Getting ready for a caravanning holiday involves a little more than packing a kettle and finding the perfect pitch. Before you can set off, you will first need to tick these vital checks off our caravan checklist – or else risk leaving the whole family stranded on the driveway.
We go into more detail below, so read on for everything you need to know when getting your caravan road trip-ready this summer.
Prep The Caravan
Before you can hitch it up, your caravan must be fully drained down, disconnected, and properly packed.
We cover these basics below in the first few steps of our caravan checklist.
1. Drain Down The Water System
Both the onboard water system and toilet flush tank must be fully drained down before you hit the road.
If you arrived home late from your last road trip and unpacked in a hurry then you might have forgotten to do this, so make sure that you disconnect the water pump, open all the taps, and give the entire system plenty of time to fully drain down.
2. Turn Off The Gas
It only takes a minute to check that the gas has been turned off, but it could save lives whilst out on the road.
If the gas cylinder turns on or a connection becomes loose in transit then this could lead to a leak, so make sure all gas taps are fully off before you start packing your caravan.
3. Disconnect The Electrics
Having a steady supply of electricity is a big benefit of caravanning, but you must always disconnect it before travelling.
Go around turning all the electrical appliances off, then unplug the cable and store it safely for your upcoming trip. It’s also a good idea to set the fridge to 12V, but don’t worry about your road lights just yet – we’ll get onto those shortly.
4. Secure The Load
Remember that loose objects could slide around in transit, so don’t put anything in the upper cupboards (there’ll be plenty of time to unpack once you arrive at your destination) and secure any heavier items as you go.
We also recommend storing the heavy items on top of the axle, to evenly distribute the weight and stop it from impacting the suspension but remain mindful of the fact that the combined weight of your car and caravan cannot be more than 8,250 kg.
Prepare To Tow
Once your caravan is packed up, it’s time to shut the windows, lock the door, and prep your towing setup.
Let’s start with the essentials.
5. Fit The Mirrors
Caravans are considerably wider than cars, and in order to safely tow one you must be able to see 4 metres down both sides of the caravan and up to 20 metres behind you.
This visibility cannot be achieved without the use of extension mirrors, and so fit them to your wing mirrors and check that you can see your surroundings clearly in them. You also don’t want to be left without mirrors for the journey home, so pack a spare set in case they become damaged on the road.
6. Check Tyre Pressure
If this is your first trip of the year and your caravan’s tyres haven’t been moved for a while, then now is the time to check for any flats.
You’ll also need to check their tyre pressure, which will be listed in the caravan handbook, with a reliable pressure gauge, and why not top up your car’s tyres too whilst you’re at it.
Final Checks
You’re nearly at the end of our pre-travel caravan checklist!
Raise the jockey wheel, secure the steadies, and tick these final caravan towing safety checks off your list.
7. Attach The Breakaway Cable
Hitching the caravan to your car is simple: all you need to do is position the vehicles correctly, raise up the caravan using the jockey wheel, and then lower the towbar onto the towball.
Once this is done, you need to securely connect both vehicles with a breakaway cable. This prevents the caravan from detaching during transit, but make sure to leave some slack otherwise it may pull taut around corners and activate the brakes by accident.
8. Check The Lights
By this point the caravan is hitched up and off the drive, and it is the work of a moment to check the lights before setting off.
The caravan’s indicators, brake lights, and reverse lights are powered by the car, so make sure the cables are properly connected and ask your partner to stand behind the vehicle whilst you test all the different lights.
Our Caravan Checklist For A Safe Summer
Now you’re ready to hit the road!
Grab a snack or two for the journey, hop back inside the car, and press ‘play’ on your favourite road trip playlist – and if you find yourself in need of any spares before your next summer adventure, then Caravan Crazy is the place for you.
Click here to shop their essentials today, and receive your order within 2-4 working days.