6 Useful Tips for Safe Towing

Rugged, resilient, powerful, fearless, raw. These are just some of the words you use to describe that new towing truck sitting in your garage. Tow Trucks are built to haul heavy and sluggish trailers, as well as anything else you can attach to their hitch. However, if you are new to towing, you should be aware of the safety precautions associated with hauling large objects.

Today we are going to talk about some of the most useful tips that will help you lift your load as safely as possible.

Check the Weight Rating Of Your Truck and Your Trailer

Inexperienced drivers usually focus only on the maximum tow rating. This is a mistake because there are many other numbers that you must consider when trying to match your truck to the load you are pulling. Grab your owner's manual and see what your payload and gross axle weight ratings, gross travel trailer weight (if you're pulling a trailer), gross joint weight and tongue weight are. Many drivers forget to include tongue weight and passenger weight when calculating their gross weight.

Once you know these ratings, it will be much easier to understand whether you are overloading your truck.

Never Overload Your Truck

Overloading your truck is a big no-go when driving long distances. Avoid hitting that maximum capacity number or else you will put your life, your insurance and your vehicle at risk. Not to mention that your fuel economy will go through the roof. Pay attention to the rating mentioned above and play it safe.

Whether you're using an SUV or a Heavy Duty Towing, be sure to stay within the permitted weight limit and avoid overloading. Find out how much your vehicle can safely tow if you don't want to risk damaging it, or worse, ending up in an accident.

Check Your Vehicle before Leaving the Driveway

No matter how often you tow something, it's important to always check if you have all of your own towing equipment. Inspect the truck by checking the condition of the tires as worn tires can cause bounce and sway. Trailer swaying can be very dangerous and is one of the main causes of accidents. Lastly, before going outside, make sure the towbar is properly attached and parallel to the ground.

Inspect Brakes

Always make sure that the braking system is working properly on the vehicle you are using to tow, but also the one that is being towed. Bad brakes can put your life at risk in a matter of seconds, so never give up on your way out unless you're absolutely sure of their ability to stop in traffic. Also, consider how you use your brakes. Keep your speed low and avoid instant braking. You can also use engine braking to reduce brake wear and fuel usage.

Choose the Right Truck for the Job

If you are considering buying a Tow Truck for towing purposes only, you need to understand that there are only a small number of jack-of-all-trades types of trucks on the market and they do not come cheap. Note the towing capacity, camper weight, and all other ratings mentioned in this article. Also, consider the size of the trailer or vehicle you will be transporting.

Towing the fifth-wheel required a long-bedded truck to accommodate the large hump of the trailer. There are workarounds, but their safety is debatable.

Hire a Professional Towing Service

If you don't want to bother with all these weight ratings and safety precautions or don't have a truck capable of hauling campers, trailers, and other vehicles, hiring a professional towing service like Adelaide Truck Towing is the way to go. We offer a variety of towing services and have a fleet of more than capable trucks that are guaranteed to meet your needs. Call us today or contact us on 0411 628 395 through our website for more information!