If
You
Do
Decide
To
Pull
A
Trailer
If
you do, here
are
some important points:
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There
are
many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A
good source for
this
information can be state or provincial police.
You should always use a weight distributing
(equalizing) hitch if your trailer will weigh more
than 3,000 lbs.
(1
362 kg). Consider using sway
control if your loaded trailer will weigh 3,000 lbs.
(1
362
kg) or more. You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh 2,000 lbs.
(900
kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000
lbs.
(900
kg).
You
can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Trailers that weigh more than
1,000
lbs.
(454
kg)
should be equipped with trailer brakes.
Surge brakes may be used on some trailers (e.g., boat
trailers). However, surge brakes do not work well with
most sway control devices.
Do
not use sway control
devices on trailers equipped with surge brakes.
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Don’t tow
a
trailer at all during the first
1,000
miles
(1
600
km)
your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500
miles
(800
km)
that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50
mph
(80
km/h)
and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other
parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55
mph
(90
km/h))
to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts. Avoid continuous
operation in mountainous areas that have grades
greater than two percent for longer than
5
miles
(8
km).
Change axle lubricant annually or every
7,500
miles
(12
500
km)
of trailer towing, whichever occurs first.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight
of
the trailer tongue
and the total weight
on
your vehicle’s tires.
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