A caravan outfit that stops is a bigger problem than a car that stops: it is longer, harder to move off the road, and there are two units to deal with.
The first question is always which half has failed — the tow car, or the caravan.
If the tow car has failed
The car and the caravan usually need separating. The caravan is unhitched and secured — handbrake on, corner steadies down where the surface allows, chocked if there is any gradient — and the car is loaded.
Whether the caravan travels in the same visit depends on its weight and the truck's remaining capacity. Sometimes it is a second movement; sometimes it can be safely left at an agreed secure location.
If the caravan or trailer has failed
A caravan wheel bearing failure, a shredded tyre or a seized brake will usually stop the whole outfit. If the tow car is fine, the aim is often to recover the caravan and leave you able to drive on.
Do not attempt to limp on with a damaged caravan wheel or a failed bearing. Heat build-up on a bearing failure is a genuine fire risk.
Weights we need to know
- MTPLM of the caravan — the plated maximum, not the empty weight
- The tow car's weight and whether it still rolls and steers
- Overall length of the outfit
- Whether the caravan has a motor mover fitted, which can help with repositioning
Where outfits get into trouble here
Cornwall's specific hazards for outfits are the long climbs on the A30 near the moor, the narrow approaches to many coastal campsites, and turning into sites off fast roads. Site entrances with a tight radius and a gradient are a recurring cause of grounding and jackknifing.
If you are on a campsite approach rather than the main road, say so — access planning matters more than distance.
Need this sorted today?
Give us both weights and your location and we will confirm whether it is one trip or two.
Frequently asked questions
Can you recover the car and the caravan together?
It depends on the combined weight and the caravan's plated MTPLM against our 7.5 ton capability. Give us both figures on the call and we will tell you whether it is one movement or two.
My caravan has a shredded tyre. Can I limp to the site?
No. Running on a destroyed tyre or a failed bearing risks a wheel departure and, with bearings, a genuine fire. Stop and have it recovered.
Can you leave the caravan somewhere safe?
Where the caravan cannot travel in the same movement, we agree a secure location with you — a site, a yard or a suitable private location — rather than leaving it in an unsuitable spot.
Do you recover trailers as well as caravans?
Yes, including plant, box and car trailers, subject to weight and access. Tell us the trailer type and loaded weight when you call.
Services covered in this guide
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