I just want some tip and tricks, ive towed one trailer one time with my 03 explorer sport that i used to have but it it was a 4x8 utilitly trailer. Now im going to tow my camaro on a flat bed uhual trailer. Im 20 and i have never towed anything this big. i will be getting on the highway, afew actually. So tips and tricks please

 

I'm not much older than you (24) but I've towed a lot of trailers over the years: flatbeds, boats, cars, campers, etc.

These would be my few tips for an inexperienced "tow-er"


1. Make sure the load is secured correctly
2. Take your time, don't get in a hurry.
3. Remember your stopping for 2, so increase your following distance accordingly.
4. Make wide turns.

If the truck is struggling to maintain gear, take it out of overdrive.

Good luck, just use your head and you'll do fine!

 

Take it out of overdrive if your not on flat, speed constant road.

Slipping in and out of overdrive will basically get rid of overdrive after a while. But with that load, chances are its gonna need to be out of overdrive. Overdrive makes you lose probably 60% of your torque(guesstimation). So just leave it out and the engine wont have to work so hard at those low rpm's.

 

thanks guys! what tire pressure yall ussually keep the tires at?

 

make sure the load is distributed evenly, or else it will be swaying back and fourth behind your truck, and with a load of that size (a car+ trailer\) it could get ugly quick.
i believe you want 15% of the load as tongue weight? (someone correct me if im wrong) , better to have a little too much on the tongue , than not enough, trailer sway at 70mph is a bit scary

dont let people riding your *** force you to speed up, drive as fasst as you feel comfortable going. every time i tow my trailer , even if im doing 5mph OVER the speed limit, people still ride my ***, its like instinct to these idiots, they see a trailer and figure you are gona hold them up, so they ride your ***. let them. dont speed up for them , let them be idiots. its inevitable that you will have your *** ridden by at least several drivers on every trip, just try and ignore them, tap your brakes a few times (just so the lights come on) and if theyre smart theyll get the point , at this point though, ive just learned to completely ignore them

be ready to compensate for the larger trailer with much wider turns

check all your tire pressures before taking off, truck and trailer

 

Thank you also, what should the tire pressure be at? both truck and trailer

 

Whatever it says on the tires. How long is your trip?

 

Bout 10% on a normal trailer, and 15% on a uhaul trailer.

First time I ever drove it was pulling. Im 19 and do quite a bit of pulling. On a hill, gear that thing down to help you slow down. When climbing, get the transmission to kick down before the hill ( I'd say only needed on something more than 4%) and save your brakes for when you need them

 

So true. Only hit the brakes with intent to stop or slow down, dont ride the brakes down a hill or because youre tailgating(big no-no in towing). If you toast your breaks, start looking for a soft part in the ditch.

 

round trip no more than 150 miles. its short but still long enough to mess up