#hauling #tips #trailers
With states starting to lift the quarantine lockdowns and travel restrictions we are starting to see more and more people grab their RVs and their trailers to get back on the road. If it has been a while since you hauled, we have a great refresher for you.
PreTrip Checklist. - tinyurl.com/PreTripChecklist
Safe driving is a critical portion of safe trailering. As with driving any vehicle, it goes double when towing a trailer, Drivers should be 100% focused and keep all distractions away. Here are a few tips to help you, your trailer and other drivers on the road safe.
We have created an extensive pre-trip checklist, free to download, that provides a great overview of how to conduct a pre-trip inspection. This allows you make sure items on your trailer are safe and ready to haul.
The next tip is to keep your speed in check, it is important to adapt your driving habits while towing. Many of the 50 states have 55 MPH speed limits for vehicles towing trailers. Plus, it eats at your fuel economy. Vehicles towing consume 35% more gas, slowing down isn’t just safer, it is more cost effective. Our fourth tip is braking. Remember when braking, even with great trailer brakes, the tow vehicle will have a greater stopping distance with the trailer and load attached. The rule of thumb is to maintain at least a 325 foot gap or about 5 seconds between you and the obstacle or vehicle in front of you at a minimum. When towing remember that extensive braking, this is really important when towing on steep road grades, can cause brakes to overheat and significantly reduce their effectiveness.
Here is a tip to ease your tow vehicle’s strain. When going uphill and downhill, shift to a lower gear. This will help maintain stability when towing on steep grades.
Naturally your turning radius will increase greatly with a trailer attached. Gooseneck trailers have a tighter turning radius than bumper pull trailers, but you still need to keep in mind that your radius is bigger than just your tow vehicle.
The next subject is one all new trailer haulers dread. Backing up with the trailer, this can be one of the most challenging aspects of owning a trailer. Try to find a spotter if possible to aid with blindspots, the trailer itself will move in the opposite direction of the tow vehicle when backing up. A solid method to help is putting your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. To turn left, move your hand to the left and to turn the trailer right, move your hand to the right.
If you get yourself in a pickle and you have turned to far, started to jackknife or you have positioned the trailer incorrectly, just pull forward and start again.
Our last tip is how to respond to trailer sway. There are three steps to counteract simple trailer sway. Get off the gas and brake, steer straight and wait. If you are not loaded incorrect or something is wrong with your trailer, this should fix your issue.