Multiquip Trailers - Manual (Page 12)

page 12 — trailer • owner's manual — rev. #4 (11/08/13)
Since trailer wheels and lug nuts (or bolts) are subjected
to greater side loads than automobile wheels, they are
more prone to loosen. Before each tow, check to make
sure they are tight.
Use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts. If you do not
have a torque wrench, use a lug wrench (from your tow
vehicle) and tighten the nuts as much as you can. Then
have a service garage or trailer dealer tighten the lug nuts
to the proper torque.
Lug nuts are also prone to loosen after first being
assembled. When driving a new trailer (or after wheels
have been remounted), check to make sure they are tight
after the first 10, 25 and 50 miles of driving and before
each tow thereafter.
overloading the trailer
The total weight of the load you put in or on the trailer, plus
the empty weight of the trailer itself, must not exceed the
trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). If you do
not know the empty weight of the trailer, you must weigh it
at a commercial scale. In addition, you must distribute the
load in the trailer such that the load on any tire or axle does
not exceed the tire load rating or the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR).
warning
Metal creep between the wheel rim and lug nuts will
cause rim to loosen and could result in a wheel coming
off, leading to death or serious injury. Tighten lug nuts
before each tow.
warning
Lug nuts are prone to loosen after initial installation,
which can lead to death or serious injury.
Check lug nuts for tightness on a new trailer or when
wheel(s) have been remounted after the first 10, 25
and 50 miles of driving.
warning
Improper lug nut torque can cause a wheel parting from
the trailer, leading to death or serious injury. Be sure
lug nuts are tight before each tow.
safety guidelines
unsafe load Distribution
Uneven load distribution can cause tire, wheel, axle or
structural failure. Be sure your trailer is properly loaded.
A proper weight distribution is equal, right to left. It creates
a tongue weight that is in the proper range for stable trailer
handling. For tandem and triple axle trailers, it is necessary
to know or check that no axle is overloaded.
In Table 1 below, the second column notes the rule-of-
thumb percentage of total weight of the trailer plus its cargo
(Gross Vehicle Weight or GVW) that should appear on the
tongue of the trailer.
For example, a trailer with a Ball Hitch or Bumper Hitch,
with a loaded weight of 10,000 pounds, should have
approximately 10-15% of 10,000 pounds (equivalent to
1,000 to 1,500 pounds) on the tongue.
warning
An overloaded trailer can result in loss of control of the
trailer, leading to death or serious injury.
Do not load a trailer so that the weight on any tire
exceeds its rating. Do not exceed the trailer Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or the axle Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR).
table 1. tongue weight as a percentage
of loaded trailer weight
type of Hitch percentage
Ball Hitch (or Bumper Hitch) 10% - 15%
Pintle Eye Hitch 10% - 15%
Gooseneck Hitch 20% - 25%
Fifth Wheel Hitch 20% - 25%