Preparing for towing

Ange1a
Ange1a Club Member Posts: 6
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edited August 4 in New to Caravanning & Touring #1

I am a complete towing novice... I haven't towed anything ever. So I wondered would it be useful for me to try towing a simple trailer first? I figured I could use this for tip trips and storage etc, and then if I discover I'm no good at towing I won't have spent too much money before I found out. Is this something which may help me or not?

Best Answers

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 18,096
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    #2 Answer ✓

    sometimes trailers can be more awkward to tow than a big caravan. The Club does towing courses, and if you have never towed before, might be well worth the cost.

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 3,129
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    #4 Answer ✓

    Excellent advice from @Takethedogalong and @Tinwheeler - plus towing a small trailer - the likes of which you would use for tip runs etc, is nothing like towing a caravan. Firstly - it is so much smaller - you can see over it and around it using your normal rear view mirror - in fact if it's that small, you might not even to be able to see the trailer! It will teach you nothing about having to use towing mirrors for essential vision behind you. It will follow your car exactly, without you having to worry about what's happening to it. A caravan won't do that and, for example, you will have to learn how to swing out when making a 90 degree left turn to make sure you don't hit the kerb with the caravan wheels. Don't try reversing a small trailer - you won't do it as it will jackknife straightaway. It's the one manoeuvre where the bigger the van, the easier it is to do!

    Save your money and, as the others have said - go on a course!

    Good luck😀

Answers

  • Ange1a
    Ange1a Club Member Posts: 6
    Name Dropper First Comment
    #5

    Thanks all, I will save up for the course in that case 😀

  • DavidRC
    DavidRC Club Member Posts: 39
    First Comment
    #6

    +1 towing a small trailer nothing like towing a caravan particularly when trying to reverse.

  • Amesford
    Amesford Club Member Posts: 737
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    #7

    Some years ago I remember my very first towing experience and using air brakes a very good friend of ours who owned a lorry repair and recovery garage and I used to pop over on my days off and give him a hand not that I was much use, anyway one time he chucked me some vehicle keys and said follow me and pointed to a 7 ton flat bed with a burnt out car on the back plus a trailer so off we went through the middle of Birmingham where he lifted the crashed car on the trailer using his lorry with the hoist and then a drive back through the city. After that experience the good lady who likes driving so does all the towing

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