What's the most useful advice?

Another vote for more information on the alternative ways of powering your caravan/MH by using solar power and gas.

And maybe the suggestion that it's really essential to make a very short trial trip close to home with any new home on wheels to see how/if it all works, rather than arriving at the dream destination with the realisation you don't know how to do things.

How on earth did we get from hitching up a caravan to toilet brushes?! Would you give the same advice to somebody going on holiday to a hotel?

The basic advice Rowena covered is good but agree that adjusting seat/mirror is out of context. Apart from hitching and checking lights and indicators I would include a brief check list for the caravan itself - gas bottle valves off, all vents and windows closed check pitch before leaving. Same for Motorhome.

For Motorhomes: maximum height label on dashboard; check tyre pressures (and tyre condition), adjust mirrors and consider fitting a rear view camera (if not standard), learn where your fuel and water filling points are and don’t get them mixed up, learn where your waste water outlet is and practice parking so it lines up with the service point drain.

Interesting that tyres are mentioned for motorhomes but not included under towing. I would have thought that tyres and wheels on caravans probably require more thought and care, especially before setting off, when towing. Most people with a motorhome will use the recommended tyre pressures and not alter those but when towing does the towcar need more pressure. No stock answer to this as manufacturers vary in the advice they offer on this subject. Some advice of wheel torque on caravans is another pretty important ingredient. With caravans another essential is weight distribution and noseweight. What does it feel like to tow a caravan for the first time, same could apply to a motorhome.

David

 

What use is a motor-mover when your caravan outfit and an Articulated lorry meet head to head on a narrow country road and the nearest passing place is on a bend about 100 meters behind the Caravan.

If the Caravanner doesn't  know how to reverse his outfit, he is sure to get a fair bit of Aggro from the trucker. And quite rightly so. 

Far better to learn how to reverse your outfit correctly.

K

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Thanks everyone for your feedback, this has been really useful. We have revised the list to include some of the suggestions here including levelling, pre-tow check and checking tyres. We're filming for the caravan and motorhome courses so we thought we would use this opportunity to get some short top tips videos so your thoughts and ideas have been very valuable and very much appreciated. 

Definitely guidelines on jockey wheels for caravans. They can be so dangerous if not used correctly -yet little is discussed about them.Just had mine drop while driving on the motorway and it was tightened correctly! So I use a safely chain now as back up- but could have been so dangerous. Apparently its not unusual and personally I think its a fault that should be sorted by manufacturers. Also can be tricky on hitching etc if not used the right way ,so well worth a mention.

 

Most useful snippet of advice that I wish I had received three years before I did is - "When unhitching let the jockey wheel down to the ground but then lift for 3-4 inches before clamping and then lower again to the ground". This prevents the very frustrating problem of the jockey wheel jamming when hitching up again.  Nearly done my back in a time or two with this scenario. 

 

I just heard that tip on another thread from Rosie very useful sometimes.  Useful for me at home where the caravan Is nose up a steepish slope.  But don't do that if the caravan is on a downward slope or you could unwind the jockey wheel altogether and that can be a real trial unless of course you have clocks to cover those 4 inches.  I was asked if I could help a lady who had "broken" her jockey wheel and I guessed she had just unwound it into two pieces as it was a steepish slope downhill on a Scottish site.  I feel I am getting past lying on the ground to sort that one out but since I was the only person with a clue ......

After an incident I witnessed on a members only site this summer I would certainly agree with this. Someone about to empty their cassette toilet into. A fresh drinking water point, giving him the benefit of being a newcomer and not knowing rather that being a unhygienic lazy so and so.