Many of our clients ask us about the legal Caravan Electric Brake requirements for their caravans and trailers.
First, it is important to understand the weight of your caravan, both when empty, and when completely packed.
The weight of your Caravan, unloaded, with no water, gas, or after manufacture fittings, and unhitched from your Towing Vehicle is called your TARE weight.
You take the same Caravan, unhitched from its Towing Vehicle, and add all the additional payload. Namely water, gas, clothes, food, bedding etc. and then measure its weight, you have the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM).
Finally, to arrive at the figure required to work out your braking requirements, you need to hitch your Towing Vehicle to your fully loaded caravan. While keeping the Towing Vehicle off the weighbridge, you now weigh the fully loaded caravan. This is your Gross Trailer Mass (GTM).
You do not include the Towball Weight, the weight that is being carried by the Towing Vehicle’s towball, in your GTM.
The GTM is the figure that you use to work out your legal braking requirements.
If your GTM is less than 750kgs, you are not required to have any braking system fitted to your caravan or trailer.
If your GTM is over 750kgs, but under 2,000kgs, you are able to have an Override braking system fitted.
Those caravans with a GTM over 2,000kgs are legally required to have a compliant Electric brake fitted, with the Towing Vehicle fitted with an Electric Brake Controller, as well as an Override Braking System. While not relevant to most of our WA based clientele, NSW registered tow vehicles are required to have a Brake-away Monitor installed.
We must point out that most Caravans over 750kgs do commonly have Electric Brakes fitted, as it provides a smoother and safer riding experience.
If you aren’t sure of your particular requirements, or would like to ensure that your brake system is operating at peak efficiency, contact RV Solutions WA, we are more than happy to assist.
RV Solutions WA, regularly perform brake and bearing services, ensuring that road safety is not compromised. However, one day we were called with a slightly different braking issue.
Uncle Dave Grey contacted RV Solutions WA after having received reports of our stellar service quality from a friend. He was having difficulties with his new car and caravan combination.
Since the purchase of his new Towing Vehicle, he was having issues with the electric brakes in his Caravan.
Both Scott and Jason inspected Uncle Dave Grey’s caravan on-site, and after completing a brake and bearing service they found that one of the brakes was not connected.
It didn’t take long for this dynamic duo to have the caravan electric brake system repaired, before isolating and repairing the issue with the Towing Vehicle also.
Uncle Dave is now happily towing his caravan with his new car, and enjoying all the benefits caravan ownership brings.
Check out our socials to find out more on recent builds and to keep up to date with us.
