This paper describes a step by step validation procedure of a mobile manipulator simulation. The procedure includes performing basic model simulations, a sensitivity analysis, and a stochastic output analysis. Static, quasi-static, and dynamic experiments performed on a real system and simulated using DADS are also presented. An algorithm to tune the model parameters, to match the output of the simulations to the output of the real system, was successfully implemented. Finally, an optimization procedure on the design parameters of the system is discussed.