Getting off-road
So, you're looking for an off-road caravan to hit the tracks and trails less travelled. To live the great adventures. The trouble is knowing what to consider when you look to buy an off-road caravan. Here's some tips to help you decide.
Adequate warranty
Warranties are important when you look at any caravan. Make of point of asking for some details about the warranty. Does the manufacturer back the van in off-road conditions or does the warranty suggest that it covers only black-top touring?
Off-road or bush track travelling
There are far too many stories of the tangling up of definitions. A van that can tackle a bush road is not necessarily an off-road caravan. If the salesman tells you it's a van that will handle the hard work of a country road or a graded gravel track then ask if it can get off the graded track and handle a true off-road tussle in wild terrain.
Balance of strength and weight
Here's the thing, if you're buying a true off-road van, you are probably looking at something that is strong, sturdy and constructed to handle the rough and tumble of remote travel. Inevitably that extra chassis and frame strength comes at both an economic and weight cost.
The thing is, heavy-duty components are not inexpensive and typically add significant weight. And there is the balancing trick that manufacturers must undertake. But when it comes to towing off-road, lighter is better. Look for manufacturers that strive to get this balance right by using heavy-duty material where it counts (chassis/frame and drawbar) and weight-saving material wherever possible (walls, floor and cabinetry). Clever design can also shave off the kilograms, so look for manufacturers that strive to reduce weight wherever possible without sacrificing strength.
Comfort might be sacrificed
You know what it's like. You imagine you might like to get out and enjoy remote parts of Australia and then, at the end of the day, flop into a comfy dinette or pure leather chairs stuffed padded so soft it is as if you were reclining on clouds. You want to reach over to turn on the surround sound plasma, tickle the seat warmer button and dial up your internet comms while cooking a gourmet meal from a slide out kitchen.
Remember, each extra piece of luxury adds weight and the bigger and heavier the caravan the less it will typically handle the riggers of remote off-road travel. Look for a caravan the strikes the right balance between a good mix of comfort and necessities while keeping a careful eye on weight. Consider what you can live without.
Weighing in with realistic expectations
Before you buy a caravan that you hope to take off-road know that your SUV tow vehicle is able to do the towing job you might ask of it. Imagine loading up your caravan, filling up the water tanks, topping up the gas, loading in the baked beans and the chardonnay then discovering the caravan now weighs in at something beyond your vehicle's 3000kg towing limit. Or perhaps is so close to the weight limit that the vehicle will not have enough sheer grunt to tow the weight you've hitched behind it and plow through the rough and tumble of the outback. So, this one is simple, make sure your caravan you are towing isn't then demanding too much of the tow vehicle because you are sitting right on its towing limit.
Remember those tow limits are for ideal conditions and not for sand up to your window sills while you are hauling over 3 tonnes with a tow vehicle that is rated for 3 tonnes only. Be realistic here.
Chassis and drawbar
Look for a caravan that is constructed from high-quality steel and hot-dip galvanised for long-term protection and durability. The chassis and drawbar should be protected under warranty for off-road use.
Off-road suspension
Old fashioned leaf-spring suspension is not off-road suspension. Suspension must be able to carry your caravan over potentially quite uneven ground. Independent suspension with coil springs and shock absorbers will make for a more comfortable off-road touring experience as will air-bag suspension if your budget will stretch that far.
Off-road tyres
Off-road caravan have larger lumper tyres. They are sometimes light truck tyres to handle the required traction demands of battling through the bush.
The right hitch
Quality off-road couplings articulate allowing for a high degree of rotation and are engineered to cope with greater stresses. Consider hitches like the DO35 from Vehicle Components.
All the right angles
Compact or hybrid caravans a typically ideal for off-road adventures. This means they are less likely to get caught in a narrow space or find overhead branches. They are not as tall and wide as 'standard' caravans. An off-road caravan should taper with an obtuse angle at the rear to preventing it from hitting the bottom as it rolls over rocks or out of deep ditches or gullies.
Going off-road