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Loading and Hitching Your Trailer
Trailer receiver hitch, motorcycle hitch trailer, receiver hitch rv, fifth wheel trailer hitch
While you are making preparation of your towing trip, you should be
much careful about loading of your trailer as incorrect loading may cause
many problems in your expedition. For correct loading you should try to
keep heavy loads over the axle of your trailers and ensure proper securing
of items to prevent any movement when brakes are applied or you have to
corner.
Try to put heavier, compact sized items in your car. Larger items with
less weight should be kept in the trailer. Correct nose weight for your
trailer should be established by consulting documentation of your car
and trailer. It may be between 50 Kgs to 75 Kgs for most of cars. You
may also check nose weight by placing a flat piece of wood on bathroom
scales. Jockey wheel should be lowered in the centre of the wood and angle
of the trailer should be adjusted for leveling.
You may put another wooden piece length between the flat piece of wood
on scales and coupling head for more accurate level. Note down the weight
on scale for comparing it with requirement of car and trailer. Trailer
load should be adjusted for compensation if required. Now ensure that
items loaded are properly secured and are not able to move forward or
backward or in sides. You should also again confirm it after some miles
of your journey.
The next step is hitching your trailer properly. Here are some tips you
should follow to avoid any problem due to improper hitching in your trip.
The car should be reversed up to trailer as the loaded trailer will not
easy to handle.
Raise the front axle off the ground with the help of jockey wheel to manually
contrive the double axle trailer in a tight position. Your trailer will
be now on its three wheels on the ground and it will be easy to turn it
now.
Keep the coupling head 2” to 3” above the ball hitch on your car back
by adjusting the jockey wheel.
It will be better to take help of any friend to guide you while reversing
your vehicle to adjust the ball underneath the coupling head of the trailer.
Now jockey wheel should be lowered to lock the coupling head on the ball
for its proper locking. Retract jockey wheel into its outer case by continuous
winding. For firmly re-clamping the whole unit, release the clamp lever.
The break away cables or securing chains should be attached to the hook
on the tow bar and not on the ball, electrical plugs be connected to the
car.
Check proper working of lights, cables are arranged so as not to be dragged
on the road.
Trailer hand brakes should be released before starting.
Check level of your car and trailer by standing in the backside of the
vehicles.
You may have to adjust weight in the back of car or car springs need to
be strengthened if you note any imbalance.
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