Towing Tips

[Steamguy]

Everyone,

It seemed like a good idea to start a 'Towing Tips' thread. Maybe the mods will decide to make this thread into a sticky. Also if that's to happen, perhaps we can agree to keep this particular thread just to the Tips, and leave the questions for a different thread.

Okay, with the rules set, here are my tips:

Cross your safety chains. This is actually the law in some states, but when you cross the chains, crossing them actually gives them the ability to 'catch' the trailer tongue should it come off the ball somehow.

If your safety chains are too long, use a short bungee cord to keep them up off the ground. Run the bungee cord across the top of the extension part of the hitch, then hook each end into the lowest part of the safety chain loops. Never twist your safety chains to make them shorter. They taught us in the Coast Guard schools never to twist a chain, as it makes it much weaker.

If you're having trouble with figuring out how to back the trailer, put your hand in the bottom of the steering wheel. Then whichever way you move your hand, the trailer will go.

The center button on the Titan's mirror and the marking on the rear glass make a great set of alignment marks for backing up under the hitch.

If you're going to tow any trailer of any size, use good anti-sway measures in the form of a sway-canceling hitch. I've had personal great luck with the Twin-cam system made by Reese. Don't take your family's life in your hands by towing heavy without sway control or cancellation measures. Make sure to tailor the sway control system to the trailer - in other words, don't use a little tiny sway control device on a big trailer.

This one's been beaten to death, (and please feel free to continue to beat it even further to death - but in a different thread, please) but tow in 4 when you're towing a heavy load. Some trailers are so light, and the Titan has so much power, it really doesn't matter what gear you use. The key is to be aware of the tow vehicle, and what its transmission is doing. If it's 'hunting' for gears at all, then use 4 Manual. The transmission will shift normally up to 4 and then hold there with the torque converted locked. It doesn't matter if you use Tow Mode or not. At least on my early 2004 truck it doesn't. I have found Tow mode to be totally useless, and I tow a 6500# travel trailer.

Keep the hatches and windows closed on the trailer when towing. Having any of them open tends to suck fumes from the, um, bathroom area into the rest of the coach. When I forget and when my wife goes back there, she makes really bad noises to go with the faces she makes.

Okay, everyone. That's what I have. Anyone else?

[Learjet]

Originally Posted by Steamguy

Everyone,


This one's been beaten to death, (and please feel free to continue to beat it even further to death - but in a different thread, please) but tow in 4 when you're towing a heavy load. Some trailers are so light, and the Titan has so much power, it really doesn't matter what gear you use. The key is to be aware of the tow vehicle, and what its transmission is doing. If it's 'hunting' for gears at all, then use 4 Manual. The transmission will shift normally up to 4 and then hold there with the torque converted locked. It doesn't matter if you use Tow Mode or not. At least on my early 2004 truck it doesn't. I have found Tow mode to be totally useless, and I tow a 6500# travel trailer.

I agree, with the wind restance or drag from a TT you should be towing in 4th. Also, lots of people doing 70 mph or greater. The ST type tires are only rated for 65 mph. Slow down, 65 is plenty fast enought with a trailer behind you.

[ozarkpreacher]

Get a good brake controller and make sure you have it set up properly.

When setting up a brake controller for the first time, set the gain to 50-60% for starters. Tow the trailer at 20 mph. With your foot on the accelerator going 20, use the manual brake controller override. If skidding occurs, reduce the gain and retry. If braking is inadequate, add gain and retry.

Note: A trailer which has been parked for a while will always be heavy on the braking when you first start up. If you had it properly set up when you parked it don't change it to lower power, as it will shortly warm up, clean itself up, and go back to normal.

on edit: The only true brake controllers are made by Tekonsha and Hayes. All others, (Draw-Tite, Reese, Tap, Jordaon and AccuPower are Timers/Activators, in other words they are delayed reaction

Brake Controller and Timers work differently. Brake controllers, set the gain (amps) according to the weight of the trailer, and the level of braking power used. These "timer" style brake controllers operate in a way which are not capable of responding to the requirements of a panic stop.