Tips For Successful Towing

Last weekend, as I was loading up to head home from camping at the river

, I was amazed to see how many people were clueless when it came to knowing how to properly tow a trailer, boat, fifth wheel or whatever else they were attempting to tow. Between not loading the trailer properly, not having the right equipment with them, or not even knowing how much their vehicle could safely tow, it made me realize that there are a lot of clueless people out there. And, theyre not really to blame. Its sort of just assumed that men should know how to haul big, heavy loads, so a lot of men are afraid to ask for help. Now you dont need to. This article has everything, or at least the most important things, youve always wanted to know about towing, but were too afraid to ask.

First things first; you must know that the weight capacities of the tow vehicle, the trailer hitches, ball, ball mount and safety chains can not be exceeded by the gross trailer weight (GTW), which is the weight of the loaded trailer. The towing system is only as strong as the weakest piece. Keep in mind that trailer hitches are specific to each vehicle and are rated accordingly. Your vehicles owner manual will tell you how much your vehicle can tow. To find out how much trailer hitches are capable of towing, look at the sticker on the hitch.

Now comes trailer loading. The way you load the trailer can determine how easily youll be able to tow it. While loading, youll want to remember that the tongue weight (the downward pressure placed on the ball by the coupler) should be 10% to 15% of the overall trailer weight. Trailer sway is caused when there isnt a large enough percentage of trailer tongue weight compared to the gross trailer weight. Prevent trailer sway by loading heavy cargo in the front of the trailer, ahead of the trailers axle. Trailer sway is dangerous and can lead to the loss of control of your vehicle.

When driving while towing, its extremely important to keep in mind that youre driving with a lot more weight than youre used to. This means its going to take you more time to speed up and more time to slow down. In order to drive safely while towing, youll want to make sure you dont slam on your brakes, dont make and sudden steering moves, dont drive at faster speeds and dont tow a trailer that continues to sway.

When youre not towing, youll want to fill the gaping hole under your rear bumper with hitch covers. Hitch covers protect your receiver tube opening from dirt and muck when not in use. And, hitch covers come in a range of styles to add a custom look to your truck.

by: Jaime Sanders

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