How to reverse a caravan.

Now that the holiday season is here, most people are planning their annual family road trip or vacation to their favourite caravan park. It is a great time to provide some ideas on safely parking and reversing a trailer. Reversing a caravan is undoubtedly one of the most difficult manoeuvres, particularly for new caravan owners. While having a good sense of direction is always beneficial, manoeuvring a massive, heavy, and ungainly vehicle, especially when the left is right and the right is left, can be challenging (more on this later). However, if you want to get the most out of your caravan camping trips and plan to use your caravan for all future out-of-town family vacations, you must learn five important skills. You'll be able to expertly pull your caravan wherever in Australia if you comprehend, practise, and perfect the appropriate manner of reversing your trailer. Let's start at the very beginning, even before you are hitched up most people forget how difficult it can be to reverse back enough to hitch a caravan onto the towing vehicle. Without a reversing camera, this can be tricky if you are doing this alone. A reversing hitch aid will not only make backing up to the coupling much easier, it will also reduce damage if you do miss the mark. Otherwise known as the 'marriage saver', you'll see why these little guys are so popular. 

Before reversing your caravan, determine the starting point. When you're about to begin the caravan reversing manoeuvre, your distance past the parking place is critical. Make a mental note of whether the caravan is on the left or right side of the road, depending on where you are in relation to the bay. If you're reversing back to the left onto the bay, the best starting position is for your car and caravan to be as far to the left of the road as possible. If you're reversing to the right, though, it's preferable to start with your car and caravan as far to the right side of the road as possible.

The law of opposites is a simple but fundamental one to remember. This means that reversing a caravan requires steering in the opposite direction, which is not the same as reversing a car alone. This implies that as you reverse, you must move the steering wheel to the right or lower your right hand to get the caravan to turn to the left.

In order to get your caravan to turn right when you reverse, you must spin the steering wheel to the left or lower your left hand. To avoid oversteering, remember to reverse the caravan cautiously. To aid a slow reversing turn of your trailer, use full steering lock and then slowly counter the steering direction. The best thing to do if you oversteer in one direction or observe the caravan rotating in a circle is to come to a complete stop. Then, if space allows, continue straight ahead until you can completely straighten the caravan behind your car. It might be beneficial to have a guide (not the driver) standing in front of the car, facing you. Your guide's job is to keep an eye on the caravan's two back corners and alert you if there is too much of it on each side.

Another thing to keep in mind is to have wide towing mirrors, which can be quite useful, especially if your caravan is broader than your vehicle. Towing mirrors are a legal requirement in every state in Australia when the caravan or trailer is wider than the towing vehicle, as it significantly impacts the blind spots in your field of vision. Keep an eye on the caravan's back corners at all times. Because of the pivoting action created by the coupling, the rear corners of your vehicle will lead the way and turn in the opposite direction as you manoeuvre your vehicle. Reversing is perhaps the most stressful component of hauling a caravan. This is made more difficult if you're at a trailer park with limited space and are aware that all eyes are on you. However, by following the suggestions below, you will soon be able to effectively park your trailer into its bay, much to the delight of other caravan park visitors. Steps to take:

Step 1: Place the caravan in the starting location.

Get out of your vehicle and stand at the front right-hand corner of the bay before attempting to reverse right away. Then take two giant steps to your right and two large steps ahead. Mark this spot with a stick or any other visible marker while reversing your camper trailer or caravan. It's now time to get back in your car. Reverse the caravan's right-hand rear corner up to the spot you marked, while holding the steering wheel from the bottom with your palms facing upward. You've arrived at the starting location of your reverse turn.

Step 2: Take the wheel and turn it.

After you've got yourself in a good position, turn the steering wheel all the way to the left. Bring the steering wheel back half a turn before reversing carefully. Examine the caravan's rear ends. The right-hand side of the caravan rear should be backing into the parking bay if you're on track.

Step 3: Change the orientation of your steering wheel.

As soon as the caravan's right wheel reaches the parking bay's right corner, slowly spin the steering wheel to the right. To avoid jack-knifing, slowly reverse your steering direction after starting to reverse. Come to a complete stop if you jack-knife. The point when the corner of your caravan and towing vehicle will start to touch. Avoid this. Then drive forwards, return the wheel to the centre, and double-check that you're aligned and straight so you can safely reverse into the parking spot.

Step 4: Park the caravan and apply the brakes.

Determine how much space you have before proceeding with the reversal to determine how far back you can reverse; then carefully back up. If you're setting up an awning, make sure you have enough room for it and some wiggle room when you step outside your caravan. Activate the caravan handbrake after you've parked the caravan. Inspect the wheels to verify they are secure and unyielding. Set up your caravan only once you're convinced that everything is level and stable.

That's all there is to it! It is said that practise makes perfect. Reversing a caravan for the first time, as well as reversing a caravan uphill or on an uneven surface, is quite difficult. You'll get the hang of it if you follow the van parking suggestions above and practise regularly. Remember and practise these techniques to make reversing and parking your caravan easier, and make sure you have the necessary towing mirrors mounted on your towing vehicle. Install a reverse camera on the back of the caravan for enhanced protection; this will take the guesswork out of parking.