RV FEATURE
3. Offroad towing capacity. This is an
overlooked specification of many
tow vehicles. The normal tow rating
advertised for any vehicle is what the
manufacturer has rated it while driving
in normal, on-road conditions. Towing
offroad is a completely different matter
and some manufacturers reduce the
tow rating of their vehicles under these
conditions. Check your vehicle's user
manual or manufacturer's website for
more information.
4. Automatic transmission. I know many
offroad drivers will argue with me on
this point but, in my experience, having
towed with both manual and automatic
transmissions, for offroad towing the
auto is a clear winner. Anyone who drives
offroad will know that momentum is the
key to getting through difficult terrain.
When you put a heavy trailer on the
back, it’s like driving with the handbrake
on, making momentum all the more
important. If you hit a patch of soft bull
dust, you don't want to loose momentum
trying to change gears. An automatic
will change down quicker than a manual,
maintaining forward movement.
5. Diesel engine. Again I can hear the chorus
of petrol vehicle owners saying their
vehicles are more than suited to offroad
towing. I'm not suggesting they're not.
I am suggesting that a diesel engine is
more suited to towing heavy loads in
difficult terrain.
They offer much more torque at lower
revs, which is essential in maintaining
momentum. Diesel fuel is available
everywhere, whereas petrol may not be
in some remote areas. If your tow vehicle
requires higher octane unleaded fuel, this
too may be more difficult to obtain.
28 \
DEFINING OFFROAD
CARAVANNING
The debate about what constitutes
offroad caravanning rages on many
online forums. As an example, some
people regard the Oodnadatta Track as a
dirt highway that even a 2WD and on-
road caravan can traverse. Others will
say it’s one of the roughest roads they
have ever driven on.
For the purposes of this article, we will
define offroad caravanning as the need to
drive more than 50km along remote dirt
roads on a regular or semi-regular basis.
+ THE REAL MCCOY