- Grand Canyon National Park to End Sale of Water in Throw-away Containers
- Crossroads Travel Trailers Recalled for Incorrect Wheel Hub
- The 2013 Palazzo from Thor Motor Coach
- California’s Morro Strand State Beach campground to close July 1
- Hershey Highmeadow Campground will offer sweet deal to campers and RVers
- Camping World Adding 11 New Stores
- Dutchmen Rubicon and Voltage Travel Trailers Recalled
- Beeville, TX to See Expansion of RV Sites
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cut Campsites
- Idaho hopes to raise $1.9m from State Park Passport
- WiFi WPS security vulnerability found, major router makers affected
- Belkin Wi-Fi Range Extender Works Well
- HughesNet Will Decommission Horizon 2 Satellite
- Some Impressions of HP’s Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse
- RV Park & Campground Wi-Fi Pushed to the Limits
- Free Wi-Fi in all US Taco Bells by 2015
- Verizon Plans Wi-Fi “Hot Zones” To Ease Burden on Mobile Network
- WiFi Comes to Campgrounds in Ontario
- RVers want WiFi at campsites
- HP makes first WiFi mouse, no USB dongle required
- Older Single Women Living On The Road
- Dicor TPO RV Flooring Experiment
- Dicor Corporation demonstrates a stronger composite wall panel
- Campground Host Lives the Good Life
- RVer talks about Damage to her RV and the Campground
- Watch the making of a Pleasureway Class B Motorhome
- Fifth Wheel RV Versus Low Railroad Overpass
- Australian Goes Off Roading With a Travel Trailer
- Motorhome Burns at Flying J Fuel Pump
- How one RVer made his own tiny travel trailer
Archive for February, 2010
Most long-term and fulltime RVers avoid using tow dollies by insuring the car they tow is capable of being towed 4-down. A tow dolly simply adds more equipment, maintenance and steps in the hitching process.
However a tow dolly is and acceptable alternative to 4-down towing when you want to use your vehicle on vacations or other short-term travel. With that in mind here are a few tip for using a tow dolly.
- Read the manufacturer’s instructions that came with the tow dolly before doing anything. If you rented the tow dolly, you should have received a manual from the rental company.
- Make sure the hitch and receiver are rated to tow the combined weight of the tow dolly and vehicle and the appropriate size trailer hitch ball is used. The manual should specify of the required trailer hitch ball. Also check the manual to see if the tow dolly has surge breaks because this will affect the required capacity for the trailer hitch.
- Engage the parking break on the tow vehicle before any loading or unloading.
- Check safety chains for proper attachment.
- The dolly should be securely hitched to the tow vehicle and on a level ground before driving the car on off.
- Drive the vehicle onto the dolly with its front wheels. Attach the lights to the back of the vehicle and test the blinkers and break lights. These lights are usually magnetic and attach directly to the top of the trunk.
- Secure the car to the tow dolly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually involves straps over the car’s tires.
- Stop after a few miles of travel to check the tie down straps and readjust/tighten as required. Always check the straps at each stop.
- Remember to make wider turns when towing. Do not make sharp turns or U-turns. Turning too sharply may cause the towed vehicle to come in contact with the tow dolly fender causing damage to both the vehicle and dolly.
- Do not attempt to back the loaded tow dolly. Backing can damage the tow dolly and the towed vehicle.
- If you experience excessive sway, stop when safe to do so and check the tie downs and for mechanical problems or flat tires.
The ball and coupler hitch used on travel trailers consists simply of a ball attached to the rear of the tow vehicle and a coupler (socket) at the tip of a tongue or A-frame attached to the front of the trailer.
A load distributing hitch is used for heavier travel trailer models. These load distributing hitches use special equipment to distribute the tongue load to all axles of the tow vehicle and travel trailer to help stabilize the tow vehicle. Here are some terms you should know when discussing hitch adjustment and in evaluating hitch performance:
- Receiver: Hitch platform fitted to the tow vehicle.
Ball Mount: A removable steel component that fits into the receiver. The hitch ball and spring bars (only on load distributing hitches) are attached to it. - Sway Control: A device designed to lessen the pivoting motion between tow vehicle and trailer when a ball type hitch is used.
Coupler: The ball socket at the front of the trailer A-frame that receives the hitch ball. - Spring Bars: Load-leveling bars used to distribute hitch weight among all axles of tow vehicle and trailer in a load distributing ball-type hitch.
Perform a safety inspection before each trip. Make sure that:
- The pin securing the ball mount to the receiver is intact.
- The hitch coupler is secured.
- Spring bar hinges are tight with the safety clips in place (load equalizer or weight distributing hitches).
- Safety chains are properly attached.
- The electrical plug is properly installed.
RVers who tow travel trailers share many of the same safety concerns as other RV owners. However, a tow vehicle and a travel trailer form an articulated (hinged) vehicle which presents an additional set of concerns.
The weight considerations are very important to safe towing. The tow vehicle must be a proper match for the travel trailer. If the trailer is properly equipped, it can perform safely under a variety of driving conditions. The tow vehicle should also have enough performance to climb mountain grades without excessive loss of speed.