Tips To Tow Or Trailer A Boat

If you are passionate about boat and love dragging out your boat to the waters every weekend, you would agree with the fact that the trip from garage to the sea can be challenging at times. With a little preparation and practice, however, that challenge can easily be done away with. There are some essentials that you will need to take care of for making the task smooth and simple. Have a look at the useful tips given below:

Prepare A Checklist : 

Making a proper checklist of all the things that can ruin your experience of towing a boat would help you a lot to avoid them. For example, you might forget to replace the drain plug or fail to strap the vessel properly to the trailer. But if there is a checklist for you to go through before embarking on the journey, it will instantly remind you whatever that you forgot to address, such as tightening the lug nuts on trailer wheels, inflating all tires properly, securing the motor or outdrive, and so on.

Don’t Forget To Turn Wide :

Suppose you have a 4 car hauler and your boat is just as big. Towing with such a wide load is not at all an easy task, and you are bound to forget essentials such as turning wide. But you need to prevent that from happening. Therefore, always remember that turning radius of your hauler is tighter than of your vehicle. Failing to clear that curb can be an open invitation to trouble.

Avoid Over-speeding : 

Before setting out towards the waters, calculate how much time it will take for the vehicle and trailer to stop once you have got them up to speed. You have the physics as well as a lot of extra weight acting against you. So be careful and do not overspeed even if your trailer has got its own pair brakes. It will ensure the safety of your boat, the entire towing equipment, you and other vehicles on the road.

So next time you are preparing to bring out your boat on a hot summer day for relaxing in the waters, make sure you follow the above mentioned guidelines. In addition to that, keep in mind maintaining your hauler trailer is also essential. Otherwise, you would not be able to use it for pulling your boat. The aim is to have fun, without experiencing any problem.

Trailering Tips That Can Help You Save Fuel

In the USA, there are many people who own a trailer and use it either for personal reasons or towing business. Whatever the reason may be, trailering is quite common in the country. Towing a fully loaded 5 or 4 car hauler not an easy job, requires great driving skills as well as regular consideration of several factors. The matter which concerns us here the most the amount of fuel used up in towing trailers. It is quite a significant amount, which is why this blog will focus on towing tips that can be followed to save fuel. Those tips have been described below in detail:

Checking Tire Pressure : 

Low pressure in tires can drag the trailer as well as the tow vehicle, thereby decreasing fuel mileage. It can also be responsible for tire failures caused due to heat. It is therefore, important to ensure that trailer tires have the pressure recommended in the manual. It is better to avoid the pressure rating posted on the tires.

Levelling The Trailer : 

In case someone needs to tow a trailer loaded with a boat, the former should be adjusted properly so that the latter is level on it. Proper leveling would help to reduce resistance from wind and thereby increase fuel economy. It will also ensure that the boat can be loaded and unloaded without much hassle.

Maintaining Tongue Weight : 

The tongue weight of a trailer should around 5-7% of the gross tow package, which includes weight of the load as well as the hauler. This can substantially help in increasing miles per gallon for the rig by decreasing fishtailing and swaying.

Lubricating The Bearings : 

Trailers generally come with protective bearings for keeping the hubs lubed properly. However, these also need to be inspected from time to time for making sure that they contain the required amount of grease. One can easily check the bearing protectors by pressing the piston loaded with spring. The hub will slightly rock back & forth if it has sufficient grease and not compress entirely.

Maintaining Consistent Speed : 

While towing it is important to accelerate steadily and slowly from complete halts. Driving 5mph slower than what has been posted on the speed limit sign can aid significantly in getting the most out of gas. Besides that, it is also one of the commonly followed tips for towing a car trailer safely.

Following the above mentioned tips can greatly help to save on fuel required for towing, irrespective of whether it is done regularly or once in a blue moon.

Brief Discussion About Tow Rating and Other Related Quantities

Are you planning to start a towing business of your own, or work as a full time hauler for a firm? If you are thinking that it is going to be as easy as hooking the trailer to the tow vehicle, you are wrong. There are plenty of details which you will have to bear in mind, the most important element out of which is perhaps the one related to weight. Before starting out, you must make sure your vehicle is capable of towing your trailer while it is loaded, be it a 4 or 5 car hauler. And that is where tow capacities and ratings come into play.

The tow capacity or rating can be defined as the maximum weight a vehicle can pull without any problem. You can find it inside the owner’s manual of your tow van or truck. Not only does this measure will represent the weight of your trailer, but also the load that it can carry efficiently. The tow rating of any vehicle usually takes multiple factors into account:

• Structure of vehicle
• Design of suspension and chassis
• Axle ratios, engine type and other variables of drive train
• Class and design of hitch
• Load capacities and tire ratings

These numbers are never arbitrary, rather the result of comprehensive real-world testing performed by engineers for pushing vehicles to their extreme limits to determine accurate physical abilities of the trucks or vans.

Though it is very important to not exceed the tow rating of your vehicle, there are several other limits which should also be never crossed while towing. They include:

• GVWR - GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the maximum load your vehicle can possibly carry, including fuel, cargo, passengers and the truck or van itself.
  
• GCWR - GCWR (gross combined weight rating) is the combined weight of your trailer and tow vehicle when fully loaded.
  
• GAWR - GAWR (gross axle weight ratings) represents the most load a certain axle is capable of carrying, including tire and wheel
  
• HWR - Hitch weight rating indicates the amount of load a hitch has been designed for carrying safely
  
• Tongue Weight - it must be between 15-30 percent for fifth wheel or gooseneck trailers and 10-15 percent for conventional ones, of the gross load.

Exceeding just one of the above mentioned can not only cause significant damage to both your trailer and tow vehicle, but also create a dangerous situation for you as well as other people on the road.

How To Prep Your Equipment Before Diesel Towing

In general modern diesel trucks are designed for towing heavy loads with ease. However, their performance can be improved with the help of effective upgrades, a strategy which can prove to be beneficial in case you are planning to drag a full loaded 5 or 6 car trailer behind your truck. Given below are 5 different upgrades which will help you to prep for diesel towing:

Artificial Intelligence

No, we are not talking about robots, rather computerised products which can regulate your towing vehicle better than you would ever be able to. For instance, using transmission controllers will help you to enhance the performance of your overall equipment, reduce wear & tear and even prevent disasters inside the costly automatic transmission.

Driving Force

Towing can take tolls on the drive-line which sits right behind the diesel engine. Even if one hard part gives out, it would put an end to your hauling adventure then and there. To be on the safe side, perform internal upgrades on the transmission and torque converter by substituting them with heavy-duty units. Besides that, you may also need to increase cooling performance of axle differentials and transmission.

Cold Filtered

Apart from the driveline, towing is also tough on all fluids throughout the drive-train of diesel truck. In order to ensure that everything is cool and clean, install aftermarket filters for oil, transmission and fuel fluids. The filters would remove particles which are smaller than that the factory components can allow to pass through. This in turn, will guarantee safety of the vital parts.

Work Boots

The contact between trailer/truck combo and the road is important for everything starting from safety to fuel economy. Therefore, besides having tires which are rated for carrying as much weight as the GVWR of your equipment, you must also get wheels which can take care of all the weight.

Heavy Breathing

If you wish to gain a significant amount of additional power for your truck, replace its factory airbox with a cold-air high-flow intake. It would be the elementary step towards entirely enhancing the breathing of your diesel engine. In the steps which follow, you will have to upgrade the intake manifold, inter-cooler, up-pipes, exhaust manifold, exhaust, down-pipe and turbocharger. All of these enhancements will substantially improve efficiency of the diesel and also allow other upgrades to function at their full potential.

Some Important Facts Related to Upgrading Tow Trucks and Trailers

If you are a part of the American towing industry, there can come a time when you may need to upgrade your truck or van and trailer so that they become capable of performing tough jobs like carrying heavy cargo, hauling multiple cars at once, etc. Before you start to think about maximizing the potential of your hauling equipment, there are certain things about which you should know so that you can make suitable choices. Given below are some of them :

High-Capacity Hitches : 

Modern diesel trucks generally have conventional or under-bumper hitches of Class 4 or 5 mounted to their frames. They are good for hauling up to 10,000 pounds. Nowadays, surpassing the bumper hitch limit is a very common thing among haulers. But the practice is actually a very idea. This is because engineers take everything into account while computing tow ratings - steering, handling, cooling, braking, bearing capacities, real-world testing, gear strengths, and a plethora of other important attributes. If you feel there is a need to exceed the tow rating of your hitch, consider purchasing an aftermarket hitch. Aftermarket hitches generally come equipped with many additional utilitarian features.

Strap Safety : 

For hiking up the safety of your cargo while they are on the move, invest your money in top notch ratchet straps, whether you have a 4 or 5 car trailer. Make sure you buy them in multiple lengths so that they can be used for securing your cargo in place more effectively. Not only will the straps help in preventing the loads from falling off your trailer, but also keep their weight steady to enable optimal handling.

Tough Tires : 

Good tires are never cheap, and those which have been designed specifically for trailering can seem a bit boring. They are, however, very important as they can support the cargo effectively, help to steer predictably and also have better grip. It can be tempting to keep whichever tires were supplied with the trailer at the time of purchase, but you must make sure that they are capable of handling the duty you need to perform. By installing tires with suitable load ratings, you can avoid dangerous blowouts and improve fuel economy.

Work Wheels : 

These are another product which often get overlooked by professional haulers. Prior to putting your trailer and truck to work, check whether their wheels are suitable or not for the task you need to get done. Buy some which are rated for supporting the weight that you are planning to tow.

How To Ensure Safety While Towing a Trailer

Whether a car hauling trailer is used for commercial purposes, recreation or some private reason, it is important to follow certain measures as well as towing tips for ensuring safety of oneself and other drivers on the road. The foremost thing is to apply proper techniques for loading cars or other materials in order to maintain appropriate equilibrium. The bulkiest items should never be placed at the facade or rear part, as it may result in excessive tongue weight and unloading of the tires making it hard to control the tow vehicle. While loading cars, their front should be placed first in the trailer.

Next comes securing the loaded items properly to prevent them from moving while the trailer is being hauled. There are various ways for tying down loaded cars in a 4 car hauler. One can make use of ratcheting tie down straps for securing the cars, one strap at each corner of a vehicle. The tie down straps should, however, be of good quality. Another tool which can be used for securing cars to a trailer is axle strap. Axle straps will have to be tied around either the lower control arm or the front cross-member and the rear axle.

Trailers are notorious for swaying, especially when there is wind or the load is not placed properly. Distribution hitches can help in minimizing sway by spreading weight across the chassis rather than the single ball hitch point. Besides decreasing rear suspension drop, distribution hitches can also reduce chances of whipping. Some states have strict laws that make it mandatory to use these add-ons with particular weights and trailers.

While towing a trailer, it is also important to keep an eye on the driving speed. Towing affects various systems of a vehicle, including suspension, drive-train and brakes. People who are still new to trailering must not exceed the speed limit. But it does not mean that experienced haulers can drive at any speed they want. Keeping the speed low provides more room for maneuvering while changing lanes. Stopping takes about twice or thrice the time and distance comparatively. The most prudent thing to do would be driving within 65 miles per hour.

Last but not the least, one must use the right kind of tires on the trailer. Some people use cheap light truck tires which are not designed for handling loads that trailers have to carry. These tires can blow up after frequent usage and result in serious accidents. 

Maintaining a Hauler Trailer

If you have a vehicle towing business or own a private trailer at home, it is imperative that you make use of proper techniques for maintaining the hauler and keeping it in good condition. The task of trailer upkeep may not be too overwhelming, but it will definitely need some elbow grease to be done properly.

First of all, you must recognize the fact that bearings and brakes of a trailer undergo a lot of wear and tear. Therefore, these are the parts which require the most amount of maintenance. Dust particles can cause the brakes as well as drums to wear out prematurely. To prevent that from happening, rinse thoroughly with water for removing any dust particles that might be present on the brakes. When it is time to get them replaced, make sure that you change everything else as well, including hardware, shoes and wheel cylinders.

While greasing the bearings of your trailer, check whether the outer spring is fully compressed or not. Continue to grease if the spring appears or seems to be extended. You will have to do this by taking out the bearings from the wheel and pulling them apart to perform a meticulous inspection.

Be it a 4 or 5 car trailer, its electrical components need to function properly as well to prevent unwanted accidents or mishaps. Inspect the lights of your trailer carefully before taking it out on the road. If they are not working properly, check the connection of the plug. If you find nothing wrong with the plug, have a look at the bulb. If the bulb seems to be intact, there can be some problem with the wiring. Sometimes, wiring can corrode or become loose due to heavy vibration from regular usage.

The coupler of your trailer would not require extensive maintenance. But you will have to inspect it from time to time for ensuring that it is working fine. Check for wear and tear and grease occasionally to prevent the latch from becoming jarred or stiff. You may also need to apply lubricants to the locking mechanisms and tongue jack.

Just like every machine needs regular upkeep to last longer and perform well, a trailer is the same. By investing a few hours in maintaining the different components of your hauling equipment, you can easily ensure the safety of yourself, the goods you would be hauling and the other drivers on the road.

Tips For Haulers Undertaking Interstate Vehicle Transport

It does not matter if you are an experienced car hauler or doing it the first time, it can never hurt to be aware of some vital tips for making your interstate vehicle transport convenient and safe. Not only will these tips help you to save an ample amount of time and make you hassle-free, but also aid you in working more competently.

Let’s take a look at some of them:

Drive Slowly : The foremost thing that you should keep in mind is to drive at a low speed. By driving slowly rather than attempting to rush at 70mph, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary troubles. Besides keeping away from speeding tickets, it would also help you to move safely at sharp turns.

Check Your Tow Van’s Battery : Whether the car transport you are undertaking, are for brand new or wrecked cars, it is imperative for the battery of your tow van to be up and running. If the battery dies down in the middle of the journey, it can cause a number of problems. Therefore, make sure that you inspect the battery of your tow van properly before setting off, and also keep a winch as backup.

Get Enough Sleep During Lengthy Trips : If the haul is supposed to be long one, carry a makeshift bed in the compartment of your truck and get enough sleep before starting for the journey. It is not a good thing at all to drive when you are groggy and know for sure that you need sleep. It can cause accidents, even fatal ones if you do not drive without getting enough rest.

Purchase A Good Hauling Trailer : Besides following all the necessary safety precautions and tips, make sure that you buy a proper trailer for the task. There are many firms in Texas that provide 4 or 5 car hauler for sale. You can also look for used ones if your budget is tight, but make sure you inspect them carefully before buying. Having to perform repair works on your newly bought trailer is the last thing you would want to do.

Limit The Hauling : Size of the trailer will determine the number of cars you can haul, but try not to exceed four or five cars at the most. If you are a newbie and your trailer is a large one, try to limit the number of cars to a couple during your first time, in order to become familiar with the hauling process.

How to Transport Cars During Relocations?

You and your family are in the process of shifting permanently from one city to another. All the useful belongings have been loaded into a truck or van. There is a family car which has to be carried along as well. But you want to save charges on gas by using the van or truck as the only means of transport. So how it is that you are going to move the car without actually driving it? The answer is quite simple – use a car trailer.

Making use of car trailers in Texas for moving automobiles during long-distance relocations is quite popular as well as economical. However, there are a few things that you will have to consider before undertaking the task:

Determine The Kind of Trailer Needed : 
Decide the kind of trailer you need after taking into account the size, weight and other important specifications of the car. You can also consult a licensed manufacturer to give you specific guidelines about the type that will suit you the best. If you want to go with a rented equipment, take some additional steps in case your car has custom effects or aftermarket alterations.

Study Your Trailer : 
Do not load your car onto the trailer until and unless you have acquired significant information about the proper method for using the equipment and the various components. Read the owner’s manual, pamphlets and decals carefully. You can try looking for instructional videos over the internet.

Load Your Car : 
Position the car, the trailer and the moving van or truck in a straight line. Make sure that you connect the towing equipment to the van properly before loading the car. Follow the instructions given in manufacturer’s manual while loading the vehicle. Be extremely careful when getting out of the loaded car. Do not place any commodities or belongings inside the car.

Be Careful When Towing : 
Driving a trailer with a vehicle on it is entirely different from driving a lone vehicle. Make sure that the lights are working properly. Inspect tire pressure meticulously of all the three vehicles before you start. While on the road, hit the brakes early at signals. Decrease your regular speed of driving and slow down more for curves, downgrades, expressway exits and dangerous road conditions. Always be vigilant, and follow normal driving behaviours such as fastening the seat belt, not talking on the phone while driving, etc.

About Car Hauler Trailer?

Car hauler trailer : To know what is a car hauler trailer, their features as well as their uses, have a look at this slide share presentation.

What Is a Car Hauler Trailer?

A car hauler trailer, also known as a car carrier trailer, auto transport trailer, car-carrying trailer, etc. is a kind of semi-trailer or a trailer designed for transporting passenger vehicles efficiently via truck. 

The car hauler trailers in contemporary times may be enclosed or open. And most of them have built-in ramps for off-loading and loading cars, and power hydraulics, which can raise as well as lower ramps without the use of any other hardware. 

The ones that are enclosed have walls similar to a conventional box trailer. They provide the cars a lot more security and protection at the cost of lower capacity when being shipped. Open trailers, on the other hand, exposes the cars to elements but have greater carrying capacity than the enclosed variety. 

Open trailers have double-decker designs. Both of their decks are subdivided into several loading as well as storage ramps, which can be tilted & lifted independently of one another using hydraulics. The hydraulics allow ramps to be aligned on the slope so that there is no problem in driving the cars up and securing them to ramp floor with chains, wheel straps or toe-down ratchets. The ramp can even be tilted in any direction for optimizing stacking. Rear half of deck can be tilted and lowered by hydraulic means for loading cars on top deck of these double-decker commercial car hauler trailers. Generally, the top deck is loaded first & off-loaded last. This is because of the presence of cars on the lower deck, which makes it merely impossible for lowering the top deck ramp. 

Most of the commercial auto transport trailers are adjoined to the tractor with a fifth wheel coupling and can typically carry 3-9 cars. But the carrying capacity depends a lot on the trailer model and size of the car. The weight capacity is also a factor. The weight capacity is limited by 80,000 lb under US law. So, car carrier trailers cannot carry weight that's more than this while moving on road.  

The commercial car hauler trailers are mainly used for shipping new cars from the manufacturer to the auto dealers. In the United States, shipment of used vehicles is even a big industry. And this service is generally used by people who relocate from one place to the other in the US. These people basically choose to ship their precious cars instead of driving them all the way. People who buy cars on second-hand market, especially online and want it to be delivered at their doorstep also ship their vehicles. 

You can get car hauler trailers for sale at Infinity Trailers.