| RV FEATURE
3 . I MUST HAVE 10 PER CENT ON THE BALL
Myth . This dates back decades to when caravans were smaller and lighter . It ’ s beyond dispute that for the sake of stability there must be a decent amount of weight on the towball but it ’ s a furphy to say it must be 10 per cent of the van ’ s laden mass . The so-called ‘ 10 per cent rule ’ for towball mass remains , however , a reasonable starting point for establishing the ideal ball weight for your tow vehicle and van combination , but ensure you don ’ t load the towball beyond the maximum mandated by the tow vehicle ’ s manufacturer .
Importantly , avoid loading heavy items to the rear of the van ’ s axle ( s ). Load your gear over the axles or towards the front so as to contribute to the van ’ s towing stability . And it bears repeating : don ’ t overload that towball !
MORE MYTHS BUSTED
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