Caravan Towing Cover

[Alanbrooke]

What’s an average price for a front cover, ball park?

You can get one for less than £20. That's why I'm thinking of getting one and cutting it to the size I want. Anyone done this?

 

[Buckman]

You can get one for less than £20. That's why I'm thinking of getting one and cutting it to the size I want. Anyone done this?

Good luck!

 

[Johnb]

Doesn’t Land Rover do that too. My Forester has mud free sills. Any self respecting vehicle designed for off road should have that sort of feature. Even my old 95 Pajero did.

Last 3 Santa Fe cars we owned have had a similar arrangement. Without doubt a bonus and, as you say Clive, essential for an off roader, even a "Chelsea Tractor".

 

[CustardAvenger]

Current price for the Pro-Tec towing jacket is £230 - but its tailored to your caravan. Their generic cover in 3 pieces did not fit the curved edges of my front panel (was loaned one as my towing jacked had not been made).

Its in 2 pieces and slides into the awning rail either side and zips together up the middle. Some hooks secure to the bottom of the front panel and a strap under the A-frame. That's it.

Each panel folds down and is stored in a small storage bag (like a welly boot bag).

The zip means you can unzip from the top for the windows or from the bottom for the gas locker without having to remove it.

Like I said, only downside is the cleaning pre-fitting. I've used it virtually every time I tow and not seen any damage caused by it.

 

[Buckman]

Current price for the Pro-Tec towing jacket is £230 - but its tailored to your caravan. Their generic cover in 3 pieces did not fit the curved edges of my front panel (was loaned one as my towing jacked had not been made).

Its in 2 pieces and slides into the awning rail either side and zips together up the middle. Some hooks secure to the bottom of the front panel and a strap under the A-frame. That's it.

Each panel folds down and is stored in a small storage bag (like a welly boot bag).

The zip means you can unzip from the top for the windows or from the bottom for the gas locker without having to remove it.

Like I said, only downside is the cleaning pre-fitting. I've used it virtually every time I tow and not seen any damage caused by it.

We had a Protec towing cover and returned it for a refund as it caused more issues than it resolved and marked the front of caravan quite badly. No issue with refund.

 

[RogerL]

Last 3 Santa Fe cars we owned have had a similar arrangement. Without doubt a bonus and, as you say Clive, essential for an off roader, even a "Chelsea Tractor".

Are we talking the same thing - my 2011 Santa Fe had conventional doors with the sill visible below the doors - when it was muddy, opening the door allowed trousers to rub on the sill and get dirty.

 

[CustardAvenger]

We had a Protec towing cover and returned it for a refund as it caused more issues than it resolved and marked the front of caravan quite badly. No issue with refund.

I found that their generic Towing Cover was a pain to fit, with loads of snap buckles either side. Tensioning the straps and getting the cover centralised was a faff and the awning rail insert panels weren't wide enough; they would get pushed out from behind the main panel when in motion meaning the nylon straps holding the main panel on, were chafing against the caravan.

The Towing Jacket has non of those problems.

 

[Beachball]

The front towing cover i have for our van goes the full width of the caravan so nothing rubs or marks it is clean when i take it off at the site.

 

[Johnb]

Are we talking the same thing - my 2011 Santa Fe had conventional doors with the sill visible below the doors - when it was muddy, opening the door allowed trousers to rub on the sill and get dirty.

Recent car is 2020 Santa Fe Premium Se, Previous was Santa Fe Premium, and first same model. I think first was bought new 2014.
Your model at 2011 was presumably a different style.
So yes, I'm talking the "same thing" bearing in mind the last 3 models I've owned.

 

[Dustydog]

I bought a Rhino Guard cover. Circa £60 , 4 years ago. Does the job and attaches in two minutes once you get used to the short cuts! Locker box cannot be accessed. But is that a problem ? No.

 

[Buckman]

Bought this cover brand new. This is what our towing cover looked like on the inside after a trip of about 500 miles. It marked the caravan so badly that it took ages to remove the black marks. We now have a Specialised Elite and no issues 1000's of miles later.

 

[JezzerB]

Our specialised is custom fit, one zip and a couple of clips plus the underneath clip, with a lovely soft lining. No marks or damage and well made . You get what you pay for. At£200money well spent imo.

 

[bertieboy1]

I think these things look awful! It seems only the Brits use them as I've never seen one on a Continental van. However, I get the front of my caravan filthy just getting to the Channel port in January and have to wash it on arrival in France. The dirt is generally only as high as the front locker so I'm thinking of getting a cheap cover and cutting the top part off, just covering the front locker below the front windows. Has anybody tried this or have any recommendations?

The front covers look terrible,in 30 years of towing I've never needed one,I cannot see the need for them.Those that have them for "protection" must be really unlucky (or careless)

 

[Buckman]

Those that have them for "protection" must be really unlucky (or careless)

If you have ever had the font of your caravan damaged then you wil realise why people prefer to protect their investment. We care a lot about our caravan hence the front towing cover! Personal choice and very happy with our choice.

 

[FrintonMike]

I purchased a cover many years ago after driving over a resurfaced road and the front of the van was covered in tar.
Even using suggestion n the forum I was never able to remove all the tar and small grey spots still showed when i sold the van

 

[Beachball]

Hi bertieboy1 My caravan not new but i care alot that is why we have a front towing cover it is better to be safe than sorry..

 

[Alanbrooke]

I bought a Rhino Guard cover. Circa £60 , 4 years ago. Does the job and attaches in two minutes once you get used to the short cuts! Locker box cannot be accessed. But is that a problem ? No.

Thanks for that. Amazon don't have these covers now and other sellers look a bit dodgy. Do you think it would be possible to cut the top part off the cover and just cover the caravan below the front windows? I'd have the cut seam sewn up.

 

[Dustydog]

Thanks for that. Amazon don't have these covers now and other sellers look a bit dodgy. Do you think it would be possible to cut the top part off the cover and just cover the caravan below the front windows? I'd have the cut seam sewn up.

No pointless. The mud stones and tar travel high up. The poly plastic windows are very vulnerable!

 

[RogerL]

No pointless. The mud stones and tar travel high up. The poly plastic windows are very vulnerable!

I agree - that's where expensive damage will occur if you're unlucky.

 

[Jcloughie]

I know some are rightly worried about the cover, or dirt on the cover, casing damage to the windows. I have not been too bothered about this and so far the windows are OK. But it may be prudent to keep a cotton sheet to hand which is easy to store and keep clean. And to hold this over the windows, perhaps with suckers. So is forms an interface.

JOHN

 

[Dustydog]

John,
Allegedly most of the covers already have a soft rear end so should not cause any damage.

 

[Brasso530]

I just give the front of van a quick swill off with plain water the night before set off. Obviously fitting cover next day.

 

[WayneS]

I bought one of the generic breathable ones from ebay about 18 months ago for about £20 & am very happy with it, Takes about 10 minutes to fit,

 

[MarkandDeb]

We use one made for our caravan and glad we got it looking at the dirt and marks on the cover after towing on wet roads.

 

[Beachball]

Thanks for that. Amazon don't have these covers now and other sellers look a bit dodgy. Do you think it would be possible to cut the top part off the cover and just cover the caravan below the front windows? I'd have the cut seam sewn up.

Hi if you look on Ebay there a used Rhino Guard front towing cover you might have to bid for it so good luck .