Busting towing myths

There are a number of practical tricks to help you overcome a fear of towing, says

Experts agree: If your caravan’s aluminium strips give you shocks, you must look for the fault either in your caravan’s power cable or in the campsite’s electrical installation. The problem would be the cabling and not the caravan’s bodywork. It’s nonsensical advice to drive a metre-long rusted iron pole into the ground and then connecting it to the chassis of your caravan with some spun wire. Your corner steadies with their feet made of plastic are also not the problem. Your caravan’s earthing doesn’t happen at the corner steadies. Back when I was involved in grading resorts, I had a simple test kit to determine if the wiring at a power point was done correctly. That same piece of technology has also come in handy to test the safe functioning of power points in and around ablution facilities. A standard stipulation unequivocally states that there must be at least one metre between a power point and a tap at each stand, precisely to prevent a camper from being electrocuted if the installation is faulty. Purchase your own device to test extension cords and multi-plugs. JUDGING BY the frequent bickering on various forums, tandem towing has its own set of myths and facts. The regulation in question puts everything into perspective, and it’s not just me who brags that I’ve been towing my Venter behind my caravan for years without any problems. A caravan’s chassis is simply not designed to tow an additional load. People who tow need to study their vehicle insurance carefully, too. Regulation 222 of the National Road Traffic Act places a restriction on the combination of a vehicle and one or more towing vehicles. Read your owner’s manual carefully, as most vehicles have a tow rating. Also, read the fine print of your insurance contract to check whether tandem towing is covered or approved. I recently read an account of an experienced camper who was stopped between Pretoria and Durban. The traffic official believed that the length of the train – that consisted of one towing vehicle and a maximum of vehicles being towed – may not exceed 22 m. The trailer behind the caravan must also have runin brakes. When this camper consulted his insurance broker, he found, to his shock, that his policy didn’t cover tandem towing. It’s a good idea to print a set of the regulations and keep them on hand for when a traffic official stops you. THOSE EXPERIENCED IN towing unequivocally state that, other than cultivating a good towing technique, everyone must know that towing anything causes additional wear and tear on the engine, gearbox, and chassis. If you tow regularly, change the oil in your vehicle more frequently and invest in high-quality oil and air filters. The right towing speed, the right tyres, tyre pressure, and a towbar that’s worth its salt are indispensable to give you peace of mind when towing. First, don’t overload your caravan and pack the heavier items above the axle. The caravan should be hitched with its nose slightly down and anchored to a sturdy drop plate. The drop plate should be attached to the vehicle’s towbar with high-quality nuts and bolts. Stop every 200 km or so to make sure everything is still firmly attached and anchored. Keep the right tools in your vehicle to test the tyre pressure and the tightness of the wheel nuts. Tow safely, and don’t endanger the lives of fellow road users. If regulations are unclear, common sense and an innate and practiced safety awareness will stand you in good stead.