Caravan towing weights

Caravan towing advice

If you are new to caravanning, it pays to understand caravan towing weights, driving techniques, rules and recomendations.

Towing a caravan for the first time can seem daunting. However, proper preparation and learning what to expect can boost confidence and turn apprehension into excitement.

This practical guide explains how the laws affect caravan towing, especially concerning caravan weights. We also include valuable tips to enhance your towing knowledge.

Anyone with a valid full UK driving licence can tow a caravan weighing up to 3,500kg. You’ll need to take a special test to tow anything heavier. But with a typical 7.9m 6-berth caravan weighing 1850kg fully laden, a standard driving licence should cover your needs.

Understanding MIRO and MTPLM

MIRO and MTPLM are abbreviations of terms used to describe caravan weight and load.

MIRO (Mass In Running Order) is the unladen weight of your caravan when it leaves the factory. The figure includes an allowance for a gas cylinder and fluids but excludes the weight of a leisure battery.

MTPLM (Maximum Permissible Laden Mass) represents the maximum safe weight when fully loaded, as defined by your caravan’s manufacturer.

Ideally, treat the numbers as minimum and maximum and aim for a fully loaded weight somewhere between the two numbers.

Here is an example table based on actual caravan data:

Determine your vehicle’s towing capacity

Every vehicle has a maximum towing capacity recorded in the owner’s handbook or on the V5 document. If the towing capacity matches the MIRO figure, your caravan will be too heavy to tow when fully laden.

Experts recommend that a car not tow over 85% of its kerb weight. You can find the kerb weight in the handbook or the chassis plate. Technically, you can tow more weight as long as the caravan does not exceed its MTPLM, but only as an experienced caravanner.

Loading your caravan

Subtract your caravan’s MIRO from the MTPLM to calculate your maximum payload. For example, 1300kg-968kg leaves you with 332kg. This should be ample, but remember that a leisure battery weighs around 20kg. Then you might take extra water or a second gas cylinder on your travels.

Here is how to position your items in the caravan:

• load heavy items low down, preferably over the axle
• moderately heavy items should also be stowed low down where possible
• light things are acceptable in the roof lockers or wardrobes

Be careful not to fill the front and rear lockers with too much weight, as this can affect the noseweight. We recommend checking your caravan’s noseweight before every journey.

Hitch up safely

There are several steps and checks you’ll need to follow to hitch up safely. We explain everything in our handy guide titled ‘How to hitch and un-hitch your caravan’. The guide also includes a downloadable printable checklist.

Driving rules and guidelines

Passengers

Carrying passengers in a caravan while it’s being towed is illegal. Pets can travel in a caravan, but we recommend crating dogs and cats for safety.

Take regular breaks

When you tow a caravan, you concentrate on more things, which can become tiring. We recommend taking a 15-minute break every two hours.

If you start feeling fatigued, take a break at the earliest opportunity. However, remember that stopping on a motorway’s hard shoulder is illegal unless it’s an emergency.

Speed limits

The legal speed limits for caravan towing are:

• 30mph in built-up areas
• 50mph on single carriageways
• 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways

Always stick to the inside lane on dual carriageways and motorways.

Top Tip! Remember to factor your speed into long-distance travel. Sat Nav and Google Maps generate travel time based on the maximum speed limit. However, you are restricted to 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways when towing a caravan, which could add an hour or two to your journey.

Turning and cornering

Towing requires adapting your driving style to suit the combined length of your car and caravan.

Look as far ahead as possible to spot any hazards and signal early. Approach corners slowly, giving yourself enough space to clear the inside kerb. Move as close to the white line as possible before turning into a tight corner to prevent your caravan from swinging into the opposite lane as you straighten up.

Snaking and pitching

Snaking (the caravan moves side to side) and pitching (the nose moves up and down) create an uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous experience.

But you can prevent these issues from occurring by:

• checking your tyres are correctly inflated before travelling
• loading your caravan correctly
• not exceeding the maximum vehicle towing capacity
• setting your noseweight correctly
• fitting an AL-KO stabiliser

Acceleration and braking

Your car won’t accelerate as quickly when you tow a caravan. So signal your intentions early and give yourself more time to pull out of junctions.

A similar rule applies to breaking, where experts recommend allowing twice the average car’s braking distance when you tow a caravan:

Remember the rhyme

If you find remembering braking distances challenging, then wait until the vehicle in front passes a marker and repeat the following rhyme TWICE:

“Only a fool breaks the two-second rule.”

You are far enough behind if you can say the rhyme twice by the time you reach the same marker.

Well done. You’ve learned the most common towing rules and regulations and picked up a few valuable tips.