How To Avoid Trailering Problems On The Road…
Photo by Virgil Knapp
Related: Tips For Your Tow Vehicle
Why do we need best snowmobile trailering tips for our snowmobile tour or snowmobile vacation? Because too often, we take snowmobile trailers for granted. We ignore them, store them improperly and don’t maintain them well. Let’s start with a Snowmobiler Television video clip, then go on to some basic legalities…
Best Snowmobile Trailering Tips
Basic Legalities
To be legal, you must register and plate your trailer. You must hook it up with hitch and safety chains. And make sure it has have working lights and is not overloaded. You must secure your sleds with at least three points of attachment and ensure your tow vehicle has proper side mirrors. Failure to comply can be dangerous and result in a fine.
In many jurisdictions, it’s also illegal to haul a trailer without tow mirrors that extend far enough out to enable unimpaired rear vision. If you tow vehicle isn’t properly equipped, you can get mirror extensions that fasten on as needed.
Prepping Your Trailer
Prepare your sled trailer by checking and greasing the wheel hubs and inspecting tires for wear, cracks and air pressure. Make sure lights work properly and that the cup-hitch assembly, chains and clips are in good shape. Spray all locks and hinges with lubricant and then do a test drive for safety’s sake.
Securing Your Sleds
Keep your sleds secure in transit with heavy-duty tie downs. Make sure their hardware is strong and fasten each sled twice at the front and back using separate straps. Four-point tie down reduces risk of sleds coming loose or being damaged in sudden stops or manoeuvres.
Proper Tongue Weight & Height
Positioning your sled(s) properly on the trailer is crucial for safe towing. The weight should be towards the front of the trailer, but not so far that it pushed the tow vehicle hitch downwards. Sled weight too far back on your trailer makes it more susceptible to sway and possible loss of control while driving.
When viewed from the side, your trailer and tongue should be level with the ground. If it’s angled either up or down, that indicates either too little or too much weight on the hitch. So adjust your tow vehicle hitch height to level it out.
Run With Lights
This may seem strange, but turn on your running tow vehicle running lights whenever you trailer. First, other drivers will see you better all the time, but especially in sloppy conditions. Second, you will always know that your trailer lights are working. And if they go off unexpectedly, that you’ve got a problem. Finally, lit trailer lights should generate enough heat to stop snow and slush from covering them.
My Last Word
Trailering tips are particularly important for newbies who may also be trailer novices. If that’s you, take these to heart and also my beginners tips.
The tips and advice in this blog are the opinions of the author, may not work in every situation and are intended only for the convenience and interest of the reader, who has the personal responsibility to confirm the validity, accuracy and relevancy of this information prior to putting it to their own use.