Advice for first tow ever?

[Uplander]

Rebecca, It seems evident you have the wrong tow vehicle. The Toyota Highlander would handle your trailer and more....excellent choice.
In the interest of you safety please wait until you have the right vehicle and have it set up with the following: Brake controller, sway control, weight distribution.
If you had bought thru a dealer he would have made sure you were properly equipped before you hit the road. I know you have been on this board fishing for information before today and have been given a lot of advise. It seems you may still be confused. Your first tow should be a safe and happy experience but if you are not properly equipped it could be traumatic.

Again delay picking up the trailer until you have the proper tow vehicle with the required equipment installed and instructions on how to use that equipment.
Better safe than sorry.....good luck.

I am 69years old, have towed a camp trailer since 1983 ...well over 100,000 miles without an accident. I feel I know enough to offer advise. My best advise is to start with proper complete instructions and the right equipment. Trailer camping and towing should be both fun and safe.

Happy Camping.

[TomandCallie]

How times have changed!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...711de6c513.jpg

[Teal]

Hi Rebecca,

I researched a lot before buying my Scamp 16... I towed first last holiday season. One thing I would be concerned with is your vehicle. I have a 6cyl Toyota Highlander... and found via Vin research my model was made with the tow pkg...which means a transmission cooler, upgraded radiator, and 3500 tow capacity.

I had the electric brake installed as welll, it was an investment $500... before spending that much I would look into your tow vehicle more and consider something with more towing capacity. Where are you traveling? If mountainous at all...I personally wouldn't do it with a 4 cyl. My mechanic doesn't even think my tranny cooler is much when it comes to towing., he thinks it should be beefier than it is. ... and he is a master. Don't forget that your load overall includes what's in your vehicle and the trailer...you'll be maxed out. I got lots oh great advice on thus site. Scour the feeds for info, especially on towing and hitch set ups.

Practicing backing is critical... small trailers are trickier than large ones and you can't always go forward if you know what I mean.

If I think of anything else particularly helpful I'll post to again. Another newbie traveling solo
....Teal

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Rebecca3

I will be towing with a 2008 Subaru Outback 4 cyl (114K miles), which runs well, and have purchased a 2012 Scamp 16 with A/C. Scamp dealer said I should be OK. Car rating is 2700 lbs, 200 on the hitch. I'll be picking it up by myself and will ensure it is as empty as possible so I can get an idea of how it'll all work. I have to tow it home first (about 700 miles). Then I will use the trailer for 3 month volunteer jobs at wildlife refuges. I started out shopping for Scamp 13s but ended up with a 16, which I think will work better for my type of use, plus I can get a different tow vehicle down the road if I need/want to.

I have never towed before and am watching all kinds of youtube videos to learn to tow. I'm having elect. and a brake controller installed this week. Will pick up the trailer in 2 weeks. I'm not sure how to use the brake so will research this...

Should I take it to a nearby RV dealership first to have them look over the hitch and setup before I leave the seller area? The seller said she'd take it in before I get there to be sure the tires are inflated properly.

I'll try to avoid rush hour traffic in any cities on the way... I will take my time and go slowly and carefully.

Anything else I should think about?

Rebecca,
We owned a Honda CRV when we bought our first trailer and would not have bought a trailer if we had to buy a new tow vehicle. It turned out to be a great tow vehicle. There are many that will discourage you but I'd try your present vehicle before I bought anything else.

We towed a Scamp 16 or equivalent for 8 years. We've towed 7 months a year. Our Scamp 16 weighs 2600 lbs; this includes a tongue weight of 200 lbs. For 7 of the years we towed with a 4 cylinder Honda CR with a manual transmission. We have been to every state and province.

We do not drive at high speeds, never more than 62 mph. We avoid cities and generally avoid crowded Interstates. We don't mind if we have to slow down on long hills, hills are relatively rare. We avoid bad weather. Don't drive in high winds, heavy rains or snow. Of course it happens but we avoid it when possible.

If you have an automatic transmission a transmission cooler is a must.

We do a number of things to improve the safety of our towing. We concentrate heavy items over the axle, like canned goods, and pots and pans. We carry clothes and other items at the ends of the trailer. We only have one battery and one propane tank. We always drive with a half tank of water. We inflate our trailer tires to 50 PSI . We increase the tire pressure of the tow vehicle by about 8-10 lbs over manufacturer's suggested pressures.

We do have an anti-sway bar, not because our trailer's ever swayed (we've towed 1000s of miles without one) but for the inevitable emergency.

We weigh our tongue every year and it's always in the 195 to 205 lb range.

Our trailer has more extra storage than most, we have not sought to make it super light. The load on the axle is 2400 lbs, (2600-200).

Here's a link to our Scamp 16

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...a-46387-3.html

Other little things...we have tire pressure sensors on our trailer tires and a camera in the back window of our trailer to let us know what's really happening behind us.

If you find your vehicle inadequate get something else.

I'm always happy to answer questions about our experiences.

[Teal]

Hi! I found valuable info in your post to Rebecca. And... I'm impressed that you did well with a 4 cyl... I have heard the Honda CRV is capable. My Highlander is automatic with Overdrive... have been advised to not use overdrive when towing.

Curious about your rear camera... I would love that. What brand and how have you attached it to the Scamp?

My caution is more inexperience and all the advice I've received being new to towing a Scamp too. I am happy with my experience so far! Can't wait to get out there and travel.

Teal

[Civilguy]

One thing I would add to all the above is to check the lighting on the trailer periodically.

I once had a "brand new" tow vehicle wiring setup that turned out to have an open circuit on the connection between the tow vehicle battery and the trailer wiring adaptor. The installer had not properly connected one of the most critical connections. What this means is that after checking the trailer lights when we first hitched up, I was merrily towing for perhaps an hour or more (fortunately in daylight) with no brake lights or running lights on the trailer.

If alone, you can "check" the trailer brake lights by operating the flashing emergency lights and/or the turn signals. However, doing this is a 99.9% test; there are some rare potential problems (such as the brake switch in the tow vehicle failing) where this approach won't demonstrate the failure of the brake light circuit.

It's best to have someone that can actually step on the brake pedal while you check the lights. (Notice that I didn't say someone that someone can check the lights while you step on the pedal; you should be the one checking the lights as you are the one depending on this information.)

I have also depressed the brake pedal when alone by wedging a long-handled windshield squeegee between the front seat cushion and the pedal. The squeegee ends pads the contact with the seat upholstery so that can work pretty well.

Good luck on the trip. Hopefully it will turn out that all the "might happens" here from the forum will be the worst of it.

[Indiana Lynn]

If your tow vehicle doesn't have a rear camera, the tractor supply store has a $12 kit that is a stick with a ball that you put on the hitch on the car and another one that you put on the ball on the trailer, and they stick up far enough that, when you back up, you can see to line up the two balls. My second tip is: I was not able to back it by feel. I have to just force myself to focus on the simple rule that I put my hands on the bottom of the steering wheel and push the wheel in the direction that I want the back of the camper to go. When I do this, I back very well. When I put my hands up on the top of the steering wheel, things go awry. Good luck!

[Uncle Cereal]

Plenty of good information in this thread! I'm looking for a thread where there's a discussion about checking the torque of the wheels' lug nuts. Can anyone help?

I'll be pulling a 13' Boler with a 6 cyl Kia Rondo. I wanted to buy a transmission cooler but the guy told me that I might not need it. He installed a sticker on the transmission with 5 dots that change color as soon as the transmission reaches a certain temperature. No color change yet, but we haven't really tried the Boler (that is, we haven't tried a trip with the whole family and the luggage...). I'll monitor the sticker and get a cooler once we reach destination if needed.

[sharon_b]

Rebecca, I had a tire blow on my trip home with my egg. then I learned the jack for my truck didn't go small enough to go under the egg, & the lug nuts on the egg aren't the same as my truck. Thank God for that NC state trooper - he had a small jack, the right wrench & the patience of a saint! I would suggest a day trip (changing a tire at 2 am is not fun), stick to populated roads (in case you need help), bring a camper jack, multi-head lug wrench, an air pump, maybe bring a co-pilot for support, & go slow (an empty egg bounces all over the place!).
like the trooper said, "you got this for the adventure, right?"
good luck!

[Borden]

[QUOTE=Rebecca3;579882]I will be towing with a 2008 Subaru Outback 4 cyl (114K miles), which runs well, and have purchased a 2012 Scamp 16 with A/C. Scamp dealer said I should be OK. Car rating is 2700 lbs, 200 on the hitch. I'll be picking it up by myself and will ensure it is as empty as possible so I can get an idea of how it'll all work. I have to tow it home first (about 700 miles). Then I will use the trailer for 3 month volunteer jobs at wildlife refuges. I started out shopping for Scamp 13s but ended up with a 16, which I think will work better for my type of use, plus I can get a different tow vehicle down the road if I need/want to.

I have never towed before and am watching all kinds of youtube videos to learn to tow. I'm having elect. and a brake controller installed this week. Will pick up the trailer in 2 weeks. I'm not sure how to use the brake so will research this...

Should I take it to a nearby RV dealership first to have them look over the hitch and setup before I leave the seller area? The seller said she'd take it in before I get there to be sure the tires are inflated properly.

I'll try to avoid rush hour traffic in any cities on the way... I will take my time and go slowly and carefully.

Anything else I should think about?[/QUOTE

We us a WD system with a sway bar they have models made for your size of trailer and they really help. The equalizer style is easyer as you can leave it hooked up while backing up.

Also consider having them check the trailers tires as they maybe car tires or just old. ST r Special trailer radials are made for the job at hand but not all will agree with purchasing the correct tire type. Include a new spare tire in your purchase

[disneydoc]

There is a lot to learn on this thread.

[Cheech00TS]

Hey Rebecca,

I've just purchased my first camper, a 13' Boler I may soon refer to as the Money Pit II, and my toe vehicle is a 2011 Subaru Impreza wagon. The Boler has just received a new axle with brakes, two new rims and tires, and I have my car outfitted with a brake controller. The brake controller works well, but my biggest annoyance is the "tugging" that occurs when I go over bumps and waves in the road. I've been reassured that this is due to the size of my car (weight and length) and that despite the tongue sitting slightly down towards the hitch, my experience is normal. It's really a different feeling though, so be warned.

If I'm not satisfied, I'll be upgrading my TV to a 2016 Outback that should be more than capable of handling our little Boler. Good luck with your new camper!

[Jon in AZ]

The "tugging" could be caused by too little weight on the tongue (which can cause other more serious problems). I'd check the tongue weight.

You might also check whether the drawbar has any play in the receiver.

[Cheech00TS]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

The "tugging" could be caused by too little weight on the tongue (which can cause other more serious problems). I'd check the tongue weight.

You might also check whether the drawbar has any play in the receiver.

Sorry to hijack this thread, I'll be starting my own... but as for tongue weight, my boler is pitched forward quite a bit from level so I'm sure that if anything my tongue weight would be higher than it should be. I'm searching for ways to level out the boler with the hope that it will smooth out the tow. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Cheech00TS

I'm searching for ways to level out the boler with the hope that it will smooth out the tow. Thanks for the suggestion.

You should not need to search to hard or far.

Simple park the car on level ground. Measure from the ground to the top of the ball & add 1" to that (to allow for the vehicle to drop with the trailers weight). Now park the trailer on level ground and level it. Measure it to the top of the coupler. The difference will tell you how much or a rise or drop you will need on your hitch.

In your case I am going to suggest its a ball receiver with a rise (maybe as much as a 4" or more) you are after. Available at most Walmarts. Keep in mind most receivers with a drop can be mounted upside down for a rise - the rise spec is usually less than the drop though.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Cheech00TS

...but as for tongue weight, my boler is pitched forward quite a bit from level so I'm sure that if anything my tongue weight would be higher than it should be...

Getting the attitude level is good, but I doubt it will stop the tugging, since you're already nose-down. I really think you need to investigate your tongue weight. What is mounted on the tongue at this point?

Got a bathroom scale? As long as it goes to 250 pounds or more, you should be able to measure TW directly by setting the base of the jack on a board on the scale. I would expect 125-150 pounds for an empty trailer; and 150-200 pounds fully loaded for camping.

Better yet, take the whole trailer to a commercial scale and weigh it. The tongue weight should be 10-12% of the total weight of the trailer.

All that said, my empty trailer does buck a bit, even with a battery and propane tank on the tongue. The short ball-to-axle distance make it more prone to pitching movements. It smooths out noticeably when loaded. A device to tighten the drawbar in the receiver helps, too.