There are lots of reasons a camper might decide to choose a travel trailer rather than a self-powered motor coach.
It’s not just because travel trailers can be so much more affordable (given that you already have a capable tow vehicle).
Sure, it’s convenient — and, OK, maybe even a little fun — to be able to make a sandwich or use the restroom while your trusty driver is navigating your house on wheels down the road. And there’s something to be said for not having to do a whole lot to set up camp aside from, well, parking the dang thing.
But travel trailers allow you tons of flexibility and convenience that motorhomes lack. For one thing, you’ll automatically have a smaller, secondary vehicle available with which to explore your destination, which can become problematic if you’re in a large motorcoach and your regular car isn’t set up to tow.
Travel trailers also offer some of the very best bang for your buck in the way of living space and amenities. After all, travel trailers don’t have to devote any interior room or manufacturing budget to installing a cockpit or chassis, so their designers have more room to build out functional and luxurious features.
But one drawback of RVing with a trailer is the intimidation so many drivers feel creeping up on them when they so much as think about driving one. It makes sense. A travel trailer makes an already-large truck into a huge rig with a lever in the middle. How much more space do you need to leave for braking? Which way do you turn to back it up the right way, again? What if it jackknifes?
But before you send yourself into a tizzy, take a few deep breaths. Safe travel trailer and pop up camper towing is totally possible, so long as you follow safe trailering procedures. And we promise, it’s not as hard as you might imagine.
Here are some easy-to-follow towing safety tips that will help put your mind to ease on your upcoming travel trailer adventure.
Towing a Trailer
Never towed anything before in your life? Here’s where to start.
- Make sure you have a capable tow vehicle.
Just because your vehicle is equipped with a tow hitch doesn’t mean it’s got what it takes to tow your RV. And even some large, seemingly-capable trucks and SUVs have a surprisingly low towing capacity.
Instead of just hooking it up and hoping for the best, you need to find the official documentation about your vehicle’s towing capacity, and compare it to the weight of your trailer — including the weight of all the stuff you put into it! Although no one expects you to weigh out every piece of clothing or box of cereal you bring on board, a good rule of thumb to look for is the GVWR, which is the maximum total load weight the RV is rated for.
Make sure your towing capacity is at or above that number. Not only is it a safety concern, but it also voids many RV insurance policies if your tow vehicle doesn’t cut it.
Read Full Article Here: 5 Tips for Safely Towing a Travel Trailer
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