| Anyone new to towing a caravan will feel a little | | | | reasons. There are other occasions when a caravan |
| nervous the first time out and will undoubtedly be a | | | | is in danger of rolling other than snaking including for |
| little slow and exaggerated in their actions like | | | | example when it has been packed poorly with heavy |
| reversing and turning corners. But as you gain more | | | | items at the top or all on the one side, but these can |
| experience you will become more confident with | | | | easily be avoided by taking time and being sure you |
| towing and what exactly you are able to do with the | | | | pack the caravan properly. |
| caravan behind you. This learning curve is something | | | | The third cause of caravan instability is pitching which |
| all new caravanners had to go through but by | | | | basically happens when the caravan starts rocking |
| attaching a caravan stabiliser to their van it can make | | | | backwards and forwards at the hitching point. Pitching |
| the experience a little less hair raising. This is not to | | | | isn’t really that but like other forms of caravan |
| say that if you have a stabiliser fitted you will | | | | instability you need to know what it is and how to |
| become experienced at towing and it defiantly | | | | minimise it while towing. It is normally caused by |
| doesn’t mean that if you have a caravan | | | | potholes and severe dips in the road and speed |
| stabiliser fitted you can do more things with your | | | | ramps, not something that is easy to avoid in modern |
| caravan. | | | | day driving. |
| To better understand why a stabiliser is a good | | | | Caravan stabilisers were designed primarily to help |
| purchase for new and experienced caravanners alike | | | | stop snaking as this was the most common problem |
| you should first understand the 3 main causes of | | | | when towing high sided trailers, like caravans. As far |
| instability. | | | | as the other forms of insatiability and preventing |
| The first and most common cause of instability is | | | | them, the stabiliser will also help out. Caravan roll |
| snaking. Most if not all caravan owners will have | | | | often happens in an uncontrollable snaking situation, |
| experienced snaking at one time or another and in | | | | therefore if you reduce the effects and occurrences |
| different grades of severity. Snaking is when your | | | | of snaking you’ll help stop roll. Pitching is |
| caravan moves side to side behind the car and is | | | | something different all together but with modern 4 |
| most often caused by excessive speed but speed | | | | pad ball type stabilisers or blade type stabilisers |
| alone won’t cause snaking. It usually takes an | | | | pitching can often be reduced hugely. |
| external force like the change in pressure caused | | | | So to answer the original question asked in the title, |
| when a lorry over takes added to excessive speed | | | | well that’s really easy a simple yes always does |
| before snaking occurs. | | | | but with an added word of caution. A caravan |
| The second cause of instability is caravan roll which | | | | stabiliser is a great way to add an extra layer of |
| happens when one wheel of the caravan leave the | | | | safety and stability when towing a caravan and it will |
| ground. This rocking from one wheel to the other is | | | | help a great deal with driver comfort. However it |
| commonly seen when snaking becomes uncontrollable | | | | should never be used as a way to skip the need for |
| and really needs to be kept under control for obvious | | | | good caravan towing skills. |