14 Common Towing Mistakes for Vehicles and Trailers
Before you hit the road with your brand-new trailer from M&G, it’s important to understand how not to tow a trailer. Common towing mistakes often happen when you’re in a hurry or when trailer owners minimize the importance of trailer maintenance. Taking the proper precautions is important if you want to ensure you and your cargo get to your destination safely and get the most use out of your vehicle and trailer.
Avoiding Common Towing Mistakes
Your trailer cannot drive itself, and therefore relies on your truck, SUV, or car to tow it safely to its destination. However, if your vehicle is not strong enough, needs engine maintenance or has failing components like brakes or transmission, you won’t go far. Even if your vehicle is in excellent condition, here are some things that can cause car trouble and, consequently, be a hazard to you and those on the road.
Common Towing Mistakes – Vehicles
PULLING OVERSIZED LOADS:
Never try to pull or carry more total weight (GCWR) with your vehicle. Every vehicle has weight limits. Additionally, pickup trucks have a payload capacity for how much the truck bed can carry if loaded up or connected to the front part of a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer. Regardless of what you tow, you need to be certain not to exceed these limits set by the manufacturer. Installing towing accessories will only enhance your towing experience. However, they will not make your vehicle’s engine, hitch or frame any stronger.
IGNORING TEMPERATURES:
Engines running at high temperatures, along with improper cooling, can lead to permanent problems like warped cylinder head, cracked pistons, and scratched cylinder walls. Transmission temperature should be less than 210 degrees Fahrenheit. At 270 degrees Fahrenheit most transmission fluid will degrade quickly and glaze over the clutch material. This leads to a scrapped transmission. Even though these fluids are out of sight, letting them be out of mind is a common towing mistake.
STAYING IN OVERDRIVE:
Keeping your engine within its powerband is key especially when driving through steep hills. This means you won’t want to leave your vehicle in “overdrive” as it won’t keep your transmission cool or oil flow balanced which results in reduced power.
RACING WHILE HITCHED:
As mentioned with keeping your vehicle in proper gear, racing or trying to accelerate quickly to your destination is a bad idea. Going extra fast downhill is the last thing you want to do with a heavy load trailing behind you. Racing with your trailer only puts your engine, trailer, and yourself in danger of harm. Avoid this common towing mistake, as speeding is a frequent reason for trailer accidents.
USING REGULAR MIRRORS:
When it comes to towing, regular mirrors are not always going to cut it, and not having the extra visibility to see to the side of you and behind you can be extremely dangerous. If your vehicle doesn’t have them already, getting towing mirrors will greatly increase your visibility. Installing these mirrors can be much easier, not to mention, more affordable than a camera system.
NEGLECT OF ACCESSORIES:
Although most trucks and SUVs are built with engines more than capable of towing thousands of pounds, it’s the other parts of the vehicles which become fail points due to being worn out or pushed past their abilities. Rusty hitches, blown-out shocks and old bushings are the common items that break on heavy towing jobs. Make sure to inspect your suspension, hitch assembly and frame for signs of stress before every job. Also assist your vehicle by installing accessories like sway bars and air bags which can help keep your truck and trailer level.
TIRE PRESSURE:
Whether you’re driving your vehicle or pulling a trailer, tire pressure in all tires is always important. Proper tire inflation yields better road grip and thus faster breaking and responsive maneuvering. It also results in better gas milage, less drag, and extended tire strength and longevity. The proper PSI number will be printed on both your trailer and vehicle tires. Stay as close to that number as possible and adjust the pressure as temperatures change seasonally or regionally. A common towing mistake for trailers is overinflating the tire for more “strength” or using your eyes to judge the air pressure.
Common Towing Mistakes – Trailers
Just because the trailer is pulled by a vehicle, doesn’t mean it needs any less attention. Whether you have a simple utility trailer, or a more complex heavy duty dump trailer, the rules are the same. From the tires to hitches, the trailer has to be in tip-top shape for best and safest use on the road. Here are some things to avoid with your trailer.
OVERCOMPENSATING SWAY:
Make sure not to install sway bars or stabilizers rated way over what is recommended. With an incorrect assembly, the distribution of weight can become unbalanced which leads to bouncing between your vehicle and the trailer. This effects the drivability when towing and can damage the hitch and trailer frame over time. Bars with chains are tunable and come in various strengths and weights. If the proper bar is installed, it will be parallel with the frame of the trailer.
NOT CHECKING BRAKES:
Trailer brakes are one of the most overlooked parts of the trailer system. The most common type is a drum design which uses an electromagnet cam and arm system instead of a hydraulic cylinder. The magnet can become worn and may need replaced often. Thinking trailer brakes don’t need serviced often is a common towing mistake. This is because trailer brakes don’t adjust automatically like truck brakes.
USING THE WRONG HITCH BALL:
Surprisingly enough, people will try to tow trailers behind them without a properly sized hitch ball. Standard bumper towing hitch balls come in the following sizes: 17⁄8 inch, 2 inch, and 25⁄16 inch. Each of these three standard sized hitch balls come with a different weight rating. If you are not sure which one to purchase, check the tongue or coupling on the trailer, as it should be stamped there.
NOT LOCKING UP:
Never assume that people won’t try to unhook your trailer and drive off with the trailer hitched to their pickup. Investing in a good lock will provide one extra step in keeping your trailer right where you want it…attached to your vehicle!
AVOIDING MAINTENANCE:
Just like automobiles, trailers need off-road care. Keeping axles greased and bearings inspected at all times is essential. Any metal-to-metal pieces like the ball hitch or tongue jack or landing gear need to be greased as well. Many common towing mistakes come from the idea that trailers don’t need to have any kind of upkeep of their parts or systems.
PULLING UNBALANCED LOADS:
Sway controls and hitch assemblies can only do so much, as there is no system that can properly load the trailer for you. As part of loading your trailer correctly, you need to make sure 60% of the weight is loaded on the front side of the trailer and 40% is in the rear. Knowing your gross trailer weight (GTW), gross axle weight rating (GAWR), and tongue weight (TW) will be helpful in your plan to distribute the weight in the most effective manner.
PARKING UNSAFELY:
When on a slope of any kind, don’t rely on the vehicle’s brakes alone when parking your trailer. Use parking blocks or wedges to add support and stabilization to your trailer. This will save wear and tear on your assembly, save your vehicle, and ensure your trailer doesn’t take an unexpected trip down the mountain without you.
At M&G Trailer Sales, we are committed to helping our customers find trailers that match the demands of the job and ability of the vehicles they own. We also carry a wide variety of trailer parts, accessories, and hitches to help you get the most out of your trailer. From new and used trailers, to parts and accessories, to trailer repair and service, let M&G Trailer Sales serve you!
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