A caravan stabilizer is not a necessary item for towing, but it does add an extra layer of safety to your caravan equipment. However, before trailer outriggers people continued to tow trailers successfully and without incident on many trips. They accomplished this by having a good understanding of trailer packaging for the road and the best way to care for the trailer bed so that it would perform at its best while on the road. There are 3 simple points to consider when towing a caravan that, with or without stabilizer, will increase your safety and comfort when towing.
First And the most important point to consider is getting the right combination of car and caravan. Small cars with relatively large engines are more than capable of pulling a caravan behind them, but if the caravan is heavier than a car, a lot of problems can arise. When buying your first caravan, it is often tempting to look for the caravan that is the most luxurious for you and has all the internal niceties you want for your break. However, this may lead you to get a caravan that is not suitable for your current car. Do not forget which car the caravan will carry and research which caravan is suitable for your car. The best place to get this information would be your caravan dealer or manufacturer, but you can also get good information on the internet in places like forums on the website of your favorite caravan magazine.
Second One point to consider when looking for a safe caravan trailer is to have a properly loaded caravan and car. When loaded and ready to go, the weight of your caravan should not exceed 85% of the total weight of the car towing it. With this in mind, you should always try to have heavy items safely secured in the trunk of the car. After that, you should have the remaining heavy items as close to the axis of the caravan as possible. Simple common sense should tell you that heavy items should be stored low and never in overhead cabinets. If possible, there should be no items, especially heavy items, that could move if it were to suddenly break in an emergency. If you do all of this right and have the weight evenly distributed, the camper should tow behind you level or slightly down.
Tea third and the final point is very simple, but for many it is often overlooked. Ensuring that the tire pressure of your caravan is correct not only improves the handling and therefore the safety of the caravan being towed, but it will also help you reduce fuel consumption as a fuel tank go further. If the tire pressure is 25% too low, the fuel consumption increases by 2% and also has an adverse effect on the stopping distances of your caravan and car. Tire pressures should be checked when the tires are cold and be sure to use the correct loading pressures as manufacturers typically have two recommended pressures.
You could be forgiven for thinking that if you are careful and always follow the three points mentioned above, you would not need a caravan stabilizer. In fact, you’re right, and all other things being equal, you could easily tow a caravan without a stabilizer attached. Unfortunately, things are never the same and external forces will act on the platform of your caravan and cause it to react in a way that you are not prepared for. With a lot of experience, you may be able to overcome these external forces, but with a caravan stabilizer you will add an extra layer of safety that has been designed and improved to help increase the safety of towing caravans.