Low Price Trailers of San Antonio

Trailer check list

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:17:00 +0000

Check and re-torque your wheel/lug nuts after the first 10 miles, 25 miles and again at 50 miles. Check periodically and before heavy loads.
Check your tire pressure frequently and make sure that it is the correct pressure as recommended by the tire manufacturer. You should adjust your tire pressure to your load. If you keep your pressure at max while the trailer is empty your tires will bounce a lot. Make sure to bring the pressure up to handle a heavy load.
Lubricate your bearings every 12 months or 12,000 miles. You dont want to be caught on the side of the road with a full load and a blow out bearing.
Check electrical connections each time before you hook up.
Check trailer lights each time you hook up. The truck lights working dont mean that the trailer lights are.
We recommend treating your wood floor with some type of preservative. Caulk seams and joints with clear silicone.
All trailers with brakes need an inspection sticker . In Texas you can not carry more then 4000lbs without brakes regardless of the axle capcity.
On cargo trailers make sure all doors are properly closed.

Trailer Towing Do's & Dont's

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 22:33:00 +0000

Do's - Good Towing Practice

Gradually reduce speed
Steady the steering wheel - sudden turns can cause more sway
Apply only the trailer brakes to help reduce trailer sway

Don'ts - NOT Good Towing Practice

Do Not slam on the brakes - jackknifing could occur
Do Not attempt to steer out of a sway situation
Do Not increase speed - Trailer sway increases in faster speeds
Do Not tow a trailer that continues to sway. Look at reloading the trailer or perhaps adding a sway control or a weight distribution system with sway control

Safty Chains

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Cross the safety chains under the hitch side-to-side, in an X pattern. If, for whatever reason, the hitch comes adrift, the trailer tongue will drop onto the chains instead of onto the ground.

And that will maximize your control and minimize the damage to you and your rig.

Bonus: With the chains crossed, you can turn in a tighter circle without them binding.

Trailer loading (preventing trailer sway)

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:58:00 +0000

The way you load the trailer can determine how easy you can tow it. While loading, keep in mind that the tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the overall trailer weight. One of the main causes of trailer sway is not having a large enough percentage of trailer tongue weight compared to gross trailer weight. To help prevent the trailer from swaying back and forth, a few things can be done. Try placing heavier cargo in the front of the trailer, ahead of the trailer's axle. Also center the cargo left-to-right and use tie-downs to keep the load from sliding.

Trailer Sway can also lead to a loss of vehicle control. When starting out with a new load on a trailer, make sure it will not sway by gradually increasing your speed in intervals until highway speed is reached. If the trailer does begin to sway, try adjusting the cargo and equipment accordingly and then repeat the test. If repositioning the load and equipment did not help reduce the sway, a sway control or a weight distribution system with sway control may be needed.

Backing up your utility trailer

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:52:00 +0000

Backing a trailer can be frustrating for inexperienced owners. The most important item to remember is that the trailer will go in the opposite direction of the tow vehicle. It is helpful to have another person help you back the trailer.

Here are two methods for backing trailers:

1 Turn the vehicle's wheels to the right to make the trailer go left, and vice versa.

2 Put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. The trailer will go in the same direction your hand moves (moving your hand to the right will cause the trailer to go right, and vice versa).

Caution!

Sharp steering wheel corrections will cause the trailer to jackknife and may cause damage to the rear of the tow vehicle or the front of the trailer.