Are you new to towing a trailer or RV? Read on! Below, we cover essential towing strategies for an easier road trip.
Pay Attention to the Weight
Make sure you load the trailer properly. Sure, it may be a big RV, and you have a powerful truck that’s pulling it, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be careful with the weight. All vehicles have a maximum weight capacity, and since your trailer is already pretty heavy, it probably won’t take too much extra weight to put your truck over the limit.
You should stop at an RV weigh station after loading to make sure you’re okay, and of course, always remember to load evenly from side to side. Also, you need to load about 10-15% of the total weight in the front of the trailer and distribute the rest of the weight evenly throughout.
Maintain your Tires
One of the most important parts of your trailer is your tires. Just like with your tow vehicle, blowouts can be scary and when you’ve got all that weight behind you, you’ll want to avoid this as much as possible. Either have a tire pressure monitoring system installed or regularly check your tire pressure with a tire pressure gauge. While you’re at it, look at the treads for damage or excessive wearing. If you notice your tires are wearing unevenly, it could signal there’s a problem with your hitch or weight distribution.
Practicing
It’s one thing to read about proper camper towing. It’s another thing to go through the steps yourself. Give yourself time to practice towing before your first vacation. Head around a low-traffic neighborhood and practice accelerating, turning, and braking. It’ll build up that muscle memory and give you confidence on the road. Practice makes perfect after all!
If you have questions or want to get personalized shopping tips, visit RV Travel World. Our dealership is conveniently located in Roseville, CA and we look forward to helping you however we can on your upcoming RV journey!
