There are many parts to the towing equation and one of those parts is your trailer axles. Here are some great tips to help you tow safely.
Before your trip you need to do a safety inspection. Check that
1. Your hitch coupler is secure
2. The pin that secure the ball mount to the receiver is correctly attached
3. The safety chains are correctly attached
4. The electrical connection for your lights is properly hooked up
And of course safe towing also means your tow vehicle is adequate for the job and properly matches your trailer. It also means the trailer needs to be equipped correctly. There are three basic trailer types.
1. Tent and cargo trailers
You can use a ball and socket, ball with swivel, universal joint type with detachable pin, or a pin and swivel style. The coupling needs to be free moving, non slip, that’s easy to hook and unhook.
When you are towing you need to remember that you may need to stay closer to the center of the road because of your trailer width. Watch for uneven road surfaces that can pull your trailer around and cause unsafe conditions.
2. Fifth Wheel trailers
Fifth wheel trailers are incredibly stable with the biggest disadvantage being the unavailability of the truck box because the hitch occupies so much of the bed. Hitch weight is generally 20% of the trailer rate and the hitches are usually rated for 15,000 pounds gross trailer weight.
3. Conventional trailers
The ball and coupler hitch is relatively conventional with the ball attaching to the rear of the tow vehicle and a coupler at the tip of the tongue. This is a very common hitch for recreational vehicles.
For heavier models a load distributing hitch is often used. This style of hitch used special equipment to distribute the tongue load to all of the axles on the tow vehicle and trailer.
You will want to weigh your trailer at a scale to ensure your load is properly distributed over the front and rear axle as well as from left to right. You also need to check your hitch weight rating and the rating of your tow vehicle.
Both the hitch and the tow vehicle have weight restrictions attached to them to ensure you are operating safely. It is your responsibility to know these ratings and ensure you are within them.
You cannot exceed the GVWR of your tow vehicle which includes not only the curb weight of the vehicle but also the hitch weight and the payload.
The trailer vehicle hitch weight is approx. 10% of the trailers gross weight and it is designed to be loaded ahead of the front axle for stability.
It is important to weigh your trailer at the scales once it is loaded for your trip. Your load needs to be evenly distributed over your trailer axles and you need to make certain the hitch does not drop more than one inch.
There are many parts to the towing equation including trailer axles. You want to travel safely don’t you?
