Your
Driving
and
0%
Road
Will you have
to
make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch?
If
you do, then be sure
to
seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
If
you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO)
from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see “Carbon
Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt and water can, too.
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 trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation
for
attaching safety chains. 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.
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
cc) of fluid from your vehicles master cylinder.
If
it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even lose your
brakes.
Will
the trailer brake 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
so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, 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 vou check your
electrical connection at the same time.
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