Top tips for safe towing this Labour Weekend

Friday, 20 October 2017

Remember to get your load right, and take it easy when on the road.

Labour Weekend - it's New Zealand's last public holiday break before Christmas.

Thousands use the three-day weekend to head off somewhere, often with a trailer hitched to the back of the family car.

Reversing a trailer is a slow and steady art.

With that as background, we figure that now is a good time to remind motorists on how to safely get to their destination when towing a trailer, caravan or boat. These top tips, from Land Rover towing expert Daniel Rogers.

Top Tip #1: Get your balance right

Prior to setting off, pack your belongings to reduce the risk of your trailer or caravan weaving, yawing and snaking. You do this by loading the trailer or caravan in a way that distributes weight efficiently.

* Silly Question #13: How do I back a trailer?

The centre of gravity of the load needs to be about 10-20 cm in front of the trailer's wheels, which can be achieved by loading slightly more weight in the front half of the trailer or caravan than in the rear. But not too much - otherwise it can become very difficult to lift the trailer to secure it to your vehicle's tow-ball.

You should never load a trailer so that it is lower at the rear. It should be either level, or ideally, slightly nose down. And remember that all loads should be secured to the trailer.

Top Tip #2: Give yourself time and room

When driving with a trailer or caravan, the key things to remember is that you need to allow more time and room for everything. Make sure you allow a gap of at least four seconds between you and the vehicle in front, and anticipate junctions and stops to allow you time to brake early. Also, don't forget to allow extra room for turning and manoeuvring.

Whenever you start your journey, take time to test the brakes when it is safe and considerate to do so, to understand how that particular load will affect stopping when required.

If when driving with a trailer or caravan you experience weaving [moving from side to side], there are a few simple solutions to resolve the problem:

* Adjust the trailer contents to move the centre of gravity forward (see Top Tip #1).

* Avoid over-packing the trailer and ensure the maximum trailer weight is not exceeded.

* Increase the trailer and vehicle tyre pressures according to the manufacturer's specification.

* Reduce driving speed.

Top Tip #3: Take it slow when parking

Reversing with a trailer or caravan is a gentle, slow and steady art. You should start reversing with the vehicle and trailer in a straight line, before slowly turning the vehicle in the opposite direction to the one in which you wish the trailer to travel.

Do not continue too far as the vehicle and trailer may 'jack-knife'. Once the trailer is moving in the correct direction, reverse the steering of the vehicle and follow the trailer into the turn, straightening up when you reach the correct direction.

Says Daniel Rogers: 'It is vital that no matter how often you tow a trailer, you take the time to prepare properly and don't rush your journey.

'There is a lot to get used to, and many problems can easily arise. Even with the wide range of technology available, it is still vital that anyone looking to tow has a good understanding of the physics and theory behind it.

'We hope these three tips help those heading camping this Labour weekend tune-up their towing skills and reduce the risk of an incident.'