So, you just bought that beautiful brand new 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 and before you’re used to that awesome new truck smell, you need to hook up the trailer and use that gorgeous hunk of metal like a…well, like a truck. Maybe it’s been awhile, maybe you don’t have much experience hauling a trailer, or it could be you’ve never had the opportunity to do any towing at all, so today I thought we could cover some do’s and don’t’s of hauling a trailer.
One of those nasty little surprises that creep up on you when you haul a trailer for the first time is that first time you have to back up. What was so easy now becomes complicated and nightmarish if you don’t keep your wits about you. A lot of folks who are seasoned trailer haulers will look for any entrance or exit that will allow them to pull through without reversing. Definitely think about that when pulling up to the fuel pumps on the road. A lot of gas stations on the highways are sized for trailers and RV’s these days, but the older neighborhood convenience stores don’t seem to have that sort of space luxury. Tips for reversing successfully are to steer from the bottom of the wheel, and do everything slowly!
You might not consider weight and weight placement to be a factor when towing, but baby you’d be wrong! When loading a trailer, remember to load it with the weight centered on the trailer. By centered I mean in both a left/right AND forward and rear sense. You don’t want the trailer to tip on a turn, You don’t want too much weight to the rear which would cause the trailer to pull up on the hitch. You certainly don’t want too much weight forward which would cause the trailer to push down on the hitch thereby placing too much weight on the rear axle of your truck and even reducing steering authority by lifting the front wheels slightly.
These are just a couple of tips on hauling a trailer safely. Of course, there are plenty more and we’ll discuss them in the next blog, be safe out there y’all!
