Travel Trailer Towing Tips

One great way to up your camping game is to invest in a travel trailer. They’re versatile and come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and prices, so when you’re sifting through the travel trailer market, odds are you’ll eventually land on the model you’ll most be interested in for a price you love. But once you have the rig, you may be a little concerned as to how you’re going to move it from one place to the next.

Let Airstream of Utah help you out by providing some tips for towing your travel trailer. Some of these tips are extremely important, so don’t pass them by. If you need additional help, stop by our location in Salt Lake City, Utah, near Park City, Ogden, West Jordan, and Provo, as well as Jackson, Wyoming.

Choosing the Right Tow Vehicle

Your first concern shouldn’t be your travel trailer, it should be your tow vehicle. This is the car or truck you use to haul the rig. Travel trailers come with bumper pull hitches, which actually makes them compatible with most types of commuter vehicles, unlike some other towable RVs. However, this doesn’t mean you should use just any commuter vehicle. You’ll want to make sure it can handle the additional weight.

You’ll want to figure out the tow vehicle’s gross combined weight rating, or GCWR. This number gives you the maximum weight your entire unit should be, including the tow vehicle, the towed vehicle (in this case, the travel trailer), cargo, and passengers. The vehicle manufacturer sets the GCWR, but it’s law enforcement that holds you accountable to following these limits. So avoid dangerous driving conditions and a hefty fine by making sure your tow vehicle is equipped to haul your rig.

Weight Distribution

When the travel trailer and tow vehicle are set and it’s time to load your cargo, be mindful of how you distribute the weight inside your RV. Make sure the weight is distributed evenly from side to side, but not quite so evenly for front to back. For that, you’ll want to be following the 60/40 rule, which dictates that 60% of the overall weight is in the front half, close to the hitch, and the remaining 40% tapers off the back. This prevents your trailer from rising off the ground in places it should stay glued to the road.

In fact, many people say anywhere from 10-20% of total weight should be as close to the hitch as possible. If you notice your rig is favoring one side of the road or feels like it’s difficult to tow, consider rearranging some of your cargo.

Practice

Long before the day of the trip, you should spend quality time practicing behind the wheel. While you’re probably a skilled driver, towing a travel trailer is going to present some new challenges, so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to adjust. Find a large, empty parking lot and relearn some basics, like turning, braking, reversing, and parking. You’ll also want to find a low-traffic time of day to practice freeway skills, like high-speed driving and merging. Keep in mind, your rig won’t be able to stop very quickly, so give yourself plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Hopefully this helps you take your first steps toward your next adventure. A travel trailer can help you enjoy all the best parts of camping while also giving you a relaxing place to unwind in the evening or on a day off. If you’re still looking for the perfect travel trailer, then stop by Airstream of Utah where we sell a variety of models, including some excellent Airstream travel trailers. We proudly serve Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, West Jordan, and Provo, Utah, as well as Jackson, Wyoming.