6 Towing Accessories Your Caravan Needs Right Away

Purchasing your very own caravan sounds like great fun. It immediately invokes the holiday mood, through promises of fun-filled road trips and camping adventures, all on your own terms. Just so you can hold on to this mood, make sure that you get the more boring technicalities out of the way. And the first of these is your towing setup. In order to be ready for your upcoming getaway, your caravan and towing vehicle will need to be outfitted with the following towing accessories:

1.         Towing hitch

A towing hitch or tow bar attaches to the chassis of your vehicle, allowing your caravan to be attached to it. Purchasing a good quality towing hitch is integral to safe and easy towing. As an additional safety measure, consider using quick release couplings at the hitching junction. These allow for quick hitching and removal of your caravan, gearing it for a smooth ride as well as for any emergency situations.

2.         Weight distribution hitch

A weight distribution hitch serves the critical function of distributing your caravan’s weight along both the front and rear axles of your towing vehicle. This in turn keeps the vehicle horizontal, protects the chassis, and makes driving easier and safer. Weight distribution hitches are rated for the caravan weight range that they can handle. Weigh your caravan before you finalise your purchase.

3.         Caravan towing mirrors

Whether you’re new to the caravanning scene, or have been taking your motor home out every summer for the past several years, a clear view of your caravan or trailer is absolutely essential while driving. Caravan towing mirrors are a vital addition to your trailer setup, and can be purchased either as separate add-ons to your car’s existing rear view mirrors, or as permanent fixtures that replace the rear view mirrors entirely.

4.         Safety chains

Safety chains are important towing accessories for your caravan, keeping it attached to your towing vehicle in the event of a coupling failure. While purchasing safety chains, ensure that the shackle (required for attaching the chains to the towing vehicle) is duly rated for the load capacity of your caravan.

5.         Braking system

Your towing vehicle’s brakes won’t always be enough to decelerate your caravan. Besides, in the event of a hitch failure, where the caravan detaches from the towing vehicle, it would need to be able to slow down on its own. All caravans, and the heavier ones in particular (weighing 2 tons or more), need to be outfitted with independent braking systems.

6.         Sway control

Caravans are susceptible to lateral movement, due to many factors such as crosswinds and sharp turns. A sway control mechanism helps keep this lateral movement in check. Many weight distribution hitches come with inbuilt friction sway controls, but you can also install one separately.

Reliable towing accessories play a crucial role in deciding how your camping road trips pan out. From durable and accurately rated weight distribution hitches, to high quality caravan towing mirrors, you can find all the requisite accessories at any caravan parts and supplies store or website.