Multiquip Trailers - Manual (Page 15)

trailer • owner's manual — rev. #4 (11/08/13) — page 15
Because of the significant differences in all aspects of
maneuverability when towing a trailer, the hazards and risks
of injury are also much greater than when driving without
a trailer. You are responsible for keeping your vehicle and
trailer in control, and for all the damage that is caused if
you lose control of your vehicle and trailer.
As you did when learning to drive an automobile, find
an open area with little or no traffic for your first practice
trailering. Before you start towing the trailer, you must follow
all of the instructions for inspection, testing, loading and
coupling. Also, before you start towing, adjust the mirrors so
you can see the trailer as well as the area to the rear of it.
Drive slowly at first, 5 mph or so, and turn the wheel to
get the feel of how the tow vehicle and trailer combination
responds. Next, make some right and left hand turns. Watch
in your side mirrors to see how the trailer follows the tow
vehicle. Turning with a trailer attached requires more room.
Stop the rig a few times from speeds no greater than
10 mph. If your trailer is equipped with brakes, try using
different combinations of trailer brake and tow vehicle brake.
Note the effect that the trailer brakes have when they are
the only brakes used. When properly adjusted, the trailer
brakes will come on just before the tow vehicle brakes.
It will take practice to learn how to back up a tow vehicle
with a trailer attached. Take it slow. Before backing up, get
out of the tow vehicle and look behind the trailer to make
sure that there are no obstacles.
Some drivers place their hands at the bottom of the steering
wheel, and while the tow vehicle is in reverse, “think” of the
hands as being on the top of the wheel. When the hands
move to the right (counterclockwise, as you would do to
turn the tow vehicle to the left when moving forward), the
rear of the trailer moves to the right. Conversely, rotating
the steering wheel clockwise with your hands at the bottom
of the wheel will move the rear of the trailer to the left while
backing up.
If you are towing a bumper hitch rig, be careful not to allow
the trailer to turn too much because it will hit the rear of the
tow vehicle. To straighten the rig, either pull forward or turn
the steering wheel in the opposite direction.
safety guidelines
trailer towing guiDelines
„ Recheck the load tiedowns to make sure the load will
not shift during towing.
„ Before towing, check coupling, safety chain, safety brake,
tires, wheels and lights.
„ Check the lug nuts or bolts for tightness.
„ Check coupler tightness after towing 50 miles.
„ Use your mirrors to verify that you have room to change
lanes or pull into traffic.
„ Use your turn signals well in advance.
„ Allow plenty of stopping space for your trailer and tow
vehicle.
„ Do not drive so fast that the trailer begins to sway due
to speed.
„ Allow plenty of room for passing. A rule of thumb is that
the passing distance with a trailer is 4 times the passing
distance without the trailer.
„ Shift your automatic transmission into a lower gear for
city driving.
„ alwaYs use lower gears for climbing and descending
grades.
„ Do not ride the brakes while descending grades, they
may get so hot that they stop working. Then you will
potentially have a runaway tow vehicle and trailer.
„ To conserve fuel, don’t use full throttle to climb a hill.
Instead, build speed on the approach.
„ Slow down for bumps in the road. Take your foot off the
brake when crossing the bump.
„ Do not brake while in a curve unless absolutely
necessary. Instead, slow down before you enter the
curve and power through the curve. This way, the towing
vehicle remains in charge.
„ Do not apply the brakes to correct extreme trailer
swaying. Continued pulling of the trailer, and even slight
acceleration, will provide a stabilizing force.