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Subject Topic: HELP PLEASE Towing Electrics
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PersonRu112
06/11/2018 at 10:39pm
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Hi

Just purchased a cheap caravan on eBay and I’m collecting next week but all I have so far is a tow bar and nothing to connect the lights and brake light so I’m here for some advice lol my parents used to caravan and they said it would cost a few hundred to get it all connected so I can legally bring the caravan back but is there any cheaper options that I can get just so I can get the caravan back home which will connect my car lights to the caravan lights ?

Cheers


PersonRu112
06/11/2018 at 10:41pm
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If anyone can send me a link to a cheaper option just so I can get the caravan from a to b that would be great as I’m struggling to find anything

Cheers


Persongedsjeep
06/11/2018 at 11:21pm
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lightboard?


Persontango55
07/11/2018 at 12:17am
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As the above post suggests, a lightboard is the only alternative. That's what breakdown recovery vehicles use when they have a trailer or caravan in tow.


PersonProspector
07/11/2018 at 2:08am
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Are you saying there is no electrics on the car or the caravan or both?

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Paul


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Personblueexpo97
07/11/2018 at 6:55am
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Various and assorted trailer boards here.

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XVI yes?

As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.


Personkeuken
07/11/2018 at 7:49am
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If the op means his car has no socket & wiring for caravan to be plugged into then he needs to get that fitted to his car before he tows anything. If car is modern then a specific loom for 7pin socket might cost £100 or so plus fitting. Theres no way round this to tow it legally.

Or if you mean caravan does not have functioning lights then use lightboard as pointed out.

Also consider that you are collecting an old caravan that is not known to you. At very least you need to bring a wheel brace to check wheel nuts & a tyre pump to ensure correct tyre pressures unless seller will do it for you. This assumes of course that the tyres are not old & perished ie not safe for towing any distance. You should also bring towing mirrors if caravan body is wider that car body which is most likely.


Personmadasaman
07/11/2018 at 8:33am
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Can't you ask the seller to tow it to your place and reimburse the fuel costs?

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73 going on 25
Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder


PersonColin21
07/11/2018 at 10:45am
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If your car isn't wired with towing electrics then I would recommend that you get someone to do that for you unless you either have a very old car and/or you are an experienced auto electrician. Modern (after 1995) car electrics are very easily damaged.

If you can't get this done in time, either get someone to tow it for you or hire a car fitted with suitable electrics.

As others have said, if it is the caravan electrics that are the problem, use a trailer board.

Don't forget to get a number plate made up to go on the back of the caravan.

Hope you manage to get it back alright, and enjoy using it.

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin


Personarv66
07/11/2018 at 11:16am
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get some one with a trailer to transport it for you if all else fails

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arv66


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Personkenles
07/11/2018 at 1:38pm
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Have you seen the caravan is it safe to tow


Personuniblue
07/11/2018 at 3:46pm
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Question for Ru112 the original poster. When did you pass your driving test? If you passed your test after the 1/1/97 then please read this- Car driving licences obtained before 1 January 1997
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. ( maximum authorised mass (MAM) of vehicles and trailers - this should be taken to mean the permissible maximum weight, also known as the gross vehicle weight )
Car driving licences first obtained AFTER 1 January 1997
If you passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 you're limited to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass towing a trailer up to 750kgs, or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle.

You will need to pass an additional driving test in B+E if you wish to tow a caravan or trailer combination which exceeds these weight limits.
Additional B+E car and trailer practical driving test
The car and trailer test (B+E) is based on the lorry driving test and lasts for approximately one hour. Please note that B+E tests are conducted at vocational (bus and lorry) driving test centres.

The towing test (B+E) includes vehicle safety questions, an off-road reverse manoeuvre, a controlled stop, uncoupling and coupling of the trailer and driving on the road.



PersonThe 2 Tops
11/11/2018 at 2:53pm
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Why did it take so long for someone - in this case uniblue - to ask the obvious questions?
To add one more - has the OP determined that his car's permissible towing limit is capable of legally towing this caravan?
In the A to Z of caravan towing, I get the impression that the OP has started at Z
Bertie.

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The 2 Tops


PersonColin21
11/11/2018 at 5:31pm
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Quote: Originally posted by The 2 Tops on 11/11/2018
Why did it take so long for someone - in this case uniblue - to ask the obvious questions?
To add one more - has the OP determined that his car's permissible towing limit is capable of legally towing this caravan?
In the A to Z of caravan towing, I get the impression that the OP has started at Z
Bertie.


I think this is possibly quite an easy mistake to make if the O/P isn't an experienced caravanner, as their post would suggest. We were all inexperienced once, and I'm sure we all made mistakes we would now see as silly. We can all learn, even those of us who have been doing it for years.

It's easy for someone with little experience to get swept up by the excitement of coming across a bargain caravan, without thinking about whether they or their car can tow it. Maybe if the O/P cares to tell us what the caravan is, when they passed their test, and what car they have, we can be more help to them.

-------------
Best Regards,
Colin


PersonThe 2 Tops
12/11/2018 at 2:44pm
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Quote: Originally posted by The 2 Tops on 11/11/2018
Why did it take so long for someone - in this case uniblue - to ask the obvious questions?
To add one more - has the OP determined that his car's permissible towing limit is capable of legally towing this caravan?
In the A to Z of caravan towing, I get the impression that the OP has started at Z
Bertie.

Colin, I was referring to the respondents - not the OP - in the first part of my script.
For the second part, I hope the OP has taken note (getting advice if necessary) and set about determining that his prospective outfit is safe and legal to tow.
Bertie.


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The 2 Tops


Personericmark
27/11/2018 at 7:15am
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I have just bought a Jaguar XE and although the Kia Sorento is the main tow car I had a tow bracket fitted to the Jag to carry bikes and as second option.

When I came to look it seemed at first there was no tow electrics fitted, however getting down on the floor I find the socket is tucked up under the tow bar and you have to pull it down to use.

Can't see why anyone would fit a bracket without electrics so suspect it may be something similar.

One could fit side lights powered from caravan battery, and even the brake lights could work from micro switch on over run brakes, however there is no real way to get direction indicators to work without connection to car. So unless car built before 1936 there is no option but to have towing electrics fitted.

It would be a challenge to fit indicators to a caravan when the car used the semaphore type, hard enough giving the door post a thump to get them to come out, without running around to caravan.

How many people today remember hand signals?

I do wonder if this was a genuine question?       



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