30/04/2026
Diagnosing Towing Issues
A couple of weeks ago a customer phoned to say he had just purchased a second hand caravan and it did not tow very well. So we made a booking to check it out. Both car and van was loaded as they would be for going on a trip away.
On weighing the van, it was clear by the individual scale readings there was certainly an issue. The front axle was carrying 2161kgs and the rear axle 991kgs. A huge difference!! The tow ball mass was low as well.
As a qualified mechanic, I have an eye for finding vehicle defects. I crawled under the van for an inspection. It wasn't long before I discovered that the suspension had different size coil springs fitted to the front and rear.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and I have just reweighed the same caravan after the fitment of the correct front coil springs. The weights across all four wheels are very much even now and the tow ball mass has greatly improved.
This highlights the importance of using a professional weighing company with mechanical experience to weigh your vehicle for safe load distribution. This would never have been discovered by going to a weighbridge. Individual wheel and axle numbers are so important.
Don't risk it! Call today on 0493 255 277
