While a touring caravan can give you a great degree of freedom, transporting it can be a challenge, especially if you lack experience in towing a caravan.
Many caravan owners may enlist the services of a caravan transportation company to tow their touring caravan. This can be for several reasons. You may want the caravan towed from the showroom where you bought it for your home.
Or, you may need your caravan towed over a long distance and don’t feel confident or experienced enough doing it yourself. Whatever your reasons, it is important that you take the time to get your caravan ready to be collected and towed by the courier.
Here are five top tips on preparing your touring caravan for transport
1. Make sure it is clean and tidy
Cleaning your caravan before transportation is about more making it look good. When you give the exterior of the caravan a good wash and clean, you will be able to see if there are any scratches or dents in it. Make a note of any such marks in case new ones appear after the transportation company has taken them to your new destination.
Giving the caravan a clean inside is also a good idea. Not only will it have the place looking tidy, but it will allow you to clear out any loose items which may become dislodged during transit.
2. Disconnect the caravan
If you are having the caravan transported from a campsite to another location, you will probably have it connected to the amenities on-site such as water and electricity. Make sure that the caravan is completely disconnected before transportation.
You should also make sure that any switches in the caravan are turned off and if you have a gas cooker, make sure it is switched off and the gas supply is disconnected. Make sure there are no gas tanks in the caravan before it being transported as this can be a fire hazard.
3. Lighten the load
Remove any unnecessary items from the caravan which can add excess weight. The heavier the caravan is, the longer it will take for it to be transported and the more fuel will be used. A transportation company may quote you a price beforehand, but then have to factor in excess fuel consumption and a greater timeframe. Remove any heavy duties items which can slow the caravan down during towing.
4. Make sure the tyres are inflated
Tyres on touring caravans are just as important as those on cars and vans so it is vitally important that you make sure they are properly inflated to the required pressure. Under-inflated tyres will make the caravan harder to tow and therefore mean the towing vehicle expends more fuel. You should also make sure the tyres are the required tread depth before you have it towed.
5. Check your insurance cover
Companies that specialise in transporting touring caravans will have their drivers covered for towing your caravan. However, it is worth checking what type of cover they have in place. You should also make sure that your caravan insurance covers the transportation of the caravan.