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we bought out 1st caravan earlier this year on out 1st trip out the caravan detached from the car and ended up written off ( badly advisesd re suitabilty of towbar with Alko hitch)

WE have gone through the pain of insurance claims etc, been paid out, had the tow bar changed and now purchased another caravan. Collected the new to us van last week a friend came with me everthing seemed ok, put in storage. Collected this weekend to take home to clean and i was a bag of nerves towing, kids were in a state listening for every single noise an aksing if it was going to come off again and the wife was even worse!!

I did all the checks prior to setting off this time like raising the back of the car etc but still felt very apprehensive on the journey back home, hope our caravan adventure is not over before its begun!!

Tentz- Yes it was the incorrect short flange ball,  i have just had the ball changed to an alko ball.

We were 5 mins into the journey turned a tight left and when straightening up we went one way the caravan went the other straight into a wall!!  i now check the back of the car is raising before setting off althought only had 2 journey's.

Thanks for the advice

Where we live we have to drive across the our local airport runway to get to the other side, A friend of ours was towing his van across the runway when it came off and ran away up the runway, you can imagine the fuss after that.

Stick with it, do your checks before moving off and youll be fine, as Tetz says have a look at how hitch works it will reasure you.

Quote: Originally posted by Rob2011 on 16/10/2011

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we bought out 1st caravan earlier this year on out 1st trip out the caravan detached from the car and ended up written off ( badly advisesd re suitabilty of towbar with Alko hitch)

WE have gone through the pain of insurance claims etc, been paid out, had the tow bar changed and now purchased another caravan. Collected the new to us van last week a friend came with me everthing seemed ok, put in storage. Collected this weekend to take home to clean and i was a bag of nerves towing, kids were in a state listening for every single noise an aksing if it was going to come off again and the wife was even worse!!

I did all the checks prior to setting off this time like raising the back of the car etc but still felt very apprehensive on the journey back home, hope our caravan adventure is not over before its begun!!

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Not quite the same but nearly. We were travelling between Oban & Dingwell CC&C sites and along by Lock Ness on a hilly part our Esteral detached itself from our towing ball. The reason was my brother in law had a caravan that you hitched it kind of side ways on so he thinking he was helping us pack up to leave hitched ours but the way he usually did his. If it had not been for the safety chain pulling the brake on and the FC & it gradually stopping gorging a deep rut in the road via the hitch itself it could well of carried on down the road straight into my brother in laws car behind us. But it stopped just before getting to his.

Many things it taught Bob that day.

1) never allow another person to hitch your unit do it yourself.

2) always make sure your safetly chain is not only on but is a good one & ready to do its job if necessary.

3) Check your own work when you think your have finished give it the once over to make sure.,

Be safe, careful. But my Bob was nervouse of his at first but after only a few times he realised if he checks to make sure it is done properly it will be fine.A few journeys and you will be okay and going everywhere enjoying yourslef. The kids will soon forget when they realise nothing is happening and you will relax also. It will quieten down you'll see.Just a few more outings of possibly listening to them be concerned and it will be all over. You'll remember but that is not a bad thing to keep in mind the checks you have to do. Maybe incorporate telling the children what your doing so they to not only learn but in their minds; seeing it made sure it is safe will be fine for them also. Two jobs done at the same time by teaching your youngsters at their age. Show them what must be done. It will help them to see and you will be doing your job as dad teaching them. Not just sit in the car till it is all hitched up. Time to show them how to.