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2. Safety
Should there be any defects or malfunctions in the
driving performance of the caravan, please notify road
-
side assistance and have any maintenance and repair
work carried out by an authorised specialist.
Due to the design of the brakes, there may be increa
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sed wear in the brake lining during the initial break-in
phase. Despite carrying out automatic brake adjust
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ments on all HOBBY trailers, the basic setting for the
brakes must be checked by an authorised specialist
and adjusted if necessary (initial inspection) after ha
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ving driven 500 km.
Brakes
A car and caravan together (rig) behaves differently from an individual
vehicle while braking. Therefore, it is advisable (especially for inexpe
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rienced drivers) to conduct several braking tests on a suitable surface.
The braking distance for the rig is longer than that of an individual
vehicle. The load in the caravan also has a significant influence on the
braking distance.
Rules for braking
• Note the longer braking distance on wet roads.
• When driving down a mountain, do not select a gear that is
higher than the one used when driving up a mountain.
• During long drives over passes or steep and twisty country lanes,
the can cause the caravan brakes to over run constantly and can
cause the wheel brakes to heat up considerably. If necessary, you
should allow enough time to enable them to cool down again.
Driving around curves
The combined length of your car & caravan together (rig) is consi
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derably longer than a car.
The following applies for driving in curves
• Do not take curves too quickly or too sharply!
• Take the curve at a somewhat wider radius when turning.
• Note that the caravan can swing out if you turn too quickly.
• If the caravan moves back and forth on a sloping road, brake
carefully but rapidly to bring the caravan back into line.
•
Never
increase speed if the caravan becomes pendulous.
• Do not drive down a hill any faster than you would drive up one.
• Long, gently sloping downhill slopes can be dangerous. Calculate
your speed from the very beginning so that, if necessary, it is still
possible to accelerate without endangering other road users.
• When overtaking or being overtaken by trucks or buses, the
caravan can be caught up in air suction. This could cause the
caravan to sway or become pendulous.
• Drive with foresight; on longer trips, stop at regular intervals for
breaks.
