SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAILER TOWING
Now that the weather is starting to warm up, many people will start pulling their RVs out of storage so they can start camping again. Or, if you don’t have an RV, you may be looking around to get a trailer of your own. Trailers are a great way to experience new things and visit new places in a fun and unique way. However, getting there can be a little tricky, especially for first time owners. Towing a trailer may be difficult at first, but with the right mindset and a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time.
Jubilee RV Centre has provided some towing tips to help you get started, but if you need additional advice, stop by our location in Kamloops, British Columbia and talk to one of our staff members about some of their personal tricks. We proudly serve Vancouver, Kelowna, and Prince George.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOW VEHICLE
Before we get into the trailer, you’ll want to make sure you’re starting out on the right foot, meaning you have the right tow vehicle. These particular types of RVs are in many ways a breeze, because they use bumper pull hitches. The hitches are the kind that stick out behind the tow vehicle, creating a little gap between the the two vehicles. This means that campers are compatible with any kind of tow vehicle, but not necessarily the other way around.
The second step to choosing a tow vehicle is to make sure it can handle the extra weight it will be towing. This is going to be a bigger deal the bigger the RV gets. Familiarize yourself with your vehicle’s gross combined weight rating, or GCWR. This is the maximum amount of weight your entire unit should be, as determined by the tow vehicle manufacturer. It will including the tow vehicle, the towed vehicle (in this case, the RV), cargo, and passengers. Exceeding these weight limits not only presents a danger to yourself and other commuters, it’s also illegal. Make sure that you’ve got the right tow vehicle, or that you can invest in the right one, before getting attached to a trailer model.
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
When you have the right tow vehicle and it’s time to load up your trailer, you’ll want to be mindful of how you distribute your cargo weight. If your trailer is too heavy on one side, it may make driving difficult and even dangerous. You’ll want to distribute the weight evenly from left to right.
From front to back, use the 60/40 rule: 60% of the total weight should be in the front half of the trailer, near the hitch, and the remaining 40% should taper off the back half. In fact, many people suggest you put anywhere from 10-20% of the overall weight as close to the hitch as possible. This will mean the camper will lean forward slightly, but it’s got the hitch to balance things out. If you put too much weight in the back, it’ll raise the front part of trailer and create a sway risk.
Don’t make driving harder than it already is and keep everyone around you safe and secure by being mindful of your weight.
PRACTICE
When it’s time to start driving, plan your prep so your first time on the road isn’t the day of the big trip. In fact, you should spend weeks practicing towing so you can be confident behind the wheel when it matters most. Find a large, empty parking lot and relearn some basic driving skills with a trailer, like reversing, braking, parking, and turning. You may also want to get used to highway driving, although you’ll want to find a time of day when traffic is relatively low.
With all this in mind, you should be ready to start towing your trailer to your next vacation destination. Don’t have the RV you want? Stop by Jubilee RV Centre and we’ll help you find the perfect model for you and your family. We’re in Kamloops, British Columbia, near Vancouver, Kelowna, and Prince George.