Weighed - Car & Caravan Weighing, Sunshine Coast (2026)

14/07/2026

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 — 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗻?

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱.

A few weeks ago, we shared a post about two Crusader caravans we'd weighed within around 10 days of each other.

The first had 566kg more weight on the front axle than the rear and just 5.84% towball weight.

The second was almost a mirror image — 532kg more weight on the rear axle than the front.

Two Crusaders. Two axle imbalances of more than half a tonne. In completely opposite directions.

The second result was so unusual for us that we checked it again, then swapped our scales around and checked it a third time.

We then discovered both caravans had different rated springs front to rear — black and yellow — but in opposite configurations.

That's where our original post started asking questions.

Since then, we've learnt a bit more.

Crusader released a public statement saying our conclusions were not supported by the available engineering information.

So we went back to our engineer, who we'd originally spoken to about our observations, and asked him to take a look at the article.

His view of the engineering remains consistent with our original observations.

If there are engineering calculations or a free-body diagram demonstrating that different spring rates front to rear don't affect towball weight, we'd genuinely like to see them.

Changing the spring rates front to rear effectively changes the caravan's fulcrum point.

The centre of mass hasn't moved, but its position relative to that fulcrum has.

Heavier-rated springs on the rear move the effective fulcrum rearward, increasing towball weight. Reverse the spring configuration and the opposite occurs.

This is also consistent with the explanation given by automotive journalist Robert Pepper in this video:

https://youtu.be/O4YshTR45zc

Crusader's public statement noted that they had checked with the suspension manufacturer and had been advised that the springs on the units in question were not incorrectly fitted.

Since then, the owner of the first caravan has continued pursuing the issue and has now been given approval to swap his front and rear springs.

We've also had multiple caravan weighing professionals reach out to us, supporting our findings and sharing similar experiences.

One experienced weighing professional told us he had found similar axle-load imbalances on other Crusader caravans and had also helped several Crusader owners obtain replacement springs through their dealers and Crusader.

So we're no longer just talking about the two caravans we weighed.

Weights are weights. They're not really up for dispute.

In my opinion, what we've learnt since hasn't answered the questions raised by our original observations.

If anything, it's given us even more to think about.

And just to be clear, there was never any suggestion that Crusader don't make good caravans.

If anyone interpreted our original post that way, we apologise, because that was never our intention.

What we won't apologise for is sharing what we observe and helping caravan owners better understand their weights and balance.

That's why we do what we do.

We want safer roads, and that starts with giving people the information they need to understand their setup and make safer, informed decisions.

That's what this has always been about.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲:

Since writing this post, we have reweighed the first caravan after the approved front and rear spring swap.

Originally, it had a 566kg front axle bias.

After the spring swap, it had a 354kg rear axle bias.

Towball weight also increased by nearly 50kg.

Over 900kg turnaround.

Make of that what you will.

11/07/2026

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗞?

Before Weighed, we owned and operated a roof plumbing business.

And one thing you learn very quickly in roofing is this.

You don't rely on silicone to keep water out.

You design water out.

Falls. Laps. Flashings. Turn-ups. Drainage paths.

Sealant has a purpose, but it supports the system.

It isn't the system.

Roofing is governed by building requirements and Australian Standards. The work has to comply and, where required, be certified.

Why?

Because water ingress destroys buildings.

Then we started thinking about caravans.

A caravan is an enclosed trailer designed for people to live in.

It has a roof.

Walls.

Windows.

Doors.

Roof hatches.

Air conditioners.

Dozens of pe*******ons and joins.

And unlike your house, you drag it through wind-driven rain at 100km/h.

So we went looking for the caravan equivalent of a rainwater performance requirement.

A defined requirement that says the external envelope of a caravan must prevent rainwater ingress.

A performance test.

A certification requirement.

We couldn't find one.

The mandatory national vehicle requirements applying to caravans deal extensively with road safety.

Brakes. Lighting. Tyres. Couplings. Vehicle dimensions.

And rightly so.

But compare rainwater performance to a house.

The National Construction Code has a specific weatherproofing performance requirement. Water pe*******on is addressed at the design and construction stage because water ingress can cause unhealthy conditions, loss of amenity and deterioration of building elements.

We can't find an equivalent mandatory performance requirement for caravans.

Think about that.

A house has a mandatory weatherproofing performance requirement.

Yet a caravan — an enclosed trailer designed for people to live in, towed through wind-driven rain at highway speed and costing $80,000, $100,000, $150,000 or more — doesn't appear to have one.

Then when water gets in, rots the structure, damages cabinetry, swells floors or causes mould, we call it a warranty issue.

And if it happens outside warranty?

The repair bill can be enormous.

How have we allowed this to happen?

Why are we treating water ingress as a defect after the caravan leaks instead of regulating rainwater performance at the design and construction stage?

Maybe Australia doesn't have a caravan leaking problem.

Maybe we have a rainwater design and regulation problem.

Because from our background in roofing, one thing is very clear.

Silicone should support good water management design.

It shouldn't be the water management design.

So where do we go from here?

We'd genuinely like to hear from caravan manufacturers, repairers, engineers, industry bodies and regulatory authorities.

Are we missing something?

Is there a mandatory rainwater performance requirement for caravans that we haven't found?

And if there isn't, why not?

More importantly, who do we need to speak to to change it?

Standards Australia?

The Federal Government and the department responsible for the road vehicle standards framework?

The Caravan Industry Association of Australia?

Manufacturers, engineers and repairers who deal with the consequences of water ingress every day?

We genuinely want to know.

Because water ingress shouldn't become somebody's problem only after their caravan leaks and the damage is already done.

Something needs to change.

So let's start the conversation.

ᵂᵃᵗᵉʳ ⁱⁿᵍʳᵉˢˢ ᵈᵃᵐᵃᵍᵉ ᵖⁱᶜᵗᵘʳᵉᵈ ᶜᵒᵘʳᵗᵉˢʸ ᵒᶠ ᶜᵃʳᵃᵛᵃⁿ ᴿᵉᵖᵃⁱʳ ᶜᵉⁿᵗʳᵉ ˢᵘⁿˢʰⁱⁿᵉ ᶜᵒᵃˢᵗ

10/07/2026

𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗨𝘀

I want to be upfront and transparent about something that's been happening behind the scenes, because you deserve to know why a recent post came down. I also want to address any impression that it was removed because it was inaccurate or misleading. We do not believe that was the case, and the questions we raised in it were genuine.

The post was prompted after we weighed two caravans and found weight distributions we couldn't explain. We investigated further and consulted a qualified engineer before publication. After receiving legal correspondence, he reviewed the article and told us that our reasoning was accurate.

We removed the post while we carefully reviewed everything, obtained further advice, and responded formally, setting out our position in full. While we have left the original post down as additional information continues to come to light, our analysis of the observations, weights, and the conclusions we drew from them remains unchanged.

Having gone back over the weights, the engineering input, and the publication itself, we remain confident that it accurately reflected the observations we made and the questions it raised. It presented factual findings alongside genuine engineering questions worthy of further discussion—not definitive conclusions.

Since publication, other caravan owners have publicly commented on the original post describing similar observations, including differently rated springs and significant axle load imbalances. The public discussion also includes reports that another experienced caravan weighing professional has successfully assisted a number of clients in obtaining replacement springs through Crusader and its dealer network. Those comments were made independently by people with no connection to us and remain publicly available.

This experience has also made us think about something much bigger than our own situation.

Australia's consumer protection laws serve an important purpose. They help protect consumers and businesses from genuinely misleading or deceptive conduct, and that protection is important.

Our concern is what happens when accurate, evidence-based public commentary becomes too expensive to defend simply because a company finds it inconvenient. Whether you're a small business, a tradesperson, a reviewer, or simply someone raising genuine concerns, the cost of legal proceedings alone can be enough to silence discussion.

Even if you successfully defend yourself, you can still be left tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. The larger party may ultimately lose, yet the successful party can still suffer substantial financial damage. In our view, that's one of the greatest weaknesses of our legal system. It does too little to discourage unsuccessful proceedings that nonetheless achieve the practical effect of silencing honest, good-faith public commentary.

To be clear, this isn't about whether companies should be able to protect their reputation—they absolutely should when they've genuinely been wronged. It's about whether our legal system has struck the right balance between protecting reputation and protecting the ability of ordinary people to raise genuine, evidence-based concerns without being silenced by the cost of defending themselves.

There's another aspect to this.

In our opinion, a company doesn't even need to take you to court. A legal threat alone can be enough. It can hang over your head for years without any proceedings ever being started. The cost, the uncertainty and the delay can be enough to stop people speaking out, regardless of whether what they said was accurate and lawful.

We're not going anywhere, and we're not going to stop reporting honestly on what we find. That's why this page exists.

For now, we won't be commenting further on the substance of the legal correspondence itself. That remains between the parties. Instead, we'd genuinely welcome discussion about the broader issue: whether Australia's legal framework strikes the right balance between protecting legitimate business reputations and protecting those who raise honest, evidence-based concerns in the public interest.

If you've experienced something similar—or if you see the issue differently—we would genuinely like to hear your perspective.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲:

This article is not intended to debate the merits of any current legal dispute. It is intended to raise a broader question about how section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law can affect public discussion.

Australian courts have recognised that not every public statement made by a business is conduct "in trade or commerce".

Cases including Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Nelson (1990).

Plimer v Roberts (1997), Orion Pet Products Pty Ltd v RSPCA (Vic) [2002] FCA 860.

ALDI Foods Pty Ltd v Transport Workers' Union of Australia [2020] FCAFC 231

These decisions illustrate that the question depends on the nature and purpose of the communication, and that public advocacy, education and commentary may fall outside the scope of section 18 in appropriate circumstances.

07/07/2026

𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟬 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦? 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧.

The Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series has earned its reputation.

V8 torque, proven reliability and the weight to comfortably tow a large caravan. As a tow vehicle, there's a lot to like.

But reputation and compliance are two very different things.

When a 200 Series rolls onto our scales, the numbers often tell a very different story to the one you hear around the campfire.

The reality is this.

If you're towing a large caravan with a 200 Series with out a GVM upgrade, there's a very good chance you're overweight.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺

For a vehicle of its size, the 200 Series has surprisingly little payload. Most common variants offer around 610 kg, making it one of the lowest payloads of any popular tow vehicle.

That 610 kg has to cover everything.

Bullbar.

Winch.

Drawers.

Fridge.

Roof rack.

Fuel.

Passengers.

And finally, the towball weight of your caravan.

Run those numbers on a typical touring setup and, in many cases, you've used most of your payload before you've even hooked up the caravan.

Our weighing results back this up.

To date, we haven't weighed a single stock 200 Series towing a caravan that didn't require a GVM upgrade to remain compliant.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮 𝗚𝗩𝗠 𝘂𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

A GVM upgrade solves the payload problem, provided the rest of your setup is sensible.

But it can also create a false sense of security.

We regularly weigh 200 Series LandCruisers where the owner has done everything right.

They've researched the upgrade.

Paid for it.

Had it certified.

On paper they're compliant.

On the scales they're not.

Why?

Because of one number that almost nobody checks.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘅𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Many GVM upgrades available for the 200 Series, including some 3800 kg kits from well-known suspension manufacturers, provide little or no increase to the rear axle load rating.

Some provide no increase at all.

Others increase it by only 50 kg.

That's a problem.

When you're towing, the rear axle is where the load goes.

Extra capacity on the front axle doesn't help you.

Because the towball sits behind the rear axle, leverage comes into play.

A 300 kg towball weight doesn't load the rear axle by 300 kg.

It's closer to 450 kg while also unloading the front axle.

The result?

A vehicle that's comfortably under its upgraded GVM...

But well over its rear axle load rating.

Legal on the number everyone checks.

Overweight on the one that actually matters.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

If you're considering a GVM upgrade for a 200 Series, don't just look at the headline GVM figure.

Look at the rear axle load rating the kit provides.

Make sure it's suitable for the towball weight of your caravan.

If you already have a GVM upgrade and you're over your rear axle, there are options.

A Weight Distribution Hitch can transfer some of that load back onto the front axle.

Removing weight from the rear of the vehicle also helps.

In many cases, the answer is a combination of both.

The right solution depends entirely on where your compliance issue actually sits.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆

The 200 Series is still one of the best tow vehicles on the road.

But it has limitations.

GVM only tells part of the story.

When towing, the rear axle load rating is often the number that catches people out.

I'm genuinely interested to know...

Has anyone with a stock 200 Series actually been weighed while towing and come in under both their GVM and rear axle load rating without a GVM upgrade?

If so, I'd love to know your setup.

05/07/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦... 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗦?

Let's clarify something and address the elephant in the room.

In almost every caravanning Facebook group, people refer to Weight Distribution Hitches (WDHs) as "sway bars" or "anti-sway bars". They confidently tell people that fitting one will stop their caravan from swaying.

Well, I'm here to tell you they aren't sway bars, and they do not stop a caravan from swaying.

Yes, there are products designed to resist sway, such as friction sway controls and the Andersen Hitch. But they are completely different products. There needs to be a clear distinction between what 95% of people are using and calling sway bars, and the products that are actually designed to resist sway.

A standard Hayman Reese style Weight Distribution Hitch isn't one of them.

Its job is simple.

A Weight Distribution Hitch is designed to improve the tow vehicle, not the stability of the caravan.

It uses leverage to transfer some of the towball load from the rear axle back onto the front axle. This reduces rear suspension sag, restores front axle load and can improve steering and braking.

That's all it does.

It may improve the way your tow vehicle behaves, but it won't fix low towball weight or make an unstable caravan stable.

Another claim you'll often hear is that a WDH reduces porpoising.

That's true.

But ask yourself why.

A Weight Distribution Hitch is like adding a steel rod between your car and caravan. It restricts them from bending relative to each other.

The porpoising energy hasn't disappeared.

Instead of allowing the car and caravan to move more freely, those forces are transferred into the towbar, vehicle chassis and caravan drawbar.

Think about it...

The same force being used to lift the rear of your vehicle is also being applied to the caravan drawbar and the vehicle chassis.

Every time the WDH stops the car and caravan from bending, those forces don't just disappear... they have to go somewhere.

Those additional loads are why WDHs have been responsible for cracked chassis, bent towbars and cracked drawbars.

It's also why manufacturers recommend removing them, or at least reducing the tension, before driving through spoon drains, steep driveways and uneven ground.

If your caravan is unstable because of poor loading or insufficient towball weight, fitting a WDH doesn't fix the cause. The caravan is still loaded exactly the same.

If your only reason for fitting a WDH is to level your caravan or reduce porpoising, ask yourself whether you're treating the symptom instead of fixing the cause.

A sagging rear end isn't the disease.

Porpoising isn't the disease.

They're symptoms.

The real cause may be an undersprung tow vehicle, excessive towball weight, poor load distribution, or a caravan that isn't sitting level.

Fix the cause, and the symptoms often disappear.

A better solution may be upgrading your suspension if it's undersprung, reducing excessive towball weight, or fitting a lightweight adjustable hitch to level the caravan without introducing the additional loads of a WDH.

Get the fundamentals right first.

✔ Correct towball weight.

✔ Correct load distribution.

✔ A level caravan.

✔ Correct tyre pressures.

Then decide whether you actually need a Weight Distribution Hitch.

Does that mean WDHs are bad?

Absolutely not.

Used for the right reason, on the right vehicle and set up correctly, they are an excellent tool.

But that's exactly what they are...

A tool.

Not a sway bar.

Not an anti-sway device.

And certainly not a substitute for a properly balanced caravan.

In my next article we'll look at Electronic Stability Control (ESC), what it actually does, and why it often treats the symptom rather than fixing the disease.

If you don't want to miss it, make sure you follow our page.

04/07/2026

𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦...

𝗬𝗔𝗬 𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗔𝗬?

Do you tow with one?

Would you recommend one?

Or do you think they're unnecessary?

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts and, more importantly, why.

Over the next few days I'll be putting together an article covering the pros and cons, where I think they work well, where I think they don't, and some of the common misconceptions surrounding them.

Let's keep it respectful and see where the discussion goes.

01/07/2026

𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗬... 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗜 𝗗𝗢?

Ever experienced caravan sway?

What do you think triggered it?

More importantly...

What did you do next?

Outside of a poorly set up caravan, what you do behind the wheel is probably the biggest contributor to triggering a sway event.

It may be the difference between arriving safely, ending up on Facebook, or becoming another statistic.

So let's talk about both.

How to reduce the chances of sway occurring.

And what to do if it does.

Caravans are pig trailers and, by design, less stable than a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer. That doesn't make them unsafe—it simply means they rely on being set up correctly and driven appropriately.

Get the fundamentals right—towball weight, load distribution, a level caravan, correct tyre pressures and good wheel alignment—and you've got the best chance of having a stable towing combination.

But that's only half the equation.

The driver is the other half.

Good driving won't fix a poorly set up caravan, but it can reduce the chances of a sway event and give you the best chance of recovering from one.

You're no longer driving just a car.

You're driving a much heavier combination that takes longer to stop, responds more slowly to your inputs and requires much more planning.

Look further ahead.

Leave yourself more room for braking.

Drive to the conditions, not the speed limit.

Think ahead.

See a steep hill?

Slow down before the descent.

A truck about to overtake?

Ease off the accelerator before the bow wave reaches you.

An exposed section of road?

Reduce your speed before the crosswind hits, not after.

Don't wait for the trigger.

Prepare for it.

Avoid sharp steering inputs, sudden braking and abrupt acceleration.

Every one of these introduces more energy into the towing combination.

When the disturbance arrives, keep the rig as straight as possible and resist the urge to overcorrect.

Your instinct will be to fight the sway.

Try not to.

Your job is to avoid adding more energy into a system that's already trying to absorb it.

One of the best things you can do is practise your response before you need it.

Know exactly where your brake controller's manual override is without looking.

Practise gently easing off the accelerator while applying the manual override until it becomes second nature.

If you regularly travel with a passenger, show them where it is and how to use it. If they can safely reach it, practise them operating the trailer brakes while you concentrate on steering.

The first time either of you use the manual override shouldn't be during a real sway event.

If your caravan does start to sway, don't panic.

Keep the steering as straight as possible.

Gently ease off the accelerator and allow your speed to reduce.

Many minor sway events will settle simply by reducing speed.

If the sway continues, gently apply the trailer brakes using the manual override to help bring the caravan back into line.

Once you've recovered, pull over somewhere safe and work out why it happened.

Did your load shift?

Have your tyre pressures changed?

Has your towball weight changed?

Was your speed appropriate for your setup?

Sway is usually a symptom.

Fix the cause before continuing.

Remember, a gust of wind, a passing truck or a bump in the road usually isn't what causes a crash.

They're simply the trigger.

Whether your caravan recovers or continues to sway depends on both your setup and what you do behind the wheel.

At the end of the day, your job as the driver is simple.

Don't introduce more energy into the system than it can absorb.

Every sharp steering input.

Every heavy brake application.

Every unnecessary burst of speed.

Every late reaction.

They all add energy into your towing combination.

The better your setup, the more energy it can absorb.

The smoother you drive, the less energy you introduce.

Drive smoothly.

Look further ahead.

Slow down before the trigger, not after it.

Good driving won't fix a poorly set up caravan.

But it may be the difference between recovering from a sway event and becoming another statistic.

Interested to hear people's experiences.

Have you experienced sway?

What do you think triggered it?

More importantly...

What did you learn from it?

26/06/2026

𝗠𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗸𝗺/𝗵... 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝟵𝟬.

Who here believes towball weight has little or nothing to do with how a caravan tows?

Or perhaps you've heard someone say...

"Towball weight doesn't affect sway."

Or...

"As long as you're legal, it doesn't matter."

If that's you, keep reading.

Because modern vehicle dynamics research shows towball weight is one of the biggest factors affecting your caravan's ability to recover from sway.

𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝟵𝟬 𝗸𝗺/𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗸𝗺/𝗵?

It's not your imagination.

There's an engineering principle behind it called damping, and understanding it could be one of the most important things you'll ever learn about towing.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Damping is your car and caravan's ability to absorb the energy introduced during a sway event.

The more energy your towing combination absorbs, the smaller each sway becomes until the caravan naturally settles back into line.

Imagine you're driving along and one of these happens:

• A gust of wind.

• A passing truck.

• A dip in the road.

• A sudden steering correction.

Every one of these introduces energy into your towing combination and tries to make the caravan yaw from side to side.

The question is...

What happens next?

If your setup has positive damping, it absorbs that energy. Each sway becomes smaller than the one before it until the caravan naturally settles back into line.

If your setup reaches zero damping, the sway neither grows nor dies away. The caravan has reached the point where it can no longer naturally recover.

If your setup has negative damping, it is no longer absorbing enough energy from the sway. Instead, the oscillation gains energy, causing each sway to become larger than the last until the driver intervenes or control is lost.

That is why damping is so important.

The wind didn't cause the accident.

The passing truck didn't cause the accident.

The dip in the road didn't cause the accident.

They simply triggered a towing combination that no longer had enough positive damping to recover.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴?

This is probably the biggest misconception in towing.

Damping isn't created by one thing.

It's the result of your entire towing combination working together.

Some of the biggest contributors are:

• Adequate towball weight.

• Correct load distribution, with the caravan's centre of mass positioned appropriately ahead of the axle group.

• Good wheel alignment on both the tow vehicle and caravan.

• Tyres with the correct pressure and load rating.

• A level caravan.

• Suspension that keeps the tyres in good contact with the road.

• A tow vehicle with sufficient mass and rear axle capacity for the caravan being towed.

Every one of these influences how much energy your towing combination can absorb after it's disturbed.

Get them right and you increase positive damping.

Get them wrong and you reduce it.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Research carried out by the University of Bath found that as speed increases, damping decreases.

At lower speeds, your caravan naturally wants to recover after being disturbed.

As your speed increases, that natural ability to recover gradually reduces.

But that's only half the story.

As speed increases, the energy in your towing combination also increases. In fact, kinetic energy increases with the square of speed.

That means a caravan travelling at 100 km/h has almost 50% more kinetic energy than the same caravan travelling at 90 km/h.

So as your speed increases, two things are happening at the same time.

Firstly, any disturbance—whether it's a gust of wind, a passing truck or a steering correction—introduces more energy into the system.

Secondly, your towing combination becomes less capable of absorbing that energy because the damping is reducing.

Think of it like this.

Towball weight doesn't stop a gust of wind from hitting your caravan.

Good suspension doesn't stop a passing truck creating turbulence.

Those disturbances are still going to happen.

What damping determines is what happens next.

Does the sway get smaller?

Does it stay the same?

Or does it continue to grow?

Eventually you reach what's known as the zero damping speed.

At this point, your towing combination has lost its ability to naturally recover from a sway event.

Beyond that, you enter negative damping, where each oscillation becomes larger than the last because the system can no longer absorb the energy being introduced.

That's why a setup that feels perfectly stable at 90 km/h can suddenly become unstable at 100 km/h.

Nothing has changed with your caravan.

You've simply reached a speed where the physics are no longer working in your favour.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻?

This is where it gets really interesting.

The same University of Bath research found that one of the most effective ways to increase damping—and therefore increase the speed at which your caravan remains stable—is to increase towball weight, provided you stay within the manufacturer's limits.

In simple terms...

More towball weight generally creates more positive damping.

More positive damping means your towing combination can absorb more energy from a disturbance, allowing the caravan to naturally recover.

Too little towball weight does the opposite.

It reduces positive damping, meaning you reach zero damping at a lower speed and move into negative damping much sooner.

That doesn't mean the answer is to load as much weight as possible onto the towball.

Too much towball weight can overload the rear axle of your tow vehicle, reduce steering performance and exceed legal limits.

Like everything with towing, it's about getting the balance right.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

We regularly weigh caravans that are perfectly legal but have completely different safety margins simply because their towball weights and load distribution are different.

Being legal doesn't automatically mean your caravan is stable.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼?

• Check your towball weight.

• Keep heavy items low and close to the axle group.

• Avoid loading heavy gear behind the axles.

• Know your individual axle weights, not just your ATM.

• Ensure your caravan is level.

• Make sure your wheel alignment and tyre pressures are correct.

• Drive to suit your setup. Just because the speed limit is 110 km/h doesn't mean your caravan is stable at 110 km/h.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆.

Most people think caravan sway is caused by wind, passing trucks or rough roads.

In reality, they're usually just the trigger.

Whether your caravan recovers or continues to sway depends on how much positive damping your towing combination has.

And positive damping isn't created by one thing.

It's the combined result of towball weight, load distribution, centre of mass, wheel alignment, tyre grip, suspension, tow vehicle mass and speed.

Get those fundamentals right and your towing combination is far better equipped to absorb disturbances and recover naturally.

Get them wrong, and you'll reach zero damping—and eventually negative damping—at a much lower speed.

Reference:

University of Bath – Vehicle Dynamics Group (Dr. Jos Darling et al.)

"An Experimental Investigation of Car-Trailer High-Speed Stability"

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