This is the season for trailers. With the holidays coming up perhaps you’ll need a trailer to pick up that giant tree to fill your house with the holiday spirit? Maybe you and the fam are going to head out for an awesome snowmobile adventure when the first real snow (The light dusting last week DID NOT COUNT) of the season blankets the ground with frozen magic. Whatever reason for needing to tow, it’s going to be helpful to know how to hook up the trailer, U-Haul, or whatever to your vehicle. If you’re a first-time tow-er check out these helpful tips to set you up with the best towing experience OF YOUR YOUNG (or aged) LIFE!
HOOKING UP
Fortunately, the steps involved in hitching a trailer for basic jobs are pretty much the same. Having a vehicle that is able to tow will be a pretty crucial step here. Some solid towing vehicles include the Ram 1500, Jeep Compass, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. After checking your vehicle’s towing capacity and hitch weight rating for compatibility, you will then:
-
Back up the tow vehicle so the hitch ball lines up with the coupler on the trailer.
-
Lower the coupler until it completely covers the hitch ball.
-
Close the latch and insert the retaining pin.
-
Cross the trailer’s right safety chain under the tongue and connect to the left side of the tow vehicle’s hitch (making sure there is enough, but not too much, slack for turning around corners), and repeat the process with the opposite chain.
-
Plug in the lighting—which leads us to…
SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT
If you’ll notice, with the trailer attached, your directional, tail, and brake lights are blocked. So maybe you’re thinking, “ I guess the other drivers are going to be playing a high stakes game of turn signal and brake roulette.” Nope, nope, nope. That is SUUUPER unsafe. The law actually requires you to have the built-in lights (tail, brake and turn signals) on a trailer working in tandem with those on the tow vehicle. This will allow you to avoid trouble with law enforcement and make things a bit easier for your fellow drivers.
Some newer vehicles come with a plug-and-play connector to accept the wiring harness from the trailer, while others may need a more custom approach. Either way, make sure you’re all hooked up.
DRIVE MINDFULLY
Driving any large vehicle requires extra caution and care. So when you drive with a trailer that adds both length and weight to your vehicle, you definitely need to be careful! Here are a few tips for managing a larger load:
-
Do everything more slowly than normal, such as making turns or changing lanes, and ensure there’s enough room to maneuver.
-
Coming to a stop will take more time, so allow for that at lights and stop signs.
-
Hills can be tricky—climbing steep inclines may be more difficult, so if that’s the case, pull to the right and flash your hazards to alert other drivers. Shifting down a gear and using the engine to help brake can make descents easier.
If you need to tow this season, but don’t have a vehicle that can handle towing, stop by Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM of Clifton Park and we’ll be happy to help you find the right fit for your needs!
