The Ultimate Guide to Towing a Caravan

Whether you're new to caravanning or an experienced caravanner, refreshing your towing knowledge can help you become even better and more confident on the road. Towing a caravan safely and correctly requires proper knowledge, careful planning, and plenty of patience to ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other road users.

This guide offers a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about caravan towing—from preparation tips and understanding weight abbreviations to mastering the art of driving with a caravan attached to your vehicle.

Can I Tow a Caravan?

Anyone can tow a caravan safely and correctly, but you need to work out the combined weight you are allowed to tow as well as how much weight your car can tow. The maximum authorised mass (MAM) you are allowed to tow is dependent on when you passed your driving test.

Before 1st January 1997

You can tow a caravan with a combined weight of up to 8250 kg MAM.

After 1st January 1997

You can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3500kg MAM, also known as a ‘category BE’ vehicle.

What is Maximum Authorised Mass and How Do I Find it Out?

The MAM is listed in your owner’s manual on your caravan and is normally shown on a plate or a sticker fitted to your caravan. The MAM can sometimes also be referred to as the maximum technical permissible laden mass (MTPLM) and is the heaviest weight at which you can safely tow your caravan . Although the MAM is not a legal limit, exceeding it could lead you to being charged with careless driving or towing a dangerous load. Overloading a caravan alters its towing performance and its safety.

For most caravans, the MTPLM is between 1000kg (for lightweight two-berth caravans) and 2000kg (for larger, luxurious family tourers). The MTPLM also encompasses all items inside or attached to your caravan including the leisure battery, flush water, clothing, foodstuff, awning, motor movers and air con units. When weighing your tourer, it should lighter than the maximum allowed weight.

How Much Can I Tow?

To understand how much you can tow, you need to find out the maximum towing capacity of your car. Towing a load that exceeds your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity puts your safety, the safety of your passengers, and the safety of other road users at significant risk. It is not only dangerous but also illegal, and doing so can result in fines and penalty points on your license.

The maximum towing capacity of your car is set by the manufacturer and can be found by looking at the car’s vehicle identification plate – most likely to be under your bonnet or on a door pillar. On it will be the following information:

• Gross vehicle weight (GVW): Total maximum weight of the vehicle. You must not load the car over this weight. GVW and MAM describe the same thing: the maximum weight of a vehicle for safe driving, including all contents, luggage, fuel and passengers. Towing anything above this weight is likely to cause damage and make your drive/journey unsafe.
• Gross train weight: Total maximum weight of the vehicle plus caravan plus load. The car and the caravan must not be over this weight.
• Maximum front axle load (MFAL): Maximum distributed weight that the rear axle of the vehicle can support.

The maximum towing capacity is calculated simply by subtracting the gross vehicle weight from the gross train weight.

How Do I Know if My Vehicle is Suitable for Towing?

To calculate whether your vehicle is suitable for towing the size of your caravan you will need two key figures: the kerb weight of your vehicle and the MTPLM/MAM of your caravan.

Divide the MTPLM by the kerb weight, times this by 100 and this is your percentage. This calculation is known as ‘outfit matching’.

(MTPLM / kerb weight) x 100 = percentage towing capacity

For novice caravan towers, it is recommended that the weight of the caravan should not exceed 85% of the tow car's kerb weight. Known as the ‘85% rule’, this guideline advises inexperienced towers to limit the caravan's weight to no more than 85% of the tow vehicle's kerb weight. Confident and experienced caravanners may consider towing closer to or up to the vehicle’s maximum capacity, but this should always be done with caution. This is the 100% towing rule – a recommendation that experienced caravanners can tow a caravan that is up to 100% of the car’s kerb weight.

The 85% and 100% towing guidelines were established by major caravan clubs and industry experts to enhance road safety. While this guidance is not legally binding, it is considered good practice. Ignoring it may lead to complications, particularly in the event of an accident or an insurance claim.

For example, if your caravan has an MTPLM of 1,450kg, your tow vehicle’s kerb weight should weigh at least 1,705kg to adhere to the 85% rule.

The maximum weight your car can tow (fully loaded car + fully loaded caravan) is also usually listed in the handbook.

Understanding your car’s towing limits and weight capacities is essential for safe and successful towing. Under no circumstances should the caravan’s weight exceed that of the tow car. While this guidance may differ from the information on your vehicle's or caravan's weight plates or manuals, these figures are widely regarded within the industry as safe and practical.

Your car doesn’t have to be large; it simply needs to be well-suited and properly matched to your caravan.

What is A Caravan’s Kerb Weight?

Your caravan’s kerb weight, or mass in running order (MiRO), is the minimum weight of your caravan without any passengers or cargo. This ‘empty’ weight includes the weight of one gas bottle, the flush water, and the amount of fresh water stored in any onboard tank. The weight does not include the weight of a leisure battery even though these can weigh upwards of 12kg.

You can find the kerb weight /MiRO in the owner’s manual, on the manufacturer’s website, on your V5 registration document or on the weight plate near the caravan door.

Don’t confuse the kerb weight /MiRO with other weights such as the GVW and the MAM/ MTPLM.

What is a Caravan’s Noseweight?

A caravan’s noseweight is the weight or downward force from the caravan’s hitch to the tow car’s tow ball. The noseweight pushes the towball down when you lift the jockey wheel and the corner steadies of the caravan. It’s important to know your caravan’s noseweight as it affects the stability of your caravan and the safety of your vehicle towing the caravan. Exceeding the noseweight limit can adverse effects on your towing vehicle car as reduced efficiency, reduced lifespan of your rear tyres and reduced grip of your front tyres.

The noseweight is an important element to consider when you are choosing a towbar. The downward force decreases as you pick up speed so it is important to have a sufficient noseweight when your outfit is stationary.

Noseweight is measured in kilograms and should be between 5-7% your caravan’s full laden weight. For example, a 1500kg caravan should exert a downward force between 75kg and 105kg on the hitch. To find the specific noseweight for your caravan, look in your car manufacturers’s owner’s handbook.

The ideal noseweight is based on the suspension of your car, the effects on steering and its traction, as well as the strength of the towbar and its mounting. So, it is important not to exceed the recommended noseweight for your car. Some car tow bars have a limit of 50kg; such models are not suitable for towing a caravan. Noseweight limits are also specified by tow bar manufacturers and should not be exceeded. Typically, a towbar has a weight limit of around 80kg to 110kg.

Measuring Noseweight

To measure your caravan’s noseweight, use a noseweight gauge. This is a specialist scale that you place between the caravan hitch and the ground. We recommend using one that is marked with the British Standard as you will find them to be more accurate, reliable and durable. When you raise the jockey wheel, the gauge supports the weight on the nose of the caravan which allows you to read the weight measurements.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a gauge, you can use place bathroom scales underneath your hitch and place a strong piece of wood in between the hitch cup and the scales. As you wind up the jockey wheel, you will see the weight on the scales increase until the jockey wheel is off the ground. When the jockey wheel is completely off the ground you can read the nose weight.

You should check your noseweight at the start of each trip, when you change car and when you tow a new caravan.

If, once you’ve loaded up your caravan, you find it tilting backwards, your noseweight is too low. To fix this, try moving heavier items towards the front of your caravan. Achieving the correct noseweight will result in your caravan having a nosedown angle. A nosedown angle is the most stable and aerodynamic whilst you are towing.

How to Pack Your Caravan

Packing your caravan is a balancing act. When packing your caravan, imagine it is a seesaw, and the axle is the fulcrum. The more weight you load toward the front of the caravan, the greater the weight pressing down on the towbar will be. On the other hand, loading more weight behind the axle will cause the rear of the caravan to be pushed downwards and will lighten the load on the towbar.

To create the right amount of downforce on the towbar, you need to be aiming for around 70 – 120kg of weight. This will keep the rear of the vehicle you are towing with planted thus improving traction and control; it will also keep the front of your caravan slightly nose down. This is the optimum, most stable towing position that is less likely to cause your caravan to snake as loading more weight towards the back of your caravan can create a pendulum effect. This means once your caravan begins to sway, the snaking effect can be harder to bring back under control.

For a safe, smooth towing experience with limited snaking or see-sawing effect, pack all heavy items down at floor level, and as close to the axle as possible. If, for example, you have a rear island bed with a lot of storage underneath it, do not be tempted to pack all your heavy items under here.

To prevent items from shifting during transit, secure them down firmly.

If you have packed your caravan and discover it is too heavy, you can lighten it by placing heavy items such as awning and wheel locks into the boot of the vehicle you are towing with. Alternatively, put them inside your roof box if you have one.

Always adhere to the maximum caravan weight. Your caravan must not be overloaded firstly due to safety regulations, and secondly due to overloading causing undue strain on your chassis and running gear.

Safety Checks to Make Before Towing

Before you tow, you must make sure your car and caravan combination are correctly matched. You must also check the following.

Towbar

As the towbar is the main connection between your car and the caravan, a well-fitted towbar is absolutely essential. You should check the tow bracket regularly, inspecting for any cracking or serious rusting. You must also check that the bolts are correctly tightened.

Detachable tow bars require extra attention to detail. Before you fit it, make sure the housing and bar are clean. Once you have secured it, make sure there is no excessive movement.

Tow Ball and Connections

You must check:

• The caravan hitch is correctly coupled to the tow ball or tow pin
• The coupling height is correct
• The 7 or 13 core cable and plug is not damaged

Tyres

Check your tyres to see if they have any cuts of bulges.

Check the caravan wheel nuts are tightened to the correct torque and don’t forget that overtightening nuts are just as bad as having them too loose.

Mirrors

You must fit suitable towing mirrors to both sides of your vehicle if your caravan is wider than the rear of your vehicle. This means you should be able to see a person standing at the rear corner of your caravan of trailer. If you can’t, you could be facing fines up to £1000 and three penalty points on your license. Having said that, your towing mirrors should not project more than 200mm beyond your caravan’s widest points.

Breakaway Cables

Caravans with brakes are required to have a breakaway cable fitted. In the unlikely event of your caravan becoming detached from your towing vehicle, the cable will pull on your caravan’s brakes and then snap allowing it to stop away from the towing vehicle.

It is better to attach the cable via a dedicated mounting point on the towbar rather than around the tow ball. This is because the cable needs to be attached to a part of the tow vehicle that won’t come apart. Make sure there is enough slack in the cable, so the brakes are not pulled on when you turn.

There are two types of breakaway cable clips: the spring clip and the carabiner style.

Spring clips are fitted to most caravans and must be attached to itself in a loop; never directly to the tow bar structure.

Carabiner style clips can be attached to the towbar structure and also be used attached to itself – as a result, it is far more likely that the breakaway cable will be correctly attached.

Breakaway cables should not drag on the ground. They should allow enough free movement that when there is an acute angle between car and caravan, the cable ia is not pulling on the caravan handbrake. An easy way to accommodate the slack is to apply a twist or two into the cable.

Coupling

Make sure that the caravan coupling head is fully engaged on the car towball. Often the head will have a coloured indicator to demonstrate when engagement is complete however it is worth winding down the jockey wheel until the back of the car is raised about 25 to 50mm – this confirms a secure coupling.

Further Checks

• All internal and external loads are secured
• Roof vents and windows are closed
• Gas cylinder valves are turned off
• Noseweight is within car and caravan limits
• Steadies and jockey wheels are raised and secured
• Coupling head is fully engaged on the car towball
• Breakaway cable/secondary cable attached correctly
• Handbrake released
• Road lights working correctly

How to Hitch Up A Caravan

To hitch up, start by making sure the caravan’s handbrake is on, the corner steadies are raised and the height of the caravan’s hitch is higher than the tow ball on your car. Then follow these step by step instructions:

1. Position the car:

Reverse until the tow ball is directly under the caravan hitch. Use a motor mover for fine adjustments if needed.

2. Secure the breakaway cable:

Attach the cable to the tow bar’s eyelet, looping it through and clipping it back onto itself.

3. Engage the hitch:

Raise the stabiliser and hitch levers, then lower the hitch onto the tow ball by winding up the jockey wheel. Continue until the smaller hitch lever clicks downward, and, if you have one, the green indicator pops out.

4. Verify hitch connection:

Double check by winding the jockey wheel back down until the rear of your tow car lifts slightly.

5. Secure the jockey wheel:

Wind the jockey wheel fully up, ensuring the forks align in their slots and the smaller (hitch) lever clicks downwards and the visual indicator pops out showing green. Release the clamp, lift the wheel, and secure it out of the way.

6. Engage the stabiliser hitch:

If equipped, push down the stabiliser arm and confirm the green indicator is visible.

7. Connect electrics:

Attach connectors for lights and electrics. Twist long cables to prevent dragging.

8. Check the ATC:

For caravans with an ATC device, confirm the green light on the A-frame. If red, unplug and reconnect. If you are seeing a persistent red light then contact your dealer.

9. Fit towing mirrors:

Attach and adjust towing mirrors to show your vehicle in the inner third and the caravan/road behind in the rest.

Safe Towing Tips

You must follow the essential caravan towing tips to keep yourself, your caravan, your passengers and all other road users as safe as possible. Towing a caravan changes the dynamics of your vehicle and you need to adjust the way you drive.

Please note that not all routes are caravan friendly so you will need to plan your route carefully. Avoid narrow lanes and stick to main roads. Check for height restrictions and be mindful of any overpasses, bridges or tunnels. You also need to plan for regular breaks to reduce fatigue and check up on your caravan.

• Adhere to towing-specific speed limits which are lower than standard limits. On motorways and dual carriageways your maximum speed is 60mph, and on single carriageways it is 50mph.
• Allow extra room when braking as a heavier load requires an average of 20% more distance to stop.
• You must also take corners wider to avoid clipping the curb or other vehicles.
• When you are driving downhill use engine braking to avoid overheating your brakes.
• Hill starts need more throttle than normal to get going so you will need delicate clutch control to avoid stalling.
• If swaying occurs gradually reduce your speed without braking harshly. Air turbulence from passing lorries or coaches will likely cause your caravan to snake so take extra care when overtaking these vehicles and maintain as much lateral gap as possible with your outfit.
• Vertical instability is called pitching and can occur if you hit a pothole. Don’t apply your brakes, instead slow down gradually by easing off the accelerator. A stabiliser may help to avoid instability but is not a replacement for good car to caravan matching or weight distribution.
• Never carry passengers in the caravan when it’s being towed.
• You are not permitted to tow in the outside lane of three or more lane motorways unless you are told to do so by relevant authorities.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you are new to towing, practice in a safe and open environment before heading out on a long journey. Learn to manoeuvre your caravan and practice reversing. Also practice positioning your caravan in campsites and other designated areas.

The Caravan Club offer towing courses for both novice and experienced caravanners so it’s worth having a look to brush up on your skills and make sure you have done everything possible to have as smooth a journey as possible. Book onto a towing course relevant to your experience level to get in some practice before your trip.

Final Thoughts

Towing a caravan safely requires preparation, patience, and practice. By understanding your vehicle’s capabilities, properly maintaining your equipment, and adjusting your driving habits, you can enjoy stress-free caravan adventures. Always prioritise safety, and invest in caravan insurance to protect against unforeseen events and have peace of mind whilst towing.