How to Safely Tow Your Travel Trailer
Travel trailers are fortunately some of the easiest trailers to learn to tow on! Their hitching mechanism is pretty straightforward and travel trailer owners rarely need to purchase a new vehicle or learn new controls to pull their trailer. However, for any first-time tower, there can be a bit of a learning curve. We here at Sunny Island RV want you and your trailer to have a long life, so we’ve included a few safety tips to keep you out of harm's way, and your new travel trailer tugging along!
Hitching Correctly
It’s extremely important that you hitch your travel trailer correctly to ensure the safety of yourself, your vehicle, and your trailer. Firstly, make sure to read the towing section of your travel trailer’s manual. If your hitch also came with a manual we advise you to read it as well. Both of these books will provide important hitching information and details. For example, not all hitches come with a hitch lock, but those that do must have their lock removed before you can attach your trailer. Also, ensure that you have the necessary tools to hitch your trailer. This will include items like wheel chocks, and even hitching lubricant. It's also advised that you have a car jack and a camera or friend to assist you in backing up your towing vehicle for hitching.
Prepping Your Trailer
There are a number of preparations we advise you to do before hitching and towing your trailer. Firstly, check your tires. Ensure that there are no punctures or extreme wear and that the current tire pressure meets the recommendations listed in your trailer’s manual. If you expect to run into inclement weather, such as ice and snow, be sure to use necessary provisions such as snow tires. All of this advice should also be applied to your towing vehicle!
As you begin to pack your trailer with your various cargo, make sure to do it in such a way that the trailer does not become unbalanced. Once again your manual should have helpful tips on how to keep your trailer’s weight evenly distributed. Once your trailer is packed we advise weighing it. The weight listed in your travel trailer’s manual does not include the added weight of your various items and passengers. If your trailer is too heavy you could damage it and your towing vehicle.
Prepping Your Skills
We also advise you to practice driving with your travel trailer. As is the case with most trailers, the larger they are the more likely they are to sway and potentially tip over. Hitch your trailer to your vehicle and practice driving in a large empty parking lot. Sharp turns and quick stops can tip your trailer. Practice making turns as well as stopping and starting at steady speeds. As we mentioned, a travel trailer is one of the easier trailers to learn to tow with. Many of the safe driving techniques you utilize in your car will do wonders in keeping you safe as you tow your trailer.
Check the Weather
It’s important to be prepared for inclement weather as ice or high winds can tip your trailer. Check the forecast regularly before and during your trip. While snow tires are a worthy investment for your trailer, sway arms can also be extremely helpful tools. Lastly, if you’re driving in inclement weather and are worried your trailer will tip, we advise you to pull over for a bit and allow the weather time to pass.
We hope these tips have been helpful in preparing you to tow your travel trailer safely. There are several helpful guides out there and we encourage you to do plenty of research to keep yourself and your property safe! However, if you live nearby in the cities of Chicago and Naperville, Illinois we encourage you to visit our dealership in Rockford and speak with an experienced team member about safely towing a trailer. They can answer any questions you may have while providing important technical information and other various tips.