How To Tow a Trailer with Your Car
How to Safely Tow a Trailer with Your Car
Many cars are capable of towing a trailer, especially full-size sedans and larger cars. Yet it shouldn't come as a surprise to find out that not every vehicle can accommodate a tow behind trailer safely. Following are some considerations if you’re thinking about using your car to tow your trailer—whether it’s a boat trailer, horse trailer, small camper trailer, or a trailer for work—from the tire experts at Treadworld.
When It Comes to Towing a Trailer, Safety Should Be Your Primary Concern
Let’s get this out of the way immediately. Towing can create dangerous situations and you should take care at each step of the process. Towing a load makes your vehicle harder to control, makes it slower to accelerate and also makes turning and stopping more challenging. Additionally, exceeding your vehicle’s towing capacity will stress your vehicle’s engine, transmission, and brakes beyond the design limits. Don’t exceed your towing capacity. In fact, many experts recommend you stay 10-20% below the stated towing capacity to allow you maximum maneuverability when faced with situations like a suddenly braking car in front of you. Check your tires regularly to be certain they are holding up, and also regularly check your load to be certain it hasn’t shifted and become unbalanced.
Start By Identifying Your Car’s Towing Capacity
Your car’s Vehicle Towing Capacity rating—if it has one—will likely be included in the owner's manual. Conversely, the manual may instead tell you that “towing isn’t recommended with this vehicle,” which means—it’s time to rent a truck that can handle tow behind trailers. If towing is possible, read the parameters carefully so you know what conditions the stated towing capacity-includes because every pound counts when it comes to towing safety. Practical towing limits are lower than stated towing capacity, which is a “best case” maximum. Just one example—many manufacturers’ towing capacity estimates are based on one driver who weighs 150 pounds. So, if you weigh more than that, have three passengers and are carrying luggage or equipment, that weight counts toward your towing capacity. You’ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which provides you with a limit based not only on the weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo, but also the trailer and its load. This rating is determined by the manufacturer based on your car’s frame, suspension, drivetrain and other factors, so you don’t want to exceed this guideline.
Install the Best Towing Equipment on Your Car
You will need to install the right towing equipment, a trailer hitch receiver mounted to the frame of your vehicle, since your car most likely wasn’t built with a tow hitch. To select the right hitch, you will need to know what trailer you’ll be towing to be sure the connection components match. Most vehicles can be fit with a hitch, but not all, so be sure you buy a hitch that fits your specific vehicle. Most hitches are fairly easy to install, bolting onto your vehicle with basic tools. Hitches are composed of a ball mount made up a shank and a trailer ball platform, where the shank inserts into the hitch receiver tube attached to the vehicle, while the platform provides a solid mounting point for a trailer ball; and a trailer ball that serves as the immediate connection point between your vehicle and trailer, consisting of a metal ball and a threaded shank or stem. Connected to the trailer coupler, a trailer ball allows you to turn corners and travel smoothly over bumps and hills. Each component should be stamped or labeled with weight ratings that must meet or exceed the vehicle’s tow rating. You’ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which provides you with a limit based not only on the weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo, but also the trailer and its load. This rating is determined by the manufacturer based on your car’s frame, suspension, drivetrain and other factors, so you don’t want to exceed this guideline.
Be Sure You Have Towing Visibility
Being able to see the rear of your trailer is essential to avoiding accidents while towing. Since standard mirrors don’t always allow you to see your trailer and what’s going on behind it, you may need to outfit your car with extended mirrors that increase your visibility and help eliminate blind spots. It’s a good idea to check the laws in your state because most states require you to be able to see beyond the rear of their trailer to a specific distance.Hitches are composed of a ball mount made up a shank and a trailer ball platform, where the shank inserts into the hitch receiver tube attached to the vehicle, while the platform provides a solid mounting point for a trailer ball; and a trailer ball that serves as the immediate connection point between your vehicle and trailer, consisting of a metal ball and a threaded shank or stem. Connected to the trailer coupler, a trailer ball allows you to turn corners and travel smoothly over bumps and hills. Each component should be stamped or labeled with weight ratings that must meet or exceed the vehicle’s tow rating. You’ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which provides you with a limit based not only on the weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo, but also the trailer and its load. This rating is determined by the manufacturer based on your car’s frame, suspension, drivetrain and other factors, so you don’t want to exceed this guideline.
Check Your Trailer Wheels and Tires—Often
Before you set out on any trip, it's always a good idea to check your trailer tires for both proper pressure and excessive treadwear—then check the pressure regularly because incorrect inflation can cause problems in handling, along with sidewall cracking, unusual tread deterioration and overheating that can lead to blowouts. As you drive, do what you can to avoid potholes, logs, curbs, and rocks, as the persistent scraping and impact will wear the rubber in your tires down. You’ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which provides you with a limit based not only on the weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo, but also the trailer and its load. This rating is determined by the manufacturer based on your car’s frame, suspension, drivetrain and other factors, so you don’t want to exceed this guideline.
When You Need Trailer Tires, Treadworld Is Here to Help
If you’re not sure you have the best trailer tires for you, or you’re looking for replacement trailer tires or trailer wheels and tires, depend on us here at Treadworld to provide you with exactly you want, from our wide range of styles and huge selection of sizes. All our RubberMaster Trailer Tires are manufactured to strict tolerances from top rubber compounds, then triple-tested for quality, balance and uniformity before being X-rayed to be sure they’re perfect. Count on easy ordering, fast shipping plus your satisfaction is guaranteed with our no-hassle Ultimate Advantage Warranty. Don’t hesitate to contact our tire experts via live chat or email with any questions you may have, and to get the ideal trailer tires—or the perfect ATV tires, UTV tires, lawn and garden tires, and many others—from our extensive selection.You’ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), which provides you with a limit based not only on the weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo, but also the trailer and its load. This rating is determined by the manufacturer based on your car’s frame, suspension, drivetrain and other factors, so you don’t want to exceed this guideline.
