Anyone out there who tows a caravan ? I have a Mazda 6 TS auto (Oct 2008) as a towcar and cannot get any sensible advice on tyre pressures to use when towing. Some say inflate to full load pressure, 45 psi, but others say there is a risk of blowout at this level which my gut feel says is correct. I have a heavy van, Sprite Challenger Sport 554 2012, and experience some instability driving, so I am looking at all ways to alleviate this. On my first and only trip I set my rear tyres to 37 and fronts to 34.

 

Roger: i just looked at a picture of that van (trailer). I think that is too big a for a Mazda 6. You have a case where the tail is wagging the dog. I don't have lot of trailering experience but enough to get this impression.
Staying a little below the max pressure is probably a good idea. Also make sure the tongue weight is correct.
Also have a look at this:HowStuffWorks "How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work"

Happy camping!

 

Hope you change your transmission more frequent than normal and have an external tranny cooler.
I would not recommend Mazda 6 for towing. Not powerful enough, or enough brakes.

THIS IS A GOOD READ: http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repa...ques123_0.html

 

They do a lot of trailer camping in Europe. The Brits and Dutch are heavy into it. There is a speed limit if you pull a trailer, I don't remember if it was 80 or 100 km/h. Also typically they don't travel the extreme long distances we cover in North America. Non the less, Noggin's advise applies: Change the tranny fluid after your vacation. An additional tranny cooler is a good idea.

 

I would run 40psi in the rear and 34 or 36 in the front.

 

Thanks; that is about the levels I was thinking

 

Thanks for your replies. Speed limits are 60mph in UK and 100kph in continental Europe.