PC GUIDE TO...Essential caravan checks

Proper servicing is essential, but here we reveal a number of checks to protect your caravan and save money, too

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OWNING A CARAVAN can be expensive, but getting into the habit of carrying out some quick checks every few months or so - or at least before you set out on significant trips - can help you spot problems early, before they develop into a failure or an expensive repair job.

That doesn't mean an annual service isn't crucial - it is vital - but here are a few simple checks that you can make between your service and trips away, to keep your tourer operating efficiently.

Towball checks

Most caravans have a friction stabiliser, but these are only effective on a clean, dry towball. Even with a cover, grime finds a way in, leaving you with a less effective, noisy stabiliser.

Give the towball a wipe with some paper towel to remove the worst of the grime. If the ball is rusty, flash it over with some emery cloth to restore the shine, then hit it with some brake cleaner spray. It's designed to clean brake components to ensure their effective operation, and it'll do the same for your stabiliser.

A squirt into the hitch head and a wipe around in there helps to clean the stabiliser friction pads, too.

Gas systems

You'll soon know if you run out of gas, because the hob will stop working.

But before you reach this point, it's worth checking the weight of your gas bottle. This is the most reliable way of working out how much gas you have left.

The 'tare weight' is the empty weight and is often stamped on an aluminium collar around the tap on the bottle.

A 6kg Calor propane cylinder weighs 7.3-10.9kg when empty and 15-17kg when full. A 13kg cylinder weighs around 13kg empty and 25-30kg full.