Where can we find information on caravan towing for the 1st time, Also a owners hand book for abbey vogue216 1997?? Many thanks in advance
information
- Thread starter Gerry N
- Start date
Try having a look at the Caravan Motorhome Club site. They have lots of technical help sheets. Is there anything specific as your question is very open ended?
The NCC Towing Guide is a good place to start https://www.idealcaravans.co.uk/downloads/Caravan_Towing_Guide_April 2015.pdf
Thanks to you both, We were wondering if there is a user mannual for caravan? which explains what is where how to use for example the fridge, seems to be gas/electric??
Try these too:
A complete guide to towing a caravan | RAC Drive
Confident Caravan Towing - The Camping and Caravanning Club
See your other post for the link to caravan manual - but you may need to visit manufacturers sites for individual appliances too.
A complete guide to towing a caravan | RAC Drive
Confident Caravan Towing - The Camping and Caravanning Club
See your other post for the link to caravan manual - but you may need to visit manufacturers sites for individual appliances too.
Some good stuff on YouTube
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQsIbHlPVPM&list=PL5eeQiGOuLA1N5zTko7MeZEDa3sExEYKr
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mxeo6lwWBU&list=PLwSgi80dEZrQL8jA3Xfn4Kzjr9DBp42Ej
TBH most caravans use the same equipment so it shouldn't be too difficult to find at least some info to get you started in the right direction
TBH most caravans use the same equipment so it shouldn't be too difficult to find at least some info to get you started in the right direction
Don’t know your van but…
Fridge normally has 3 power sources: mains hookup, 12v power from car (only when engine running) and gas. Fridge normally has a selector for its power source. Gas will likely need you to hold something in to get ignition, there should be an indicator to say when it’s lit. That likely needs the 12v power on for ignition.
Heating and hot water should both give you gas or electric possibilities, gas is likely auto ignition, again from 12v power. Don’t forget to uncover any flue opening outside for gas hot water or fridge.
If you look at the controls with all this in mind it’s not too hard to work it out. I would first be sure you can power up the van from the 12v battery and play from there.
Steve
I highly recommend doing a couse. It made me a lot more confident going out for the first time and instilled good practices in me.
Parksy
Moderator
This Practical Caravan website contains a wealth of information about all aspects of touring caravan ownership, but unfortunately it can be difficult to access for a novice forum user.
Navigate to the website Home Page.
Use the 3 horizontal bars ( top left) to access the Advice page.
Click on the text breadcrumb to navigate to Towing, then scroll down and there's some very good advice from Towcar Editor David Motton.
It's a bit of a faff, but unlike a Haynes manual the advice from the website here is free.
Navigate to the website Home Page.
Use the 3 horizontal bars ( top left) to access the Advice page.
Click on the text breadcrumb to navigate to Towing, then scroll down and there's some very good advice from Towcar Editor David Motton.
It's a bit of a faff, but unlike a Haynes manual the advice from the website here is free.
Parksy We have found out that the nose weight for our Suzi Grand vitara is 75kg,rather than use the Bathroom scale method will get "the proper tool" for the job.
I used our bathroom scales very successfully to “ calibrate “ a noseweight gauge. Once done i did not need to bother again until I changed tow car and the noseweight of the car changed. The bathroom scales are very accurate as evidenced recently when my family went to Greece and their cases maximum was 23 kg and I weighed them when holding them circa 122.5 kg, and just under 23 kg when checked in. I used the same approach when weighing everything that went into or on the caravan which was then entered into a spreadsheet fir different loading scenarios. IE long summer weekend, two weeks in Norfolk in January.
Parksy
Moderator
They can be tricky to put on and unless they are a good fit, covers can potentially damage caravan paintwork.
They are useful if your caravan is stored close to trees.
The 75kg value you have found for your car is a weight limit not a target. If you don't already know, the actual nose load a trailer produces is dependant on how the trailer is loaded, You have to trim the noseload by either moving the load around inside the caravan or adding or removing items bearing in mind you must not exceed the caravns MTPLM.
Proprietry nose load gauges are simple and not entirely accurate. Some are hopelessly inconsistent with the values they read. The bathroom scales method is usally more precise and consistent. I wold not bother with spending money of a proprietry gauge when you don't need to.
I found the noseweight gauge more convenient once I had “ calibrated “ it against bathroom scales as it could then be taken in the van for checks on noseweight prior to travelling home especially when abroad or after draining the beer and wine cellar 🍷😂
Plus however accurate or not bathroom scales bring on a bout of depression.
Buckmans correct, how accurate are bathroom scales, I am happy with a + or - 2 kg, once you know your caravan, you know how it tows, on the way home I know I might be 3 kgs lighter on the noseweight due to gas usage, fridge is right over the axle, so not worried about it, toilet at the back, Same as the way out. Everything else is the same.
Our bathroom scales are within 1.0 kg when I use them to weigh airline checked luggage up to 23kg. That’s when I hold them on the scales then stand on the scales without the suitcase and deduct my weight from the total of myself plus suitcase.
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