CARAVAN WEIGHTS , RATINGS AND TOWING LIMITATIONS ARE AN ENDLESS SOURCE OF CONFUSION . TIPS 1 TO 11 AIM TO REMOVE SOME OF THE MYSTERY …
1
TOWBALL MASS
Does your tow vehicle really need 10 per cent of the van ’ s laden weight on the towball , as per the age-old belief ? It ’ s beyond dispute that for the sake of stability , there must be a ‘ decent ’ amount of weight there , but it ’ s a furphy to say it must be 10 per cent .
The so-called ’ 10 per cent ’ rule for towball mass , however , remains a reasonable starting point for establishing the ideal ball weight for your tow vehicle and van combination , but ensure you don ’ t load the towball beyond the maximum mandated by the tow vehicle ’ s manufacturer . Avoid loading heavy items to the rear of the van ’ s axle ( s ). Instead , load over the axles and towards the front ( always keeping an eye on the ball weight ) so as to contribute to the van ’ s towing stability .
RV FEATURE
2
BALL WEIGHT IS DYNAMIC
The amount of weight imposed on the towbar of a tow vehicle is a dynamic thing . It will change from trip to trip , depending on your payload and where you ’ ve placed it within ( or on ) the van . This is why we recommend using a portable ball weight scale , and now and again during a trip checking that your van ’ s ball weight is within the maximum towball mass of your tow vehicle .
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