Towing Safety

At Werribee Towbars & 4×4, we want you to have all the facts.

Having a basic understanding of your vehicle will keep you feeling assured and safe on the road.

Before you set off, here are the essential towing principles and legal weight requirements you should consider:

01.

Towing capacity of your towbar and equipment

02.

Weight of your caravan or trailer

03.

How to pack your caravan or trailer

Know Your Weight!

Overloading your vehicle can lead to accidents.
How to avoid this? Know your weight – it’s that simple!

 

 

Vehicle

You can find your maximum vehicle tow weight in your car user manual. If you can’t get hold of this, don’t worry – simply consult with the car manufacturer.

Caravan

Know the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) of your caravan. The ATM is the Tare of the Caravan (it’s weight at manufacture) plus any additional extras added. The ATM must not be exceeded. Remember that any extras added to the caravan will add to your ATM, such as air conditioner, water tanks, luggage, chairs, etc.

Towball

The towball weight is important because you need to know the maximum downward weight that can be applied to the towbar. Contact us to learn more about understanding the maximum towball weight of your vehicle.

Towing Safety Tips

Take a look at our towing safety tips to feel more at ease on the road

  • If you’re new to towing, practise! Take short trips in your local area and get used to driving your vehicle. Reversing can be tricky, but an empty carpark makes a great place to practise. There are also plenty of courses you can take if you need extra assurance.
  • Install towing mirrors to help you with driving and reversing.
  • Ensure you leave plenty of time to slow down or stop. Towing decreases your breaking ability, so remember to keep plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front and take it slow and wide when approaching corners.
  • Make sure your weight distributing hitches are set up correctly and the caravan looks properly loaded. Avoid heavy items high up in the van as this will reduce the chance of the caravan swaying.