CARAVANNING BIG MISTAKE. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T DO THIS.

Caravanning big mistake, make sure you don't make this mistake. Today the caravan came off the car while towing, this could have been a big problem and could have caused a lot of damage to the car and caravan. Don't make my mistake while towing your caravan.

#caravan #caravanning #caravanningmistake

[twogotikitouring]

Total respect for posting this. No matter how experienced we are it just goes to show that we are all more than capable of making mistakes. Thank you.

[andrewmoorey]

Well done for owning up. Fortunately for me when I picked up our first caravan from the dealer after he had finished the handover he went through the hitching procedure with me about 5 times. As well as the jockey wheel test he instilled in me that the last thing I must do is actually get down and visually check that the tongue of the hitch is under the head of the ball. Takes seconds.

[emsik]

one of the best safety advices in this matter thanks for posting this

[Andeecee]

Like your honesty Mark. Your video shows the importance of checking, double checking and even triple checking before setting off.

[wheater]

I made this mistake last autumn, leaving the North York Moors site. The van stayed connected until we went over a speed bump. Cost me a new breakaway cable and jockey wheel assembly. The clue was, as you mentioned, that the ALKO stabiliser arm went down with less force than usual. This was because the pads were touching above the centre of the “equator” of the tow ball. Like you, I now raise the hitch by winding down the jockey wheel. Next error is to forget to raise the jockey wheel again….. Thanks for these videos btw, I enjoy them a lot.

[glenfriel]

A refreshing change to own up when you do something wrong, and better still, is when you
share your mistakes so others can
learn from them, thank you.

Experience is simply another name for ones mistakes.

[CaravanningwiththeCoxs]

Just watched this Mark and completely get where you coming from. Whenever I collect a caravan for work from a customer I always in the nicest possible way ask them to not help in hitching up to insure I am very happy its correctly hooked on. Cheers, Oliver

[davidbutterton]

Well done indeed for owning up to this, I agree with other comments. I had the happen to me some years ago when new to caravans and I have to say that it scared me significantly. I did the same checks as you did and the caravan seemed tight onto the car, leaving the site a bang and then the caravan coming off, hugely embarrassing to say the least, I did learn but never felt good hitching after that. My wife and I are returning to caravanning so this video has been super helpful and I cannot thank you enough for sharing, appreciated. Just goes to show one slip up in a thousand has consequences.

[alexrankin]

Thank you Mark for the good advice. I will now be using the jockey wheel test to make sure I’m correctly coupled

[PeterMayley]

Congrats for honesty, I did it myself leaving for a holiday and lost 24hrs! I believe that if one does the caravan driving test (if it still exists) I have been told they require you to wind it right up and down on the jockey wheel, and then repeat it which I now do and have had no repeat embarrassment!

[ianyoung]

Thanks for posting & your honesty for owning up. Maybe you can do a video on the importance of tyre care & wheel nut torque as we still see van's at the side of the road with where the wheel has fell off.
Thanks,
Ian.

[mickphelan]

Thanks for your honest explaination Indeed i have been towing for many years, and have had a few heart stopping moments Keep up the good work

[tofty]

Thanks for highlighting this Mark. If it can happen to you then it can happen to anyone.

[Tillys_Travels]

Big respect for owning up. I won't ever forget this now.

[paulpringle]

Handy reminder about doing checks. Fair play to you Mark for owning up thanks for sharing

[CaravanVlogger]

I've never done the jockey wheel thing. I line the car up, leave the handle that drops onto the tow ball down, lower the caravan onto the tow ball, then pull the handle up, you know it's definitely on as it drop in with a clonk! As you say the stabiliser it hard to push down if it's on properly, I have to put a lot of weight on it. Each to their own though, whatever makes you feel it's 100% on 👍
Thanks for sharing...

[berniebne]

Bad luck, a gold star for being honest. That's why safety chains are mandatory in Australia😎

[bobnicholls]

Did mine today. The number positions on my old plug were different to the number locations on my new plug. The photo I took was too confusing so....TOP TIP....I cut about an inch off the wires leaving the coloured cut ends in the old plug, then used this as a guide after stripping the ends of the wires. Worked a treat and when I connected it to my car, nothing blew up, which is always a bonus!

[chrisbarber]

Every days a school day I guess, Thanks for these kind of hints n tips for newbie caravaners. 👍

[jaffaholland]

Thanks for this, shows how easy it is to mess up even for a professional like you