Your
Driving
and
the
Road
If
You
Do Decide
to
Pull a Trailer
(CONT.)
The bumpers on your vehicle are not
intended for hitches.
Do
not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-
mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Safety
Chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so
that the tongue
will not drop to the road
if
it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so
you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the
ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than
1,000
pounds
(450
kg) loaded, then it needs
its
own
brakes-and they must be
adequate.
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
If
your vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s
brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.
Even if your vehicle doesn’t have anti-
lock brakes, don’t tap into your
vehicle’s brake system if the trailer’s
brake system will use more than
0.02
cubic inch
(0.3
cc) of fluid from your
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