Loading up your caravan and heading out around Victoria is an iconic part of the Aussie lifestyle.
A caravan allows you to tow your home-away-from-home right to the action. But to have a safe and enjoyable road trip, you must follow proper tips for distributing weight in your caravan before hitching up.
Improperly loaded caravans are prone to dangerous swaying, fishtailing, leaned tyres, and complete loss of control.
No one wants their road trip to turn for the worse due to an improperly balanced rig. By learning some critical tips for distributing weight and cargo, you can avoid stability issues and tow confidently.
Tips for Properly Distributing Weight in Your Caravan
By following some critical tips for balancing weight and cargo in your caravan, you can create optimal handling for a smooth, stable tow.
In this guide, we’ll provide Melbourne and Victoria caravanners with tips for loading gear and supplies to distribute weight side-to-side and front-to-back properly.
Taking the time to balance weight keeps your caravan safe and enjoyable out on the open road.
1. Know the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The first step is to know your caravan’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR. This spec, which you can find on a plate inside the caravan or in documents, tells you the maximum weight the caravan is designed to hold when fully loaded safely.
This includes the empty weight of the caravan itself plus all cargo, water, supplies, passengers and anything else you add. Be sure never to exceed the GVWR when loading your caravan or risk damage, wear and loss of control.
2. Load Heavy Items Low
When organising gear, load the heavy items low in the caravan, near the floor. Pack dense, heavy supplies like water tanks, house batteries, and heavy cargo near the axle or just slightly forward of the axle toward the tongue.
Loading the heavy items low keeps the centre of gravity low, which improves stability and handling when towing. It helps prevent swaying or fishtailing. Just be sure not to overload near the axle to avoid damage.
3. Distribute Weight Evenly Side-to-Side
For optimal stability, you must disperse cargo weight evenly from side to side within the caravan.
When packing food, clothing, tools, and other supplies, try to balance the load so you don’t end up with more weight toward the roadside or curbside.
You can use a small bathroom scale to compare loads side-to-side. Even side-to-side weight distribution prevents the caravan from leaning, which can cause control issues and tyre wear.
4. Use a Hitch Weight Gauge
A vital weight consideration is the hitch weight, which refers to the downward force of the fully loaded caravan’s tongue on the hitch of the tow vehicle.
The ideal hitch weight is 10-15% of your fully loaded caravan weight.
This transfers enough weight forward to help stabilise the rig. Use a hitch weight gauge or bathroom scale to check your hitch weight before heading out. If it’s too light, shift some cargo forward.
5. Secure Interior Items
Once everything is loaded, secure interior items like furniture, appliances, tanks, and TVs so nothing slides around during travel.
Tie down, bungee, or latch loose cargo like camping gear. If items shift position as you drive, it can alter your balance and handling. Prevent sliding with anti-slip pads, slides, ties, latches, and other restraints.
6. Check Tyre Pressure
With heavier loads, your caravan tyre pressure must be set to the maximum pressure on the sidewall.
Running at capacity helps the tyres support the extra weight properly when towing. Check and adjust tyre pressure before loading up to be safe. Under-inflated tyres wear poorly and can overheat under heavy loads.
7. Weigh Fully Loaded
The best way to confirm that your fully loaded caravan is appropriately balanced and within a safe overall weight is to weigh it on a public scale.
You can find scales at truck stops, waste transfer stations, and moving company lots. Weigh each axle and the whole rig to see that you are below GVWR, GCWR, and within individual axle ratings. Adjust cargo as needed.
Things to Avoid When Loading Your Caravan
While there are many essential tips for adequately distributing weight in your caravan, there are also some mistakes and pitfalls to avoid:
- Overloading: Exceeding the GVWR or axle weight ratings can overstress the caravan and lead to component failure. Always stay under rating specs.
- Nose-heavy: Too much weight toward the hitch causes sway and instability. Limit hitch weight to 10-15% of the total.
- Loose cargo: Unsecured gear and supplies can shift and alter weight balance. Use ties, latches, slides, and locks.
- Improper tyre pressure: Under-inflated tyres cause strain, blowouts, and poor handling with heavy loads. Inflate to sidewall max.
- Uneven side loads: More weight on one side creates leaning and tyre issues. Distribute gear evenly side-to-side.
- Roof loads: Loading heavy gear on the roof raises the centre of gravity and affects stability. Keep heavy items low.
- Rear loading: Too much weight over the rear axle reduces hitch weight and steering responsiveness. Load more forward.
Conclusion
Distributing weight properly in your caravan with a low centre of gravity, balanced side-to-side load, adequate hitch weight, secured cargo, and whole tyres ensure a safe, stable trip. Before heading out on Victoria’s highways, take the time to load smartly.
Follow the GVWR, use a weight distribution gauge, secure your cargo, and weigh the fully loaded rig. Proper weight balance leads to smooth, fishtail-free towing so you can enjoy the journey.
DownUnder’s mobile weighing services provide on-site weighing services to ensure your caravan is loaded correctly. Our technicians come to you to weigh your fully loaded rig using certified equipment. We provide a detailed weight analysis report so you can adjust your load for safety.
Let us handle the weighing work so your caravan meets the guidelines. Contact us at 0492 184 495 today to schedule professional weighing services before you hit the road.