There are some fantastic caravan parts and accessories that will not only make your next caravan adventure a lot more fun, but can also make travelling on the road and towing a caravan a lot safer. Today we’re looking at caravan parts and accessories that will increase safety and reduce stress.
Weight Distribution Accessories
When you attach a heavy caravan or trailer to the towball of your car it changes the distribution of weight across your rig. If weight is not distributed evenly, it can result in weight being concentrated towards the rear of the towing vehicle. The front of the towing vehicle and the rear of the caravan will lift, undermining the ability to brake and steer safely, which can be very dangerous. It can also cause uneven wear on your tyres.
Thankfully there are caravan accessories to fix this problem. A weight distribution hitch (WDH) or load leveller helps by taking the load off the rear of the towing vehicle and safely redistributing the weight evenly across the rig and towards the front of the vehicle.
The type of Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH) you require will be determined by how much weight your caravan is putting on your towball, as well as the size of the caravan A-frame. A qualified caravan repair centre can help determine your requirements.
When you have a caravan it’s important to understand the basics of legal towing weights. There are different numbers and towing weights you need to know about.
Electronic Stability Control Systems
A caravan can become unbalanced as a result of speeding, braking suddenly, cross winds and air currents from an overtaking truck. Instability, causing the caravan to sway is dangerous and can potentially lead to your rig jack-knifing, causing a nasty accident.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is a caravan braking system that automatically engages if your caravan begins to sway dangerously. It provides maximum sway prevention for safer driving.
It works through a sensor installed underneath your caravan that detects side movements and oscillations that could build up into a dangerous swaying motion. The ESC system is designed in Australia by AL-KO and can be retrofitted to older caravans.
Find out more about ESC or talk to a qualified caravan repair centre about fitting ESC on your caravan.
Rear Camera Kits
There are lots of great caravan parts and accessories to improve travelling, but a rear camera mounted on your caravan with a viewing monitor is really going to make your life easier when you’re reversing.
Reversing can take a bit of getting used to and with caravans becoming bigger and longer, rear camera technology provides much needed assistance. Having a rear camera operational when you are driving also helps to increase visibility on the road and allows you to see easily what’s coming up behind you.
Rear camera kits come with an eyeball camera that is fitted on the back of your caravan, an LCD monitor that is mounted on your dash, and cabling to connect up the unit. Some kits enable the monitor to be mounted where your rear-view mirror is located and also works as a regular rear-view mirror.
Reversing cameras also come in wireless, but these are not recommended as they are prone to interference.
Installing Caravan Parts And Accessories
While many caravan parts and accessories are easy to install by yourself, depending on time and level of difficulty, some people prefer to get a professional caravan service centre to do the work.
Emu Caravan Repairs, located in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, can assist with advice and installation for a range of caravan parts and accessories. We only use high quality brands for all our work.
If you have an inquiry about caravan parts and accessories to improve the safety of your rig, contact our caravan repair centre.