General Pointers For Pulling A Trailer Using Your New Ford

By Author: Edward Nolan
Total Articles: 70
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Driving using a trailer is not that taxing, however if you are new to the experience then it can be a little harrowing. In most cases, drivers find the number one problem to be adjusting to the additional weight of the trailer, combined with the unfamiliarity of driving a new car.

So if you are going on a road trip, then here are a few things to remember to ensure you have a safer road trip in your Ford and also feel more confident about driving with a trailer, as generated by autowaredev.com.

1) Firstly, you need to check the manual. Most caravans or trailers have a manual or even just a sticker on the side that will tell you what class of vehicle you need to tow the trailer safely. At the same time you should check the Ford manual because you don't want to overload your Ford's engine.

2) Then, you need to make sure there is a hitch package. This is a system to attach your car batter to your camper or trailer electronic. This system is a must have feature as it supplies the power to lights of caravan or trailer, which then alerts other drivers to your road presence.

3) Test your view as you want ...
... to make sure it is not restricted. This might involve extenders that attach to your wing mirrors giving you a better view of your camper and also to let you see any vehicles that are behind you or at your side. Just imagine how bad a crash could be, it would not only ruin your holiday but it could cause serious injuries.

4) Before you leave the house have a safety inspection. You should take this time to make sure all connections are tightened correctly. It will include: checking hitch wiring is long enough to account for turns, checking tyre pressure, attaching the stabilizer and equalizer, making sure the trailer or caravan is balanced and adjust the trailer tongue so that it is in the correct position.

5) Before setting off have a thorough inspection of all of your cases and belongings. This is so important because you don't want to be driving along, get to your destination and then be surprised to find all your holiday gear is broken and cracked into thousands of pieces.

6) When going down a hill ensure you don't go fast. Move your gear stick into a lower gear and go down the hill at a snail's pace, this is the only real way to drive down a hilly road.

7) You also need to take your time and be more careful when reversing. When you are steering the subtlest of moves on the wheel can damage the camper and completely destroy the tow bar.

8) Next, you should try and not make any sharp or abrupt turns. Where possible, your driving should be loose and smooth and steering should happen ahead of time, if you do this then it will ensure that you remain safe during your trip.

9) Finally, if you think your Ford is not really adequate for towing then perhaps you should consider leasing a more powerful Ford instead. For example, when I went camping I took out a Ford car leasing deal from autowaredev.com that was great for towing my caravan during my holiday.

If you stick to this advice then hopefully you will really enjoy yourself as part of your next holiday, regardless of where you are going.