Tips for towing a trailer

[steppenwolf]

When backing watch trailer wheels and not body,they show true direction of where it is going,if confussed on which way to turn wheel while backing grab bottom of steering wheel with right hand and turn direction you want trailer to go and do smooth turns,cars or pickups turn very quickly.

Try to always back into your driveway from the street,you have whole street to swing cab around and not just a skinney driveway plus when pulling out you can see the road much better and not back out into that oncoming bike:D

[gixxie750]

its like this

There are people who can drive with a trailer and people who cant.

My tip is CHECK THE LUGNUTS ON THE TRAILER!!! Always check tire pressure and have a spare!

[SJC1000rr]

its like this

There are people who can drive with a trailer and people who cant.

My tip is CHECK THE LUGNUTS ON THE TRAILER!!! Always check tire pressure and have a spare!

I had a mental vision of some trailer going down the highway when the wheel comes off and sparks start flying everywhere while the drive is unloading into his pants watching it go to hell.

But seriously, those all good points. My addition to this would be to make sure the axles are properly greased so its running smooth.

[gixxie750]

the sad part is normally you wont hear of feel it,but you will see a random wheel pass you and think to yourself,that wheel looks familiar lol.

[steppenwolf]

I have seen a couple of trailers loose their wheel,(18 wheeler) while on the interstate..very dangerous.

All of our wheels were painted white so if a lug became loose it would show a little rust.

I lost a wheel once,didn't even know it,still had seven left on the trailer with a light load...but cb chatter got me alerted.It rolled across the interstate and landed near a truck stop...I was thankful no one hit it.

After that I always kept a close eye on the wheel lugs and that was back in '79..to this day I have not forgotten that lesson.

[Uncle Punk]

I had a trailer flat on every trip I made with a trailer for years until I got a spare.

[John]

But "insurance" is all about reasons they don't have to pay up. That's how they make a profit.

when you collect more in premiums than you pay in claims, thats called an underwriting profit. some companies make one, some do not.

then you have their "float", which is the money theyve collected in premiums, but have not had to pay out for losses yet.

you dont want this money just sitting around, so they invest it into stuff like commercial real estate, stocks, bonds etc etc. returns on these investments are where a substantial amount of their profit comes from.

obviously, this is very dependent on the economy too. you cant survive on float alone especially when the economy goes down, they try to tighten up underwriting standards, and rely less on float. meanings higher premiums when the economy is crappy. once the economy gets better, they loosen their standards, and start investing more.

[max power]

Also, watch out for pot holes!

I dumped Gumps S.S. Chevette on 33 in Nelsonville when I hit a pothole with the boat trailer and the suspension exploded dumping the boat onto the road at 45mph. Not good.

The city of Nelsontucky had to buy him a new trailer.

The boat somehow survived and still floated. Gotta love the old Glastrons.

[blake1221]

Max knows Trailers

and Gump is money

[max power]

Gump IS money.

[Strictly Street]

Do you have a fear of towing a trailer? Is your fear worsened when your're hauling motorcycles?

Just follow this easy step and you'll be fine...

1. pretend its not back there. Until you have to pass another vehicle, make a lane change, park, making a right turn or anytime you're in reverse.

Try this instead!

[Gump]

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Edited March 28, 2010 by Gump

[pkyle]

haha well Ill throw alil more advice out there even if there isnt a story comin.

make sure your front wheel has a blunt object to go up against, so when you tighten the straps the front suspension compresses. If not, the bike will move when you stop, eventually falling off the trailer. True story. I whitnessed it on 25a in troy. I helped pick the bike up in the intersection.

Ouch

[max power]

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[TSB67]

Based on my limited towing experience, here's a tip:

If your truck is only rated for 500lbs tounge load, you can't *really* tow a 7200lb trailer straight down the road on the hitch. At least not without some sort of trick load leveling device that I know nothing about.