Bigcat1185

iTrader: (1)

Ricktwuhk

Make sure your Payload sticker, on the door jamb, reads 1,200 or higher (it should).

Check trailer tires for condition and proper inflation.

Check spare also.

Make sure to have a jack for the trailer.

Don't exceed max speed indicated on trailer tire sidewall.

Read towing section of the manual, including how to setup trailer in the system and how to properly set the gain form the brakes.

Make sure all trailer lights are functional.

Store PDF version of manual on your phone for easy reference.

Mikeincalgary

D_D_in_KY

Wheel bearing on the boat trailer greased recently to be "up to snuff" for the trip.
Have seen enough trailer "breakdowns" along the interstate in my travels....Nice list Ricktwuhk!!!!

mtber

Make sure the boat is properly secured to the trailer including the front safety chain, not only the winch strap. Secure any items in the boat that could fly out. If outboard engine, it's a good idea to have a bracket to hold it midway (remember to remove it at the ramp!).

Stu Cazzo

^^^ This! Boat trailers spend time in and out of water - obviously! Not sure if yours is brand new or not but as the owner of three boat trailers the wheel bearings are by far the most important part (next to the hitch on the trailer. The bearings should be repacked regularly or look into a set of bearing buddies and maybe your trailer already has them - if so make sure to pump some grease through them.
Make sure you have a good spare tire, pumped up full of air.

This way you're not one of the ones on the side of the road 150 miles from nowhere that I see on my way home from the lake.

ruff rider

First you say the boat weights 5400 lbs and the tongue weight is 450 lbs. How do you know the tongue weight? If the boat is the weight you say you want a tongue weight of 540 lbs which is 10% to 810 lbs which is 15%. I like between 10-12% when I tow. I have a Weight Safe Hitch which has a built in scale so I know exactly what my tongue weight is for what I'm towing. This way I can adjust my load or adjust my hitch height to get the right tongue weight. Not having the right tongue weight can cause all kinds of problems.
I might have missed this from what others have written but make sure you cross your chains from the trailer to your truck.

Ricktwuhk

Boat trailer tongue weight is often 5 - 7%...

redranger04g

Tongue weight for boats are much less than TT

ccmead

Most of what you need to be aware of is already covered. Since we have a nearly identical truck be aware of getting your tongue weight correct and ensure your tire pressures are good. Towing our 4500 lb loaded boat and trailer it can take a while for the rear to settle down on the highways after hitting the bumps and the heaves we tend to have in the PNW. We tow across the cascades at least once a year, primary motivator for upgrading to bilsteins. Easy sell to the wife on the bilsteins once she experienced this at highway speeds. 2.7 pulls like a champ but sucks down the gas towing, especially if you're climbing through any passes.