Hitching Up and Uncoupling: A Helpful Guide

Aside from figuring out how you are going to spend your time away on your family caravan holiday at Allens, there are some practical considerations which you need to remember to ensure a safe and hassle-free holiday!

When it comes to caravanning, you inevitably have to hitch up or uncouple; though it seems fairly innocuous, it is vital you do it correctly to avoid damage to your caravan or to your vehicle. So, here at Allen’s Caravans we have compiled a quick checklist to ensure you do this correctly.

Hitching Up   

•    First, turn off the gas supply at the cylinder.

•    Empty any bins and the toilet container and store or dispose of them appropriately.

•    If you are on a slope, ensure the caravan handbrake is secured; you don’t want it rolling away unexpectedly!

•    Make sure all the windows and doors are closed and locked; also, ensure that all loads inside the caravan are properly stored.

•    Lower the jockey wheel and raise the steadies.

•    Reverse your car to the caravan, taking care to ensure that the tow ball is at the correct height to hook them up smoothly. You can check the link by using the jockey wheel to raise the car a few centimetres.

•    Connect all the necessary electrics; there should be enough slack to ensure they don’t drag or pull during the journey.

•    Make sure the secondary coupling is in place before removing the caravan handbrake and any wheel blocks.

Uncoupling

•    Position the caravan onto your pitch then apply the caravan handbrake and place any wheel wedges.

•    Next, lower the jockey wheel and lock it into place.

•    Disconnect the electrical plugs and the secondary coupling from your car.

•    Pull up the hitch-head lever and, using the jockey wheel, lift the caravan hitch from the tow bar.

•    Now you can move your car away and adjust the level of your caravan with the jockey wheel; you can also deploy the corner steadies.

•    Finally, before you get into your secure caravan and relax, remember to turn on the gas supply, connect the caravan to the mains supply and collect some fresh water from the onsite facilities.

Though a brief guide, these are all useful points to keep in mind whether you are new to caravan holidays or it’s been a while, and you need a little refresher. If you feel the urge to go on a last minute caravan holiday then Allen’s caravans have a number of high-quality sites in various picturesque locations around the country. Full details of our family holiday parks in the UK can be found on our website, but if you have any specific questions or queries then feel free to contact us by phone or email; our friendly staff will be on hand to help you out in any way they can.