What extra steps do you take to secure your trailer? So you double check the coupler, you hook up the trailer chains, and you make sure the harness has enough slack.
What else do you do? I get nervous with trailers and primarily want to have a little something extra in case of an accidental decoupling. Anybody toss a chain or cable over the coupler?. I hae a 3-way ball hitch, so thats likely my way to go.
Yes, I know I'm paranoid.
Make sure you have good chains and good connectors. Not just an S hook to loop over something. #1 thing is to make sure your lights work.
I make sure the chains are crossed, tires have air in them, and a quick trip around the block, if I have the time.
Don't forget a spare and the tools to remove a tire.
N Sperlo wrote: What extra steps do you take to secure your trailer? So you double check the coupler, you hook up the trailer chains, and you make sure the harness has enough slack. What else do you do? I get nervous with trailers and primarily want to have a little something extra in case of an accidental decoupling. Anybody toss a chain or cable over the coupler?. I hae a 3-way ball hitch, so thats likely my way to go. Yes, I know I'm paranoid.
Being paranoid is OK. I once picked up a new 24' enclosed at the factory and about 100 miles later hit a good bump on the highway. Defective hitch latch broke and the trailer popped off the hitch ball and then instantly ground through the safety chains because of the position the trailer chain mounts were welded on the bottom of the trailer frame.
I touched the truck brakes before the electric trailer brakes were activated by the safety wire. Gently braked and guided the trailer off the highway not realizing the chains were ground through and the hand jack on the trailer was bent up against the truck bumper and hitch frame allowing me to guide the trailer. Fun night on the side of I-20 in Atlanta. Bought a weight distribution setup so there's an added level of attachment.
Make sure the lug nuts are tight.
Check them again within 50-100 miles.
I was this >< close to launching a wheel at 70MPH recently because I didn't tighten them enough (used an impact instead of by hand).
-Rob
I try to drive about 5 miles and stop to check all connections, wheels, bearings and straps. I remember to do that about 75% of the time.
Have really good insurance, NEVER tow beyond max rating for your vehicle, if you don't know what that is, talk to you insurance carrier...
I always stop for a coffee in town when I'm towing. This gives me a chance to double check things and take a walk around the trailer to make sure nothing seems amiss after a few miles of low-speed travel.
As much as I hate to admit it, I did have trailer come unhitched once. It was still attacehd with the sfafety chains, but slammed against the truck several times before I could stop. Apparently I had forgotten to fip down the lever thingamajigger. I had traveled maybe 15 miles like that and it only came off when I crossed a major intersection that had a really rough crossing.
Be sure to check that the safety chains do not have too much slack. You need then high enough to catch the trailer htch before it hits the pavement.
When I was in trucking you'd be surprised at how many people towing would have their safety chains dragging becaue of all the extra slack.
Also, get a carabiner-type clip link ot a screw-shut link and use it to lock down the latch just in case its over-center locking feature fails.
If the trailer has brakes, make sure the 12v breakaway box battery is good and the breakaway system works. You should be able to pull the cable, which will pull the pin, and then go listen at the trailer wheels for the brakes to be activated. It's a last resort feature, but also one of those things that "when you need it, you really need it!"
By virtue of your post, chances are good that you'll pay attention and not get sloppy with the hookup, and most likely never have an issue.
I lock my hitch on of off the truck. Like others said i triple check the wiring is hooked up and check the light really do work. I then check all 11 tires, truck trailer and SPARES don't forget the air the spares. I like to have 2 trailer spares as when one blows it tends to overload the axle next to it. BTDT... After checking air pressures i do a lug torque test on all lugs. Both torque wrench and sockets are dedicated units keep under the back seat in the truck. Then I'll pull the trailer "lock an chocks"
I start the truck and wait to see "TRAILER CONNECTED" then i push the button to show trailer brake power setting. pull out on to the road and hit the manual to full and see if trailer stops the truck.
I get super paranoid trailering. I stop and check frequently to make sure the load hasn't shifted. Trailer sway control can add a few more contact points.
I had a trailer where the coupler required multiple turns of a handle. Never again. I forgot and lost the trailer. Check everything, then check it again, then check it every time you stop.
NO!
Once or twice a year you should also loosen and then tighten the lug nuts/lug bolt maybe even adding a bit of oil or anti-seize. A lot of times the lug nuts/lug bolts on a trailer are exposed they tend to get rusted up making it almost impossible to change a tire on the side of the road with a lug wrench. Also think about how tight a impact wrench is tightening the lug nuts when you will have to use a lug wrench on the side of the road.
Except that f you don't forget, the knob-type of coupler is the least likely to fail and come unhooked.
My father had several couplers that he took apart and modified (1/2" drill to turn a slot into a hole) so that he could replace the over-centering type of latch with a bolt up from the bottom and a forged nut/handle thingy (looks like a half of a wing-nut, with a 4" wing) so they would work like the knob ones. He would drill a hole in the end of the handle so one of the small bungy cords that everyone throws away from the 15-pc kits could wrap around the tongue just to keep it from spinning loose. Never had any issues in hundreds of thousands of miles.
I'm a checklist kind of guy thanks to my Navy days. If you are really paranoid add a water-tight box (I use ammo cans) somewhere on the trailer and toss in a laminated copy of everything you would like to remember to check, from lights to bearings to chains. Make 3 columns minimum: pre-roll, 5-mile, and every stop thereafter. Include a dry-wipe pen or crayon and actually use the list. When you have the trailer attached leave it on the dash as a reminder. Use the same watertight box to store the trailer registration and a log of when maintenance was done last, along with spare light bulbs, wiring, chain couplers, grease, and the like.
My trailer has a slide type not the knob or the flip down type once its down and slide back to drop down and lock it can not be undone. But i do use it with a 1500 lbs set of torstion bars and i lift the back end of the truck and trailer to make snapping up the bars easier and it test the ball latch at same time. I've got a Blue Ox hitch kit figured if i was going to buy a WD set up i might as well buy the best and buy it once.
http://www.blueox.us/p-1181-swaypro-clamp-on.aspx Mine was bought just as the new roll up chain clamps came out...Was clearance priced. I have since seen the roll up chain mounts and when i have spare cash will buy them.
I prefer the Bulldog style couplers, they hold on quite well. Bulldog coupler: http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Coupler/Bulldog/BD028287.html
Also, make sure the hitch ball is strong enough too, there are some cheap ones out there. Overkill is a good thing with trailers.
81cpcamaro wrote: Also, make sure the hitch ball is strong enough too, there are some cheap ones out there. Overkill is a good thing with trailers.
Yes +1 on that some balls out there are pure chromed crap. Get one that is load rated for more then the trailer. Mine is load rated for the 25000 lbs
I once rented a Uhaul truck with a trailer for work (truck had the goods.. open trailer carried a scissor lift) On the way to the shop to pick everything up, the ball's nut undid itself and came out of the truck's bumper.. dropping the whole thing to the ground. Being a loud and crude Uhaul.. I had no clue until I got pulled over.
Cop wanted to write me up badly.. but decided not to when I showed him the paperwork that I literally just picked it up 10 minutes before
Make sure your tires are in good shape and properly inflated, use a good dial type gauge that isn't maxed out at trailer tire pressures.
I once had a trailer with no safety chains uncouple and pass me going down a hill. It's a really bad feeling to be helplessly watching that thing careening into oblivion. The tongue went into an embankment, and the trailer rolled end over end.
No one was hurt.
There is nothing more important than good safety chains.
A couple of people have said it, but let me clarify... the safety chains should criss-cross under the tongue so if it jumps off the ball, the chains create a sling to catch the tongue.
But ANY chains are better than no chains. I will never, never, NEVER tow without chains again. I'd rather have the trailer tied to my truck and dragging on the ground then ever have to watch something like that again.
I also feel strongly about balancing the load properly (often overlooked).
Sometimes, people who are paranoid about becoming unhitched load the trailer too heavy on the front (to try to avoid jumping off the ball). This only succeeds in exceeding the recommended tongue weight and lifting the front of the tow vehicle, which badly affects handling.
The opposite is just as bad. A trailer with too much weight on the tail will be prone to violent fishtailing and whipping.
The weight should be close to balanced over the trailer axles, with it just a little bit heavy on the ball. Technically, tongue weight should be 10-15% of the overall load. So, a 5000 lb trailer should have a 500- 750 lb tongue weight.
Great timing.....towing over Loveland and Vail pass tomorrow.....time to double check stuff.
Rog
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