Written by Frank Domingo
Although I’ve been hauling and repairing trailers and their hitches for many years, I have never been in any form of towing accident or true emergency. I have had plenty of flats and close calls, but never had any equipment malfunctions. In opening Modesto Trailer Repair, I’ve heard and fixed a few horror stories and most of them resulted from user error. Many of which can be prevented with the right equipment. We prefer to over build equipment for that reason but here are some trailer hitch tips that could save lives or property.
Although I’ve been hauling and repairing trailers and their hitches for many years, I have never been in any form of towing accident or true emergency. I have had plenty of flats and close calls, but never had any equipment malfunctions. In opening Modesto Trailer Repair, I’ve heard and fixed a few horror stories and most of them resulted from user error. Many of which can be prevented with the right equipment. We prefer to over build equipment for that reason but here are some trailer hitch tips that could save lives or property.
-Pins, Clips & Chains
Some of the most common problems come about when a person doesn’t check over their towing setup. The absence of safety chains, proper lighting, and routine maintenance are often the common denominators. People tend to lose hitch pins and clips when removing or storing their ball mounts. This can be dangerous because many times people will use a random bolt or other insufficient means of securing their ball mount. This can result in the trailer pulling the ball mount out of the receiver while towing. Even with safety chains the potential for serious damage is there. If this were to happen the tongue of the trailer could slam into the ground turning your camper into a three ton terror of the highway ripping the trailer hitch from the frame of your vehicle or even causing your vehicle to flip as well. This has even been known to happen without a trailers weight tugging on the ball mount.
-Trailer Lighting
Not as often, accidents can occur due to poor trailer lighting. If you are towing a boat or utility trailer without proper lighting, you could be rear ended by someone not paying attention. In this instance it’s quite possible that your insurance company would have to pay for the damage if the other driver can prove that your lighting was not working. This would then place at least a percentage of the fault on you resulting in fines or increased insurance rates.
Determine Which Lights Your Trailer Needs
All trailers are required to have stop lights, tail lights, turn signals, and reflectors. Trailers that are 80" wide or wider, or that are 30' long or longer need additional lights and reflectors. A trailer that is 80" wide or wider and has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) over 10,000 lbs requires conspicuity treatments. These treatments consist of strips of reflective tape or rows of individual reflectors that create an alternating pattern of red and white along the sides and rear of a trailer to make it easier to see.
To determine which lights a trailer needs, you need to know the trailer's overall length and width and whether the trailer's GVWR is greater than 10,000 lbs. If you don't know the dimensions of your trailer, you'll have to measure it. To find your trailer's GVWR, look for a sticker located somewhere on the trailer.