What lessons have you learned over the years about towing...

[Byron Kinnaman]

What I've learned over the past 10 years and almost 100,000 miles of towing. There's a lot of misinformation based on paranoia out there.
Some other things that might be missed. One the importance of working trailer brakes no matter the size of the trailer. The main purpose of trailer brakes is NOT to stop but to keep the trailer behind the tow.
Tow at reasonable speeds, well below the maximum trailer tire rated speed.
Relax and stop fretting.
That's about it. Of course there's all the laws and safety observations but those should be understood and observed before the first time towing.

[honda03842]

With you on the brakes. Part of my mental check list is to activate just the trailer brakes as we're slowly driving away from the campsite.

A 'miracle' of the small trailer is you can pull into most anywhere, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, just about any gas station particularly after driving a 32 foot motorhome towing a 16 foot car.

[theresa p]

It's my husband who is the towing expert. And he truly does a magnificent job at it. One of the things I most admire is his ability to back up any trailer on a dime. I am constantly in awe. What I have learned during my (feeble) attempts ...... don't be afraid to try over and over and over, not worrying about who might be watching. And always pull far enough ahead --farther than one might think they have to---to increase the success of backing into a space.

[MCDenny]

My simple little tip is: count the connections between tug and tow. Touch and count every time you hook up.

When hooking up I always lower the tongue onto the ball and then keep cranking until the tongue jack is stowed, then connect seven things, then touch them as I count to seven


Denny Wolfe
Wanderingourway.wordpress.com

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by MCDenny

My simple little tip is: count the connections between tug and tow. Touch and count every time you hook up.

When hooking up I always lower the tongue onto the ball and then keep cranking until the tongue jack is stowed, then connect seven things, then touch them as I count to seven

Denny Wolfe
Wanderingourway.wordpress.com

Denny,

I add a couple of steps.

When hooking up I always lower the tongue onto the ball, lock the ball, and try to jack the trailer off the ball. This is a test of the ball receiver lock.

[piperjim]

My Dodge Ram auto tranny had to be rebuilt at 120K miles. When I picked it up I asked the mechanic, "How can I get the maximum mileage out of this rebuilt tranny?"

He said he has 3 rules:

1. Add an auxiliary transmission fluid cooler. The factory tow packages sometimes have them, sometimes they don't. If the tow vehicle doesn't have an auxiliary cooler, add one.

2. Service the transmission fluid & filter as recommended by the manufacturer.

3. When towing, or carrying more than a few hundred lbs in the truck bed, kick off the overdrive. Kick it off even if you're driving empty and into a headwind, or going up hill, even if it's not a 7% grade. Never tow in overdrive.

I've since put 190K on that rebuilt tranny and it's still going!

As others have stated, a checklist seems to help me!! I keep a clipboard with a checklist, and go over it twice. (Don't ask me how I learned this).

I also use synthetic motor oil in my TV and attribute that to achieving over 300K on my truck. I can't prove that, but that's what I believe.

Thanks,
piperjim

2002 Scamp 19 5'er

[Byron Kinnaman]

Less is more. Less stuff is more relaxing time, more fuss free time. More opportunities to meet and learn about your neighbors. More time for to wander freely. To me the trailer is a tool to get me to places I would never have seen, therefore less is more places to be seen.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Denny,

I add a couple of steps.

When hooking up I always lower the tongue onto the ball, lock the ball, and try to jack the trailer off the ball. This is a test of the ball receiver lock.

I saw my dad doing that check way back in the 60's. It is a good one.

[Paul O.]

Use the checklist and try to do things in the same order every time.

If you have a helper you may lose track of things, so go over the checklist twice. (The value of the help may be diminished until the orchestration is perfect.)

Take one more look around and under both the truck and the trailer before pulling out.

[The Minimalist]

"Build a before you tow pre-flight check list it can save your bacon especially if like me your stuck prepping for a tow at the last minute."

There have been several mentions of checklists. Lest we forget, there is a complete one listed in the Documents Center:

Fiberglass RV - Document Center - arrival and departure checklist

Some of the items may not apply to your rig, but it is a great guide for building your own custom check list.

My basic rules are: keep it simple, choose items that are multi-use and carry spares of critical stuff. Oh, and need I say it; check, check, and check again.

Happy travels.

[FRED SMAILES]

Tilt the interior mirror up so you can't see anything in it!
That way the big white thing behind you won't scare the sh!t out of you
when your half a sleep on the interstate!! lol

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by FRED SMAILES

Tilt the interior mirror up so you can't see anything in it!
That way the big white thing behind you won't scare the sh!t out of you
when your half a sleep on the interstate!! lol

Interesting idea. I like to look at the edge of the gravel guard to make sure the trailer is still level. So far it's always been level.
If I find myself half asleep on the interstate I start looking for a rest area and some sleep. Day time no more than 1/2 hour. Night time 5 to 6 hours. Then I'm good to go for a few more hours.

Speaking rest areas, I find an excuse to stop after driving between 2 and 3 hours. My full day of driving goes about like this, note it cast is stone. Get up and drive for a couple hours, stop for breakfast (truck stops work good), then in an hour or two a rest area, another couple hours or so, lunch where I can park the trailer, again an hour or two a rest area, another couple hours it's dinner time. After dinner a couple hours then a rest area, then sometime later another rest area for 5 to 6 hours sleep in the bed. At any point a short nap at anyplace where I can get out of traffic. One needs to remind yourself that you're doing this for fun and therefore there's no hurry, or must get there on time requirements. That was probably the hardest lesson to learn. No rushing, no excuses for rushing.

[Andrew Gibbens]

Only back up when there is no-one to watch you - you will do it like an expert.

[Paul O.]

Byron, I like your approach to long distance travel. How many miles do you cover on some of those longer trips?

[EllPea in CA]

I'm not speaking from experience, but seeking info from those with experience...

In reading through this thread I saw someone mention that the dual axle trailer handled much better. I always thought the single axle meant a lighter weight trailer; therefore I've only *shopped* for single axles.

Am I wrong about this? Is a dual axle more of an upgrade, and would I find one that is lightweight enough for my TV while handling better?

Thanks (apologies if I've posted in the wrong place)!

LP

[Glenn Baglo]

Dual axle is twice as many tires to buy, twice the bearings to repack etc., and more weight and rolling resistance.

[cpaharley2008]

But also they are half as much effort to tow, the dual axles will track truer, less sway and the inside contents are not as in a state of disarray. I vote for 2...

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Dual axle is twice as many tires to buy, twice the bearings to repack etc., and more weight and rolling resistance.

So, Glenn, are you recommending we stick with a single axle? Hubby is a tire man (he loves the smell of rubber in the morning), and repacks the bearings in our boat trailer, so I don't think this would deter him.

But it is more weight, so I guess the question is would the improved handling make the weight worthwhile?

[Bob Miller]

This isn't a Chicken or an Egg question. Dual axle trailers have dual axles usually because they weigh to much for just two tires.


We full-timed for a year in the 70's with a very heavy 25' Airstream that had a single axle and when we had to buy a new set of tires we played havoc finding a set rated high enough and we were still at about 90% of their rated capacity at that.

[Donna D.]

I have two trailers, one of each. Neither is difficult to tow and both take me places I want to go. I'd say, it's more about where you go and the memories along the way than if the trailer has two tires or four. YMMV