It’s easy when you know how!
As any caravanner will tell you, reversing is one of the essential skills for stress-free touring. It might seem a bit daunting, but if you follow our simple step-by-step manoeuvres, you’ll soon find it’s plain sailing
EVEN THOSE WHO have been towing for some time can find reversing a caravan quite tricky – many people avoid the task whenever possible.
Motor movers make the job a lot easier, but this is a really important skill to learn – one day you might need to reverse some way up a narrow lane.
So it’s a great idea to practise the moves as much as you can, until they become second nature to you. It’s a cliché, but true: the more you do it, the better you will become at it, and the less nervous you’ll be on the road.
Reversing along a straight line
No matter where you might be reversing, it’s crucial to have a good view of your surroundings.
Ensure your towing mirrors are correctly set up, and if you’re travelling with a passenger, it’s a good idea to ask them to get out and help – they might notice something that you haven’t seen from the driver’s seat.
1
For starters, ensure that your car and caravan are straight – if not, pull forward a small amount until the unit is in a straight line. Then, engage reverse and slowly start to move backwards.
2
Keep an eye on your mirrors – if the caravan starts to appear larger in one than it does in the other, gently move the steering wheel a small amount in that direction. The van will start to move the other way – return the wheel to its original position and continue.
3
If you find the caravan has moved too far in one direction, simply pull forward to straighten up and try again.
Reversing onto a pitch
This also applies to any reversing manoeuvre around a corner.
1
Drive forward until the van wheels are a little past the edge of the pitch (A). Ensure your view down both sides of the caravan is clear, and adjust the mirrors if not.
2
Your next move depends on whether the angle into the pitch is tight. If it is, apply full lock to the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the way you want the van to go (B). So if you need to reverse to the left, you’ll have to move the steering wheel to the right. It’s counterintuitive to most manoeuvres, so needs concentration. If the angle is less acute (C), apply fewer turns to the wheel. In either case, you can then slowly start to reverse. 3
To avoid jackknifing the caravan, you’ll need to gradually wind off the tow car’s lock before the caravan is straight, allowing the car to ‘follow’ the caravan.
At this point, the steering wheel should have gone through the straight position, and be in the same place as if you were reversing without a van on the back (D).
Whenever you are reversing, go slowly. It’s much easier to correct small movements than large ones. If you have any problems, or the caravan comes too close to the car, simply pull forward and start again – there’s no rush.