Loading your caravan

Friday, 18, Sep 2009 03:00

Every summer thousands of caravans take to the roads and the motorways, with many of them towed by beginners or occasional holidaymakers. Unfortunately every so often the radio reports an overturned caravan or an accident during towing. More often than not this accident could have been avoided with correct loading.

It's often tempting to think of the caravan as a huge storage space on wheels, with every locker and drawer available to stow possessions. Sadly this may not be the case as it is vital that caravan holidaymakers think carefully about storing their possessions in a way which does not unbalance the vehicle.

Front locker

One area that is all too easy to overload is the front locker. Placing too many items in here means you can easily exceed the noseweight limit of both your car and your caravan. It's for this reason that some manufacturers now make the front locker deliberately small.

It is worth considering that the space usually already contains a couple of heavy gas bottles, a spare wheel, a mains lead and levelling blocks inside the front locker. This means that it already takes up a vast chunk of your payload before you start thinking of adding extra items.

Limits on the noseweight

All caravans have a limit on the noseweight which is suitable for touring. If this limit is exceeded, the tourer won't be able to perform on the road to its best ability. It is for this reason that exceeding the car's noseweight limit will invalidate its insurance and warranty, as well as turning any outfit into a liability on the road that could endanger passengers and other road users.

It's considered important to pay attention to how items are stored inside the caravan. Heavy items, such as the awning, should always be placed on the floor as close as possible to the caravan's axle.

Spreading the weight evenly

Placing the awning at the van's rear will make the van tail-heavy, causing a pendulum effect that could lead to 'snaking', with the ultimate effect of the caravan taking control of the car. This will cause you to lose control of your outfit completely, ending your holiday before it's even begun.

Medium-weight items, such as chairs and empty water tanks should be placed at floor level equally allotted to the front and rear. This will help to counteract the heavier items that you have already placed in the centre of the van.

As mentioned earlier, is it generally advised that lightweight objects are the only items that can be placed at head-height in the upper lockers; placing heavy items up there will also contribute to "snaking" where the vehicle veers across the road behind the car.

Storage areas

As is the case with the front locker there is often a temptation to overload other large storage areas in the caravan. Yet unfortunately this can also affect the stability of the caravan outfit.

For example there is often a void beneath a rear fixed bed in a caravan. If filled however the aforementioned pendulum effect is likely to occur.

A useful final tip is to utilise the space in your towcar for some heavy items which may not fit in the caravan. If there is space in the boot or the backseat it will help the weight distribution and ensure a safe journey for all.