Safety Tips For Tow Trailer Users

Before you attempt to tow a trailer, make sure you learn to do it safely. Towing a trailer requires the proper use of towing equipment to securely attach the trailer to your vehicle. Whether you’re towing your boat to the lake or heavy-duty tools for work, play it safe by using the proper towing equipment and hitching methods.

Towing equipment basics

Here are definitions of the fundamental pieces of trailer towing equipment:

1. Trailer hitch receiver: The metal bar that attaches to your car. You must then buy a ball mount to affix to this base.

2. Ball mount: The metal ball on top of the trailer hitch receiver.

3. Trailer tongue: A bar that extends from the front of the trailer toward the hitch.

4. Coupler: An inverted cup on the end of the tongue. It fits over the ball mount to attach the trailer to your vehicle.

Attaching trailer towing equipment

Follow these tips to attach your trailer to the tow vehicle:

1. Know your vehicle’s towing capacity and the weight of what you’re towing. You can find your vehicle’s capacity in the owner’s manual. To determine the weight of what you’re towing, include the weight of the trailer itself and the object(s) on the trailer. Take into account any extras, like the contents inside the camper or fuel in the tank of the boat.

2. Choose a hitch with the proper rating. Hitches are ranked from Class I to Class V, and their towing capacity increases in each class. A Class I trailer can tow 2,000 lbs. while a Class V is rated to tow 10,000 lbs.

3. Connect the wiring for lights and brakes. Trailers have their own break and turn signals, so make sure you have the proper wiring harness to connect the lights to your vehicle. If you’re towing more than 1,500 lbs., your state likely requires the trailer to have its own brakes, so be sure to connect those to your vehicle as well.

4. Register your trailer. Trailers need their own license plates. Before you take it on the road, obtain the proper registration and plates, the latter of which should be securely affixed and visible from the back end.

5. Know the width and length limits of cargo in your state. There are restrictions on how wide and long your cargo can be before you need to use flags or extra lights. For example, if you’re towing long planks of wood, there will be a length at which your state requires you to affix a flag or red light to the end.

6. Make sure the cargo is strapped down. Bumps in the road, hills and turns can cause cargo to shift. If the cargo gets off balance, it could rip the trailer off the hitch. Make sure everything is tightly packed and secured.

7. Hook up your trailer. Now that you have the equipment you need, securely attach the trailer to your vehicle by following these three steps:

* Attach the coupler to the ball mount. They should fit securely. If they don’t, you can’t tow the trailer until you get the proper equipment.

* Attach the safety chains between the trailer and tow vehicle. Cross the chains underneath the trailer tongue, making sure they’re a little slack but don’t drag on the ground. Then, attach the chains to the tow vehicle itself, not the hitch. The chains are a backup safety device designed to keep the trailer and tow vehicle connected should the hitch fail.

* Hook up all the electrical, and then test your lights.

Take the time to learn how to properly connect and tow a trailer so you can reach your destination as smoothly as possible. Since recreational activities like boating and camping require towing, you don’t want your weekend of fun hampered by a trailer mishap. You can protect yourself and your property further by carrying the proper insurance.

Source:- Ezine