How to Get Your Caravan and Tow Vehicle Level
On the Level – Part 2:
For part 1, click here
Having your caravan and tow vehicle level while travelling is one of the most fundamental parts of setting up your rig.
By having both vehicles level, you will have better road handling, increased braking performance, improved grip, better tyre wear, and overall improved safety.
There are several ways to help get your rig level, which we will discuss below.
Before you look at getting your vehicles level, make sure you are following good load distribution practices in your caravan. By having the correct weight distribution first — not too much or too little tow ball weight — you can then measure how much you will need to adjust your tow vehicle.
Getting Your Tow Vehicle Level
The most common deficiency of the tow vehicle is the rear suspension compressing too much and sitting too low. Very rarely do we see it the other way around (when the rear of the vehicle is sitting too high).
This can cause problems, like running out of rear suspension travel, which can create a harsh ride and/or damage the suspension components. Independent Rear Suspension vehicles can also suffer from uneven tyre wear.
When the rear of the tow vehicle sits too low, the front usually sits too high. The down force of the caravan on the tow ball makes the rear low and the front high. This decreases the front tyres’ effectiveness on the road, and reduces grip, braking effectiveness, and overall handling.
Option 1: Load Distribution Bars
If your tow vehicle is not far from level, one of the simplest ways to fix it is to install load distribution bars. They are installed on the tow vehicle’s tow hitch and hook onto the caravan’s A-frame.
If installed correctly, they will “distribute” some weight from the rear of the tow vehicle to the front — effectively putting less weight on the rear tyres and more weight on the front tyres. In turn, this will slightly lift the rear and lower the front. In a lot of instances, this may be all you need to get your rig level.
The downside to distribution bars is that you need to fit and remove them each time you connect and disconnect your caravan from your tow vehicle. They will also limit the amount of articulation, which may not suit if you like to go off-road.
Option 2: Suspension Upgrade
Another common solution is to replace your front and rear springs and shock absorbers with “heavy duty” suspension. By doing this, your tow vehicle’s rear suspension will not sag as much and will hold up higher.
There will be calculations needed to get the correct spring rates fitted, but a quality suspension fitter will be able to do this for you. You will need to know your caravan’s tow ball down force when fully loaded.
A quality suspension upgrade will improve your tow vehicle’s handling, be more reliable, and be safer to drive. In some instances, you may need both a suspension upgrade and load distribution bars to get it just right.
The downside to a suspension upgrade is that you may experience a ”harsh” ride while not towing. This may not suit you if your tow vehicle is also a daily drive.
Option 3: Air Bags
Adding air bags to the rear suspension can also be a solution. Air bags have been around for a long time, and many heavy vehicles (trucks, semi-trailers) use air bag suspension.
They are designed to “assist” the rear springs — not take all the load. By increasing the air pressure, they will effectively lift the rear of your tow vehicle. They can be used in conjunction with standard or upgraded suspension.
One benefit of air bags is that you can “fine-tune” how your rig sits on the road by increasing or decreasing the air pressure. You can also remove air pressure when not towing so that your ride is not so harsh.
The downside to air bags is that you will need to periodically check your air pressure, as the system can lose pressure over time and air leaks can develop.
We’ve written checks like these into a printable maintenance schedule too, if you want your own copy here.
Getting Your Caravan Level
Now that you have your tow vehicle level, it’s time to get your caravan level too.
Option 1: Adjustable Tow Hitch
The best way to get your caravan level while towing is to have an adjustable tow hitch installed on your tow vehicle. These allow you to adjust the height of your hitch by multiple positions, so you can fine-tune how your caravan sits.
Once you have set it, you usually don’t need to adjust it again.
Option 2: Fixed Offset Tow Hitch
Another solution is to measure how much your caravan hitch needs to be raised or lowered, and fit a fixed tow hitch which has the correct height offset compared to your standard hitch.
For example, if your caravan’s hitch needs to be 100mm higher, get a tow hitch which is 100mm higher than your standard hitch. These can be cheaper and lighter than the adjustable hitches. Just make sure that any new hitch is correctly load rated to your vehicle.
Which Should You Do First?
Make sure to get your tow vehicle levelled first, with whatever system you choose, before you get your caravan level.
Adjusting the level of your tow vehicle will affect how level your caravan sits. However, adjusting the height of your tow hitch won’t affect the level of your tow vehicle… maybe by a small amount… but that is a conversation for another day. Stay tuned for On the Level – Part 3, where we will discuss this further
