Posted: 4/1/2014 6:56:23 AM EDT
|
I've done a small bit of towing but I'm gonna step it up soon. I towed a dbl axle u-haul cross country twice and a small utility trailer around town some.
I'm about done restoring a 1963 4x4 Suburban, it's off getting stripped and painted. I have a 20 foot dbl axle vehicle trailer being built. I'll be using a 2010 Tundra with towing pkg rated for 10,100 lbs of towing. The trailer has electric brakes on all 4 wheels. I'll be towing the Burb regionally and cross country. ?s are straps or chains? When going downhill shift auto tranny into lower gear for engine braking? Pretty sure that's a dumb ?... I do this without a trailer. Reserved for more dumb questions.... |
| I've towed for hire in the past. Campers and cars. I don't know the limits of the Tundra, so my best advise to get it all together and go weigh the whole rig first at the nearest truck stop. Then look at the driver door tag and see if your over the axle or combined weight rating. I believe the vehicle you plan to tow should weight about 6000lbs plus the weight of the trailer. That's a fair amount on any straight hitch. A weight distribution setup would be a must. Hope this helps. |
|
Quoted:
Unless you are dealing with serious grades, don't downshift the tranny unless you want to shorten the life of said tranny. Your trailer has brakes, use them. Brakes on the trailer(and truck for that matter) are much cheaper than a trans. No. Downshift and use engine compression to slow the vehicle. It creates no more wear on the transmission to use compression braking. If you are dealing with serious grades, overheating your brakes can get you killed. |
| Friction sway control I assume? That is good. I set my trailer brakes up so that they where a tad bit early than vehicle brakes. And let engine braking work for you. Go slow triple the distance you usually keep between vehicles. Watch 10-15 cars down the road, not the first two or three. Do you have tow mirrors> Spare for trailer? A plastic ramp I have allows for you to drive trailer on to ramp and it gets flat tire high enough to change, no jack needed. |