Pick your tow vehicle and caravan for a checklist built around your rig: brakes and breakaway, safety chains, coupling ratings, weights, tyres, lights and mirrors. Tick it off as you go, then print it, save a PDF or share it.
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Your van's ATM is 1,500 kg; the compliance plate on the van is the legal limit. Water in the tanks counts, at about a kilogram a litre.
Find the braked towing capacity in the vehicle's owner's manual. The loaded van must weigh no more than that.
As a guide, aim for 8–10% of the loaded van's weight on the towball (about 120 kg–150 kg for your van at its ATM), and never more than the vehicle's or towbar's maximum.
Check the GVM on the vehicle's compliance plate. Passengers, fuel, gear, accessories and the towball download all count.
Check the GCM in the vehicle's owner's manual. The vehicle and loaded van together must weigh no more than that.
Only use one if the vehicle, towbar and van makers allow it, set it up to the hitch maker's instructions, and never use it to fix a badly loaded van, too much towball download or an overloaded rear axle.
With a 1,500 kg ATM, a 50 mm ball coupling and its towball must both be stamped with a rating of at least 2,000 kg.
Check the towbar's ID plate. Its rating must be at least the loaded van's weight.
The WA towing guide says the anti-rattle bolt must be removed when towing, or the towbar can be damaged.
At 1,500 kg ATM your van needs at least one safety chain rated to AS 4177.4.
Over 750 kg GTM a van needs working brakes. Up to 2,000 kg they can be on one axle and over-run brakes are allowed; electric brakes need a brake controller set for today's load. Your van's GTM isn't published, so this uses its 1,500 kg ATM. The GTM on its compliance plate is what counts, and it is usually lower.
Breakaway brakes are required over 2,000 kg GTM. Your van's GTM isn't published, so this uses its 1,500 kg ATM. The GTM on its compliance plate is what counts, and it is usually lower.
Use the vehicle's tyre placard (often on the driver's door pillar) or owner's manual. Some manufacturers recommend higher rear pressures when towing.
Use the van's tyre placard and the manufacturer's recommendation, and never go past the maximum pressure or load marked on the tyre sidewall.
Tyres warm up and read higher once you have been driving, so check them first.
Test them with a helper. Check the front, side and rear reflectors are clean and intact too.
At a published 2.13 m wide and 4.91 m long, your van needs front position lamps, clearance lamps and side-marker lamps.
Your van is 2.13 m wide. If that's wider than your vehicle, fit towing mirrors. WA requires towing mirrors when you tow a load wider than your vehicle, and the ACT requires extended mirrors if you can't see down the length of the van.
Compare against your cold readings rather than letting air out of warm tyres.
A hot hub can mean a dragging brake or a failing wheel bearing.
Guidance only, not legal advice. Towing rules differ between states, and your compliance plates, owner's manuals and state transport authority have the final say. Weigh your loaded rig to know where you stand.
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