How to Get Your Car Ready to Tow a Caravan

Towing a caravan is a great way to explore this beautiful country of ours. It gives you the convenience of a home away from home, plus the convenience of having your vehicle to get around with.

So you’ve finally chosen your caravan, checked the weights, and your tow-vehicle can handle what you are about to attach to it.

But wait, is your tow-vehicle ready? Here are some things to check before you hook-up and set off. Our maintenance schedule is worth keeping alongside this list too. It covers the ongoing checks once you’re actually out towing.

Car Tow Bar

First and foremost, does your car have a tow bar? The number 1 essential item needed to connect your car to your new caravan. Choose a heavy-duty tow bar which is rated to at least the maximum tow capacity of your tow-vehicle.

Also choose a tow bar which has a removable tongue. This comes in handy if you need the tongue to be higher or lower to level your caravan when attached. You can buy tongues with different heights or tongues that are adjustable so you can get your caravan sitting just right.

Shop tow bars and tow balls here to start your caravan journey!

Tow ball coupling

Do you have a tow ball/pin/coupling?

There are a few different mechanisms to connect your caravan to your tow bar. Depending on what your caravan has will depend on what “tow ball/pin/coupling” you need to fit to your tow bar.

There are 3 main popular types.

• 50mm ball,
• DO35 hitch and
• poly block coupling.

Make sure you have the correct one for your caravan. Your caravan will need power to run the brake lights, indicators, running lights, electric brakes etc.

Have you got a 7pin / 12pin socket fitted to your car? If not, you will need one of these. Check to see what type your caravan has and make sure you fit the correct corresponding one.

Most tow bar fitters will be able to fit the socket at the same time you get your tow bar fitted, but if you already have a suitable tow bar fitted and you need to change your socket, you could also ask an auto electrician to do this for you.

Shop the right socket for your van here

Caravan Brake Controller

The next thing to check is if your tow vehicle is equipped with a brake controller. All caravans that have a GTM exceeding 2000kg must have electric-controlled brakes. This means that your tow-vehicle must have an electric brake controller fitted so that it can “control” your caravan’s brakes.

The caravan will get the brake signal through the 7pin/12pin connection. If you don’t have a brake controller fitted to your tow-vehicle, your tow bar fitter or auto electrician can fit one for you.

Shop brake controllers here to stop your van when you need!

Car Mirrors that Actually Help!

All right, so we can now hitch your new caravan to your tow-vehicle, connect the lights and brakes and we are ready to go. Not quite yet. Can you see what is behind you?

Most caravans will be wider than the mirrors on your car, therefore, you won’t have a clear view to the back of your van and beyond. Thankfully, there are a few different solutions.

Clip on style towing mirrors:

You could fit a set of clip-on style towing mirrors, which are temporarily fitted to your existing mirrors while towing. They are designed to sit wider than the standard mirrors, therefore giving you the vision you need. Just don’t forget to remove them when you are not towing.

Permanent towing mirrors

The other option is to permanently replace your standard mirrors with a set of towing mirrors. These mirrors can have the same functions as your original mirrors (power adjust, blind spot monitor, auto fold etc.)

They sit on your car in a similar position to your original mirrors, but when you are about to tow, you can slide them out to make them wide enough to get a clear view down the side of your caravan.

These mirrors are usually sturdier, have less vibration, and give you a clearer view but they are a more expensive option. Don’t forget to slide them back in when you are not towing.

Shop tow mirrors here and tow legally (and actually be able to change lanes safely!)

Stop the rear sag:

Now that your car is ready for you to hook up and start exploring, there are a few other considerations. These are not essential but may make your travelling more comfortable and safer.

If the rear of your car sags once you have connected your caravan, and it does not sit level, your towing performance and ride comfort may be reduced. You may want to consider either a suspension upgrade, air bags or a weight distribution hitch.

The upgraded suspension is designed to be able to handle heavier loads. This will allow your car to sit more level, which will give you a safer and more comfortable ride, placing less stress on your car. You could also fit airbags which are designed to assist your suspension. These can also help to level out your car.

Weight distribution hitch

Another option is to fit a weight distribution hitch, also known as torsion bars. These are fitted between your tow bar and your caravan’s a-frame which redistributes weight from the rear of your car to the front, effectively “lifting” the rear of your car.

If you are interested in any of these devices, speak to your local suspension or tow bar specialists about your vehicle.

Shop torsion bars here

Stop the rocks from damaging your van:

If you are driving on gravel roads, consider a larger set of mud flaps or rock tamers. These are designed to reduce the amount of road debris (rocks) from flicking up from your rear tyres and damaging your caravan.

Check out the prices of these rock tamers here

Need mud flaps? Shop here

Our Thoughts

As you can see, with a few simple modifications, you can change your everyday car into the perfect tow-rig and confidently travel with your caravan whenever you like.

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