Safe towing starts with the right equipment. Your hitch, brake controller, mirrors, safety chains, and support gear aren’t optional extras; they’re the foundation that makes towing safe, legal, and controlled. Skimp on any of these and you’re compromising the safety of your rig, your family, and everyone else on the road.
This guide is the master list of towing gear. Each category links to a detailed buyers guide with specific product recommendations, so you can work through the list systematically and know exactly what to buy for your setup.
Hitch Setup
The hitch is the physical connection between your vehicle and caravan. It needs to be correctly rated for your caravan’s weight, properly installed, and compatible with your coupling. Most Australian caravans use a 50mm ball coupling, but DO35 and off-road couplings are increasingly common on heavier vans. Your hitch setup must match your coupling type.
Brake Controller
If your caravan has electric brakes (most caravans over 750kg do), you need a brake controller in the tow vehicle. This device sends a signal to the caravan’s brakes when you press your vehicle’s brake pedal, coordinating stopping between both vehicle and van. Without one, only the vehicle is braking, which means longer stopping distances and dangerous behaviour.
Towing Mirrors
Standard vehicle mirrors don’t provide adequate rear vision past a caravan. Towing mirrors extend your field of view so you can see traffic behind and alongside the van. In most Australian states, towing mirrors are legally required when towing a caravan wider than the tow vehicle.
Sway Control
Caravan sway (the side-to-side oscillation that can build until you lose control) is the most dangerous towing situation. Sway control systems dampen this movement before it becomes critical. Some are built into the coupling, others are standalone friction devices or electronic stability systems.
Weight Distribution Hitch
A weight distribution hitch (WDH) redistributes the tow ball weight across all axles, levelling the vehicle and improving handling. Particularly beneficial if your vehicle sags at the rear when hitched. Not required on all setups but highly recommended for heavier vans.
Safety Gear
The legally required safety gear for towing: safety chains (rated to your van’s ATM), a breakaway system (activates the caravan’s brakes if it separates from the vehicle), and reflectors/lighting. Beyond legal requirements, a fire extinguisher, wheel chocks, and a basic toolkit are essential.
Levelling
Levelling gear keeps your caravan stable and level at camp: chocks, ramps, levelling blocks, and spirit levels. A level van means the fridge works properly, doors don’t swing, water drains correctly, and you sleep flat.
Reverse Camera
A caravan reverse camera gives you a live view behind the van, making reversing into sites dramatically easier and eliminating the blind spot that causes most low-speed accidents. Wireless systems are easy to retrofit; hardwired systems are more reliable.
Jockey Wheel
The jockey wheel supports the front of the caravan when it’s unhitched. Upgrading from the factory jockey wheel to a more robust model (particularly a swing-up or motorised version) makes hitching, unhitching, and manoeuvring the van around camp much easier.
- A brake controller, towing mirrors, and safety chains are non-negotiable. They’re legal requirements and critical for safe towing.
- A weight distribution hitch and sway control are highly recommended for heavier vans.
- A reverse camera transforms the reversing experience from stressful to straightforward.
- Budget $500–$2,000 for a complete towing gear setup, depending on what your vehicle already has.
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