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It is part of the new directive that the details are stuck on the new towbars.  This is along with the certification details.  The car haad book should have the max nose weight, failing that the towbar mfctrs will be able to advise.  Ideally the nose weight should be 7% of the loaded weight of the trailer.  However some cars only have a nose weight of 50 or 60 kg. Do not exceed your vehicle given nose weight. 

You do not have to have a stabiliser but it does help in the safety of you and the van when towed.

If its not broke don't fix it seems wise on the face of it

BUT if you can stop it getting broke then there is no need to fix it

If you tow a lot on mororways you will find the damping provided by a good stabiliser most welcome when you are overtaken by a large vehicle especially at speed or in windy conditions

Nice profile pick --worth every precaution?

When my children were little we towed to Istanbul with no stabiliser but modern traffic conditions would not let me go out now without one

I only started caravanning last year and have been using a stabiliser from the start. Everything feels very stable and has as yet given me no cause for alarm. We have friends who have never used one and they say it does tend to sway about a bit!! If ever there was a recommendation for using one that would be it. But our friends are just too 'laid back' to be bothered getting one. I think they are mad but there's no talking to them!

AL

Years ago we were travelling to Cornwall on the M5 and I overtook a Montego pulling an old Abbey Cambridge, he had no stabiliser fitted. A few miles further on I had to pull out to overtake a Vw Camper and as I did so noticed the Montego was right behind in my slipstream, well as soon as I was in the centre lane and the turbulence off my outfit hit his, he started snaking across all 3 lanes, all the traffic came to a halt and we were watching in the rearview mirror as he was on 2 wheels seesawing backwards and forwards. Luckily he came to a halt unscathed apart from filling his pants probably. A stabiliser might just have stopped the snake, hed only increased his road speed by about 10mph to get in behind me.

Yes modern outfits are better, but its more than likely human error that causes the majority of caravan incidents.

             Jim

Hi again

The leaf type have two friction discs about 4in in diameter at the fulcrum point

One end fixes to the car bracket and the other end (long end) rests in a fitting on the caravan drawbar

As the caravan tries to move sideways the friction at the fulcrum tries to stop it!

The newer Alko type apply friction directly to the towball and seem to work quite well

The Alko is a lot dearer that the leaf type

Have a look at them here

www.ukcampsite.co.uk/redirect.asp?redir=http://www.towsure.co.uk

I used to use a leaf type stabiliser - but being a female tower used to have real problems getting it to clip in - had to get DH to persuade it - so we changed to an alko - so easy even I can do it !

I have'nt had any snaking problems with my caravan - but the stabiliser does make the towing feel a little more possitive - as said before  - helps on motorways when being overtaken by a larger vehicle.

AW RA BEST
FRAE JUNE