Caravan Stabilisers & Spares
We have all seen or heard horror stories about caravans snaking on busy motorways. In reality, these are very rare occurrences and can easily be avoided with a few simple rules and a well maintained stabiliser.
We at Western Towing have stabilisers from Bulldog, Winterhoff and BPW. We also have a full range of spares for these as well as for Al-ko and Scott.
Our range of stabilisers are quick and easy to fit. The Winterhoff and BPW Stabiliser head do not require a special towball unlike the red Al-ko stabiliser.
If you require help or advice on stabilisers we are on hand to help.
Stabilisers are easy to maintain. They don’t require any grease. Most have a convenient fiction pad wear indicator at the front. If the fiction pads need replacing no special tools are required. In most cases, just a screw driver will do the job.
Don’t forget a hitch lock for you stabiliser head. These can be fitted when the caravan is hitched or unhitched. Most are insurance approved and will certainly stop thieves helping themselves to your caravan at a service station. If you have a traditional stabiliser that fits to the caravan chassis, we have range of hitch locks on our security pages.
The most common cause of snaking caravans is when cross winds hit the side of the caravan. Caravans tend to have a very low centre of gravity so can easily become unstable. Uneven loading of a caravan will not help either.
If a caravan does begin to snake, relax and loosen your grip on the steering wheel. This prevents the steering locking into position but maintain a firm grip. Reduce your speed, never increase speed. Take your feet off the pedals, avoid braking, and allow the tow car to slow naturally. If the vehicle slows too quickly it will cause it to jack knife.
Many vehicles have safety features such as TSP (Trailer Stability Programme) that will take over control of the vehicle. These features will only work properly if your vehicle was fitted with a vehicle specific or dedicated electrical kit when the towbar was fitted.
The classic design of Bulldog stabilisers are the more economical choice compared to stabiliser heads. The Bulldog 100Q and 200Q onto a plate that goes behind a traditional two bolt flange towbar. The ‘L’ shaped bracket fit to the caravan’s chassis.
Our information pages include many helpful guides and tips about how to get the most from your stabiliser.
