Western Towing involves coupling a power source with a load. The power source can be a vehicle, animal, or even a human, and the load can be anything that can be pulled.
Towing carries its lingo and can be intimidating at first glance. However, it boils down to simple measurements and practices.
Towing is the act of pulling a vehicle behind another vehicle. It can be performed with a dedicated tow truck or with a large personal vehicle such as a pickup truck or SUV. Towing is important because it can help remove a disabled vehicle from traffic and onto a safe location for repairs. It also helps improve safety on the road by reducing congestion and allowing emergency services access to accident scenes.
Tow trucks are equipped with specialized hitches and safety chains to safely haul vehicles. They also have powerful winches that can lift or lower flatbeds and yokes for vehicle loading. Other equipment, like trailer brake controllers, can help tow vehicles more safely by managing the load’s braking system and maintaining proper tire pressure.
If you’re considering purchasing a new vehicle, you should pay special attention to its towing capacity. The number will tell you how much weight your vehicle can safely tow, but it’s important to understand that towing is more than just the number on a sticker or in your owner’s manual. It’s about combining the GVWR of the tow vehicle with the curb weight, maximum payload capacity, and hitch weight of the trailer.
Cars and crossover SUVs have lower towing capacities than trucks or pickups, but you can still use them for towing. Just be sure to consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual or manufacturer’s online tools to determine its towing capabilities before making a purchase.
When towing, you should always drive slowly and with extra caution compared to normal driving. You may need to leave greater following distances, and your braking ability will be reduced due to the additional weight. Make sure to distribute the weight evenly between the axles to minimize handling and rolling resistance.
Since towing puts a lot of stress on your tow vehicle and its components, it’s a good idea to perform a safety inspection before every towing trip. This should include checking the trailer’s safety chains and ensuring the hitch is secured. You should also have the oil and filters changed, the brake pads checked or replaced (if necessary), and the engine coolant topped off.
Safety Tips
Whether you’re hauling a family RV or a car trailer loaded with furniture, towing requires extra preparation and adherence to safety practices. The first step is understanding how much your vehicle and trailer can safely carry, which you can find by checking the manufacturer’s rating and subtracting the curb weight of the vehicle from its gross combined weight rating (GCWR).
It’s also crucial to make routine stops to retighten lug nuts and check air pressure for both the trailer tires and the tow vehicle. Having tires that are underinflated can generate excessive heat and lead to blowouts, while uneven tire wear can create an unstable load. Additionally, distributing heavy loads evenly throughout the trailer can improve stability and safety.
Another safety tip is to anticipate changes in cornering dynamics due to the added inertia from the trailer’s mass. Additionally, drivers should avoid sudden movements or slamming on the brakes as these actions can shift trailer cargo, leading to a dangerous situation known as trailer sway.
A final important safety tip is to use the proper technique for backing up a trailer. If you’re unfamiliar with the process, grab a friend to act as a spotter and head out into an empty parking lot to practice your skills. Also, be sure to leave plenty of space behind you when changing lanes or passing other vehicles on the road.
Additionally, when driving downhill, it’s important to slow down and shift gears to a lower gear, which helps stabilize the vehicle-trailer combination. Finally, when hauling live animals in the trailer, be careful not to accelerate or brake quickly as this can cause them to lose balance and fall off.
For more tips on safe trailer towing, check out this informative U-Haul booklet. With a little preparation and some practice, towing can be an easy and enjoyable experience. Just be sure to take the necessary steps to ensure your towing setup is secure and ready for the road! The right equipment, such as high visibility tow truck driver uniforms, can also help make your job more comfortable and safe.
Dead Weight
Anyone who has ever lifted a bottom-heavy box or carried a sleeping child knows the concept of dead weight. While many people may not know it, there is a difference between dead weight and towed weight. Knowing the difference can be crucial for your towing safety and the safety of others on the road with you.
Dead weight is a term used to describe the maximum amount of weight that a vehicle can haul with a basic ball hitch trailer coupling. The force of the added weight when using this type of hitch is localized on the rear axle of the towing vehicle. Exceeding the vehicle’s dead weight rating could cause the front of the trailer to leave the ground while you are driving down the highway, which can be very dangerous for everyone on board.
Towed weight is the total mass of a loaded trailer and any passengers in the towing vehicle. Towing safety is important because if your trailer’s weight exceeds the towing capacity of your vehicle, it can damage your transmission and lead to traffic accidents. It can also be very dangerous for other drivers on the road who may not be expecting a trailer to suddenly leave the ground.
If you’re not sure how much your vehicle can safely tow, check the information in your driver’s side door jamb or consult the owner’s manual. The manufacturer will specify the maximum trailer and passenger weight for your vehicle. You should always remove any items that are not needed before towing, as this will increase your load and potentially reduce your towing capability. Additionally, keeping your tires properly inflated is essential to avoid overexertion and tire wear. The extra weight of a trailer can also affect your suspension, making it harder to handle the turns of a highway.
Towed Weight
The towing capacity of a vehicle can be impacted by several factors, including the weight of passengers, cargo and trailer tongue weight. Knowing how your vehicle performs in these conditions can help ensure you don’t get pulled over or damage your vehicle or its components. Understanding industry acronyms like GVWR, UVW, GTW and GAWR can help you gauge the weight limit of your towing setup.
GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, is the maximum load your vehicle can safely carry with passengers and cargo. This includes the weight of the driver, passengers and any additional cargo you may have in your car. Typically, this number will be listed on your vehicle’s placard or in the manufacturer’s owner’s manual.
Dry weight is the actual heaviness of your vehicle or trailer before any cargo is loaded on it. It’s similar to curb weight but removes the weight of fluids and optional equipment. Knowing your dry weight can help you determine your initial payload capacity before a trip, as it can give you an accurate idea of how much you can haul before exceeding the maximum towing limit.
Curb weight is the weight of your vehicle as it comes from the factory, before adding any cargo or passengers. It’s the base weight of your vehicle and will include standard equipment as well as any essential fluids. This is the number that you will use to calculate your towing capacity, as it gives you a baseline for how much cargo you can add to your vehicle.
If your vehicle’s GVWR is exceeded, you can damage your vehicle’s suspension system and other components. In some cases, you may even be subject to a fine for overloading your vehicle. Fortunately, determining your GVWR is easy – just consult your owner’s manual or look inside the driver’s door jam to find the information you need.
GAWR, or gross axle weight rating, is the maximum amount of weight your vehicle’s axles can support, taking into account the weight of passengers, cargo and any attached trailer. This number is usually listed on your vehicle’s placard or under the driver’s side door.