hill.
THE HORSE OR THE CART?
Which comes first. Actually it doesn’t matter as long as the end result is a compatible outfit. Some people have a particular workhorse to which they want to add a cart while others want to stay with the trusty cart and upgrade the horse. A few fortunate ones are able to start with a clean slate for both. If the budget is flexible it is even better. It is worth remembering that which ever choice you finally make, there usually has to be a compromise
1. The Tow Vehicle.
I’m often asked if it is necessary to have a 4WD vehicle to tow a caravan or tour around Australia. The answer generally is - “No it’s not”. Basically there is no such thing as a bad towing vehicle. It is all about compatibilty. A small car with a compact camper trailer can be just as safe as a large 4WD with a big tandem caravan.
Another way of looking at an extended trip is that it is simply a number of short journeys close together. After all few would consider driving day after day when deciding to explore Australia. Anyone who is quite happy to use the family jalopy for annual holidays or weekend caravan outings should have no concerns about being on the road for extended periods. Assuming the vehicle is in a sound mechanical condition of course.
Although everyone has personal preferences, the following qualities are highly desirable in a towing vehicle: heavier than the trailer it is going to tow; sufficient power to cope with the load; long wheelbase (this is the distance the front and rear wheels are apart); economical to operate and to own and comfortable for the occupants.
When selecting a vehicle the criteria should relate to the purpose for which it is going to be used the majority of the time. If it spends most of its time as a daily commuter and only a few weeks a year towing a trailer, it is more important that it is fuel efficient rather than having a large capacity and powerful engine. If this means that the van has to be a little smaller than planned, than this may be the compromise you have to make. Even people who spend a couple of years exploring this large country of ours, in reality only spend a small percentage of the total time they own the vehicle with a van in tow.
2. The Caravan or Camper Trailer
There are generally two approaches when it comes to choosing a caravan or camping trailer. Either select the smallest unit that will do the job or go for the largest one that you feel your vehicle can handle. We like to think that there is also an in-between. Although a small camper can be very economical to tow, the interior may well prove restrictive if it has to provide living and sleeping accommodation for several weeks on end. A very large caravan on the other hand can place undesirable stresses on the towing vehicle and be difficult to manoeuvre in confined spaces.
When selecting a caravan or camper consider the following: lighter than the towing vehicle; well balanced in regard to axle location and load carried; stable to tow; have comfortable beds and seats and be functional.
While there are a multitude of accessories that can be added to a new van, it is advisable to carefully consider the benefits of these. Sometimes it is better and more cost affective to add these afterwards once you have worked out what you need and what you can do without.
CARAVAN WEIGHTS
Sorry to be back on the topic of weights. Sometimes people are told that these days caravans are lighter than they used. As the weighbridge gives a different message there is need for some clarification. It is true that if a 70s style caravan was built using modern materials it would certainly weigh less. But in the 70s caravans did not have full size cookers, microwave ovens, television sets, air conditioning or roll-out awnings. Consequently modern caravans are often heavier than their predecessors once they hit the road. And when buying a caravan it is the final loaded weight that has to be taken into account, NOT the tare weight when it leaves
the assembly line.
SELECTING A SAFE AND COMPATIBLE OUTFIT
Firstly it is imperative that you know the maximum amount that your car can tow as well as the towball load that is permitted. The latter is the vertical load imposed on the towbar by the trailer. The specs can be obtained from a product brochure, owner’s manual or the car makers customer service department. Always make sure that you have the information confirmed in writing.
To determine if a particular caravan or camper trailer is suitable for your preferred towing vehicle, check on the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) of the unit. This refers to the maximum loaded weight of the trailer. The ATM is normally provided on a plate that can either be found in the front boot or on the drawbar.
Remember that the Tare or unladen weight has little relationship to what the van might weigh once it is packed ready for a trip. For single axle caravans or camper 300kg is allowed as content while 400kg can be put in a tandem.
In most instances, and assuming that manufacturer’s recommendations permit this, it is wise to limit the tare or empty weight of one’s caravan or camper trailer to the unladen or kerb weight of the towing vehicle. By the time 300-400kg is added by way of gas, water, food, clothing and other holiday gear, it should still be something that most vehicles and drivers can handle.
For example, a Falcon has a kerb mass of about 1600 kg. Therefore a suitable caravan could weigh about 1600 kg empty and 2000 kg loaded. This translates into a tandem van with a maximum body length of about 5.7 metres (19 ft). Internally this van would measure about 5.25 metres (17ft 6 inches). In my opinion a good match for a vehicle like a Falcon or Commodore. With this approach you will be well within the 2300kg and 2100kg permitted, thereby enhancing the reliability and economy.
A Landcruiser with a kerb mass of 2400 kg would, using the same approach, be compatible with a van having a loaded weight of about 2800 kg. As this would be quite a large van, there should be little need to tow anything much heavier. Large tandems or triple axle vans are more like mobile homes than touring type units as they are not as easy to tow, difficult to park and can put greater stresses on the tow vehicle. If you buy a caravan to live in permanently then there may well be different criteria.
SUMMARY
If you are in the market for a caravan or camper trailer it is a good idea to put your needs on paper. When looking for the van that best meets all the needs becomes confusing, it may help to delete the once that are definitely not suitable and see what is left.
Before making a commitment you need to be clear about the maximum weight your car can handle, any size limitations dictated by the storage area, where you want to take the unit, whether you prefer single or double bed and any special facilities the family may require.
Never sign a purchase order unless all your needs are documented. Unless buying a unit out of the yard, it can be several months from order to delivery. Remembering what you asked for six months ago can be a big strain on the memory.
Talking to experienced caravanners is also highly recommended. By walking around a caravan park you can observe what others are using and even knock on the door to ask a question or two. As caravanners are all friendly people they are always happy to share their experiences.
Towing specification can often be found in a manufacturer’s brochure
Big vans are very spacious but can present some difficulties when towing or parking
Some manufacturer recommend various ball loads depending on the load carried in the vehicle or the type of engine and/or transmission
When it comes to towing ability, they don’t come much better than a VW Touareg. But it may not always be within the budget
With the right size van a sedan or wagon can make a great combination
A low profile camper trailer makes towing easier but some may like more interior space
Always ensure that the equipment and accessories suit the needs
The ATM should be considered so that the van doesn’t exceed the capabilities of the tow vehicle
A caravan park is a good place to find out what others caravanners use
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