Avoiding Common Trailer Towing Problems

Towing a trailer is an easy way to haul equipment to job sites and gear for your camping trip. The process of towing is straightforward, but it’s important to follow some specific steps to avoid any problems when you are on the road. These tips will ensure you don’t have any issues towing your trailer.

Keep Things Level

It’s important for your trailer and vehicle to be level. Sometimes, as trailers are attached to a towing vehicle, the front of the trailer tips up. As you drive, this will cause the load to move forward, putting pressure on the back of your car. In severe cases, this destabilization can cause you to lose control of your vehicle or cause the trailer—and the car it is attached to—to flip. When the front of the trailer is pointed downward at the start of the journey, it can make it difficult to control your car when you’re going downhill or have to stop quickly.

Prevent Trailer Sway

In heavy winds, trailer sway is inevitable. In these instances, it is best to stay off the road until the winds calm down, especially if you have to drive in the mountains. In normal weather, make sure the load is balanced completely, and keep about 12% to 15% of the weight of load near the hitch. If sway starts when you’re driving, use the manual trailer brake to slow things down. Braking using your vehicle tends to make sway get worse.

Know Your Tow Capacity

Check your vehicle manual to find out how much it is capable of towing, and avoid exceeding that amount. Don’t forget to calculate the weight of your trailer when figuring out how much your load weights. Trying to tow more than you have the capacity to will make it hard to control your vehicle and could cause your engine to overheat.

APC Trailers offers a huge selection of trailers and parts as well as maintenance and repair service. For your trailer needs in Tucson, call us at (520) 574-1968.