Caravan Axle Triangulation Caravan axle triangulation determines whether wheels are correctly set to run straight without the tyre scrubbing inside or outside. Tyre scrub is different to toe in or toe-out. The latter occurs when the caravan components are overloaded, thereby causing tyres to tow out. This action causes wear on the inside of the […]
Caravan and chassis inspections should be undertaken by your service mechanic at least yearly or certainly before big trips. Campers and in particular, caravans suffer wear and tear during every trip. The extent of the wear and tear is determined by the roads travelled. Corrugated roads being the worst offender for wear and tear on caravans. Heavier caravans suffer more damage to component parts than lighter caravans.
Our testing has found electric drums are not magnetised when an energised magnet engages a drum for several days. However, by turning the drum and applying a magnet to the surface of the drum, a different result is achieved.
50mm Cast Tow Bar Receiver Couplemate’s 50mm cast tow bar receiver is Made in Australia for Australian conditions. Covid-19 has provided the opportunity to increase Australian Made parts produced by Couplemate. Australian companies have experienced unusually long production times from overseas manufacturers. Delays in shipping have frustrated many Australian companies importing goods for their trailer […]
Drawbar safety chain attachments should not come into contact with the road surface when the trailer is disconnected. – VSB1. Safety chains must be stamped at least every 4 links.
Refurbishing Brake Calipers Refurbishing Brake Calipers on your caravan or boat trailer can be an expensive exercise when caliper pistons seize, a problem particularly common on boat trailers due to excessive exposure to corrosive environments. Of course, there are solutions and suggestions for ongoing maintenance, however, first, we must understand the underlying problem. Suppliers manufacture […]
Towing a Balanced Caravan Towing a balanced caravan is a daunting task for new caravanners. It is hard to tow a caravan. We find a large number of caravanners have been advised to install load levelling devices. Load levellers or weight distribution hitches were initially believed to be the best device on the market to […]
Some trailers and caravans are very long and therefore incur more voltage drop than usual. Measure the voltage drop from the battery to the last electric magnet.
In our opinion, bearing buddies can cause grease contamination of brake shoes when overfilled. Couplemate has concluded that bearing buddies are unsafe to be used in conjunction with drums brakes and should be immediately replaced with conventional or grommeted grease caps.
Latest News: Bearing Buddys destroy Drum brakes of any type, mechanical, hydraulic or electric. Drum brakes fail when using bearing protectors incorrectly. An overfilled bearing cavity spills grease onto brake shoes and other equipment inside the backing plate.
Caravans and some heavier campers are continuing to experience braking problems in mountainous regions. Overheating drums are a major concern for owners as they strive to improve their braking. Couplemate have deconstructed and simplified electric braking problems.
I travelled from Melbourne to Perth in January 2020 visiting camping ground and talking to caravanners. I was amazed to discover the most popular deployment methods of stabiliser drop legs and corner steadies .
“I have no idea what PCD is nor do I know how to calculate it?”….is an answer we hear frequently from customers. Technically, Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) is the diameter of the circle which passes through the centre of the wheel studs, wheel bolts or wheel rim holes.
BatteryCheck enabled travellers to better understand the mystery inside the battery, providing valuable information on it’s health and status.
Caravan wheel nut indicators help identify loose wheel nuts caused by rough dirt roads. Broken wheel studs are regularity occurrence on open highways around Australia.
Wheel backspace is an essential measurement for the manufacture of axle length. The first thing you need to do when building a new trailer is to buy your rims and types.
Alternatively, you could purchase your rims and tyres from us and we’ll do the calculation for you. One more complication, we need to know your chassis width.
Loose axle U-bolts causes highway havoc for unsuspecting caravaners. The reality of not checking your rig before heading on your family holiday can easily become a nightmare.
Today’s article has been generated from yet another unsuspecting driver who forgot to re-tighten u-bolts after the first 300 kilometres from new.
Broken couplings and pintle hooks are a result of jackknife trailer. Jackknifing trailers usually occurs when reversing. The driver is unaware the trailer is approaching jack knife angles.
Caravanning problems caused by stretching u-bolts can usually be easily fixed, however, unforeseen issues can have disastrous consequences. An example is the humble u bolt that clamps the spring to the axle. The bond between the spring and the axle prevents catastrophic events at high speed.
Galvanised trailer and caravan parts have undergone a quiet revolution. Gone are the hot-dipped galvanising methods that were used in many processes. Hot-dipped galvanising whilst still very popular is being replaced by ElectroGal® or a Mechanical Galvanising process.
Calculate D-Value for Towing Equipment on the Truck | Trailer. D-Value is one of the most understood calculations in the truck and trailer industry. We will try and make it easy with a little technology and science.
Grease is applied to seals and bearings for one reason only, to reduce friction. Friction produces heat, excess heat through incorrect installation destroys bearings. Is it true that 40% of all bearings do not live their full engineering life due to bad installation practices?
If the tandem wheels are not square, call your service agent for an alignment. It is quite likely that your u bolts have come loose and your rig has sustained some shock loading during your travels, This moves axles backwards and out of alignment.
Hot Joints are a common problem to find in electrical connections on your trailers and inside your caravans. A hot joint is an electrical connection that becomes loose over time or connected by only a few strands in the connector ferrule.
Why do I need an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) on my towbar? It would be true to say, being an Electrician, I can wire almost anything. Then along came the computer in motor vehicles. Computers are energy management systems. Computers monitor and control most of the energy associated with a motor vehicle including the 12v system. […]
The Lanyard on your breakaway switch is likely to have been installed without being shortened. A simple adjustment could save your life.
Here is a simple test for your electric drums to test to prove polarisation. Point your trailer coupling facing north or south. Residual magnetism can be excess positive ions(North Pole) or excess negative ions (South Pole).
If you are heavy on the scales, shift weight from the front of the axle set to a more central location. This action will lower the weight on your tow ball, allowing your vehicle to become lighter and therefore brake more effectively.
Do your car brakes effectively stop your caravan? Back in the day when dad towing our caravan with his Holden, hitch-ups were something dada did and knew about. Truth is, he knew where the fuel when in the car and the coupling had to be attached to the tow ball to haul the caravan.
Bearing Buddy is a machine fit as opposed to a compression fit. Machine fit sizes are not as flexible as compression fits. Unless you are aware of precautions that need to be taken, you may lose your bearing buddy on the first bump in the road.
Learn why we recommend tow ball weights should be 5% to 7% on a tandem trailer and 7% to 10% on a single axle trailer. The key to significantly reducing caravan sway is knowing the weight of your tow ball.
Towing your caravan is not as simple as you would think. Whilst enlarging your existing receiver bar from 22mm to 32mm might not seem a big deal, it will quickly become obvious a this is not a solution for towing your $80,000 rig.
If Vibration Fatigue can bring down a Boeing 747, you can be sure it will bring down your Caravan too. Boeing has taken precautions against vibration fatigue and so should you. Consider the following article, there may be a few precautions you can take or at least check.
Imagine driving down the highway, listening to Jimmy Barnes on the radio when you notice your caravan feels a little different. Upgrading your rig is not for everyone and certainly not for later model caravans on the roads today.
Learn how dirt roads destroy Electric Brakes. Unsuspecting caravan owners discover their electric braking systems and electric drums are being rendered defective by vibrations transferred to braking systems by corrugated roads.
U-bolts are the only thing holding your entire caravan onto the road. They bind your axle to your springs. Faulty U-Bolt installation can cause major problems with caravans when u-bolts are not checked for tighness..
Need a weighbridge certificate. Download a PDF file of Australian weighbridge locations. Note: Call them before arrival.
Can I invert my Caravans Overlay Axle? Bill asked me a great question on the Couplemate website yesterday. He asked “I want to invert my overlay axle, so my caravan gains extra height. Currently, it hits the top of the mudguard.” So Bill here is our answer. Overlay axles have changed over the years, so it […]
First of all, go out and measure your hanger measurement and then measure your spring width eye to eye. If your brackets are the same length as you spring measurement then there is only ONE FIX. Are your springs squeaking as you travel down the highway?
This common problem has an easy fix that will surprise you.
Caravan and Trailer parts can be hard to find, not at Couplemate.. Caravan and trailer parts like 635mm short shackle springs can be difficult to find because most stockists do not carry a large inventory of parts.
D -Value for Pintle Hooks is critical when selecting the correct pintle hook because depending on your truck and trailer weight, the D-Value is changing.
Dee Shackle rating is often too high for your caravan. Learn how to calculate the correct dee shackle size? Your Dee Shackle must be of a comparable size to your safety chain. The only way you can prove comparability is with a rated shackle or a stamped dee shackle.
A strange, occasional noise was a tyre hitting the top of the wheel arch when a pothole jumped up and smacked it. Creating more ground clearance works a treat, or did I open up a can of worms instead of fixing the problem?
How to EASILY reinvigorate your Caravan Air Conditioner to near NEW. Big Savings off Electricity Bills, Secrets on how to Clean your Caravan Air Conditioner effectively. Easy remedy shocks caravanners with simplicity. Listen carefully and share.
Mag Wheel Nuts and Lug Nuts Mag Wheel Nuts and Lug Nuts are just a fancy accessory I do not need. Well, the word RUST may change your mind. Your nuts will lock onto your stud when your studs become rusty. So your rust wheel studs are the culprit. Wheel nuts are impossible to remove […]
Caravan and trailer bearings can be a contentious issue especially when they fail. Seeing a wheel off a caravan on my way home on Australia has triggered this article. I would appreciate it if you could share this with your mates as many folks forget to do bearing checks. Failed bearings can also cause a wheel to come off and roll into incoming traffic with really nasty outcomes.
“Well, I incorrectly installed my pintle hook and ring coupling equipment, and within one month my equipment is ruined.”
Customers regularly ask, ‘How long do caravan shock absorbers last?’. Unfortunately, the answer is not simple and can depend on a variety of factors. Generally, shock absorbers should last between 50,000km and 100,000km but this is all dependant on influences such as terrain, wear and installation. Firstly, it is important to understand a little about […]
Vibration fatigue in caravans and boat trailers is one of the leading causes of spring failure, axle failure and failures associated with your running gear. Have you ever seen an axle wobble in the middle as its owner drives down the highway oblivious to what is occurring under his rig?
Important check: Have you checked the length of the breakaway switch lanyard is not so long that it failed to pull the pin when chains are fully stretched?
