Noseoil
Well-Known Member
I use a 5 1/2" drop to pull our teardrop trailer. In all cases with a pick-up truck & trailer, the most important thing is that both the truck & the trailer are as level as possible when the load is ready to leave the yard & are matched to run as well as possible. This gives the maximum control for braking & handling, it won't fix everything, but it helps to have proper control of the load under all conditions (wet, dry, curves, grades, rain, snow, etc.). I see too many rigs which are set up wrong to begin with, it creates a potential hazard for other drivers on the road & the potential damage isn't worth it, when simple stuff can be addressed to prevent trouble.
Last week on my way home I saw a new UTV on the side of the road on an embankment with broken suspension on the front end & a flat tire on the passenger side rear. I stopped & asked the driver if he needed help, but it was stuck in the soft stuff & needed a winch to drag it out. When I asked what happened, he said the pin wasn't in place on the hitch, the flatbed trailer had come loose on a bump at 65 mph & the trailer was held by the chains alone. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic or it would have been much worse when the UTV flipped off the trailer, crossed the oncoming traffic lane, jumped the guard rail & landed in a bad spot. Big $$$ for repairs on a brand new machine!
The simple stuff is always important when towing, check the chains, hitch, ball, wire harness, break-away wire, latch pin, lights, it's all needing a look each time the trailer is hooked up & ready for a trip. We've been lucky towing, but we're careful when hooking up & check things each time. Our teardrop only weighs in at 1700#, but it has brakes & everything a larger trailer has for safety...
Last week on my way home I saw a new UTV on the side of the road on an embankment with broken suspension on the front end & a flat tire on the passenger side rear. I stopped & asked the driver if he needed help, but it was stuck in the soft stuff & needed a winch to drag it out. When I asked what happened, he said the pin wasn't in place on the hitch, the flatbed trailer had come loose on a bump at 65 mph & the trailer was held by the chains alone. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic or it would have been much worse when the UTV flipped off the trailer, crossed the oncoming traffic lane, jumped the guard rail & landed in a bad spot. Big $$$ for repairs on a brand new machine!
The simple stuff is always important when towing, check the chains, hitch, ball, wire harness, break-away wire, latch pin, lights, it's all needing a look each time the trailer is hooked up & ready for a trip. We've been lucky towing, but we're careful when hooking up & check things each time. Our teardrop only weighs in at 1700#, but it has brakes & everything a larger trailer has for safety...
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