Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so
that the tongue will
not drop to the road if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always leave
just enough slack
so
you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than
1,000
pounds
(450
kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
-
and they must be adequate. Be sure
to
read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able
to
install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brakes system can tap into vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
except:
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder. If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even
lose
your brakes.
Will the trailer parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa)
of
pressure? If not, the
trailer brake system must not be used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at
the
port on
the master cylinder that sends fluid to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper
tubing for this. If you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel brake
tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get
to
know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel
of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep
in
mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle
is
by itself.
Before
you
start, check the trailer hitch and platform (and attachments),
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the
trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the
brakes
are
working.
This lets you check your electrical connection at
the
same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to
be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
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