Towing Tips for Trouble-free Travel

Porter, TX – Every year millions of Americans take to the roads with their trailers in tow. Whether you’re towing a boat, a horse or a houseful of furniture, driving with a trailer present challenges to both the driver and the tow vehicle. Here are the top tips from hauling experts on how to keep your travel trouble free.

Be Cool

Towing season is usually during the summer months with temperatures regularly between 80 to 120 degrees. Keeping your tow vehicle’s fluids cool is critical to keep the engine from overheating or worse. You may want to upgrade to a larger radiator to keep those fluids cool. The increase volume of liquid and increase fluid flow from a larger radiator is one of the most effective ways to keep you engine cool.

Engines temperatures can more easily and inexpensively be reduced by adding a coolant additive to your radiator. These products reduce engine temperatures by decreasing the surface temperature of water in the radiator. This improves heat transfer and lowers temperatures. One of the more popular coolant additives, Purple Ice, has been proven to reduce engine temperatures as much as 30 degrees.

Another easy way to keep things cool is by upgrading motor oil. Premium synthetic motor oils typically have a lower coefficient of friction and better heat transfer than conventional motor oils. This helps lower engine temperatures. For instance, in independent tests, using Royal Purple’s high performance motor oil reduced engine temperatures as much as 12 percent.

Remain Level-Headed

Trailers have a tendency to load down the rear of a tow vehicle. As the vehicle rocks further back, the dynamics of the vehicle change. This means that the tow vehicle will not stop, steer, and handle as well as it does when it’s not towing something. Investing in overload springs, air bags and/or a weight distributing hitch will help the tow vehicle ride level; which will translate into a safer and better ride.

Breathe Deep

During the life of your engine, thousands of cubic feet of air will pass through the engine cylinders. Dust and other material in the engine can cause excessive wear and operating problems. It’s imperative that you keep air filters clean by regularly replacing them. To further enhance performance, you may want to consider upgrading to a high performance air filter or complete intake system. The relatively low cost of a high performance filter and ease of installation (about 5 minutes) makes upgrading a no-brainer. The improved air flow can help you gain the additional torque for easier towing.

Don’t Go Bald or Flat

Whether towing or not, checking the condition of your tire and tires pressure is vital. Tires that are under-inflated or over-inflated may wear out prematurely or potentially blow out and cause an accident. Ideally, tire pressure should be checked every time you fill up your gas tank. By keeping your tires properly inflated, you’ll also help reduce fuel consumption and increase your safety while towing. The U.S. Energy Department reports that under-inflated tires can actually increase fuel consumption by up to 6 percent. This also holds true for a trailer. Typically, trailer tires are overlooked until they dry rot, blow out and/or just go flat.

Don’t Strip (a gear)

Two components that take the most abuse and are most neglected in tow vehicles are the transmission and differential. In most cases, neither is adequately cooled and both undergo extreme pressure in towing conditions. Keeping the fluids cool vital for a health tranny. The cheapest and easiest solution is upgrading fluids to high quality synthetics, For instance, Max ATF and Max Gear from Royal Purple have been proven in independent tests to reduce operating temperatures for increased transmission life. Additionally, both use Royal Purple’s proprietary additive technology that provides maximum wear protection particularly in extreme situation like towing.

Another option to consider to help keep fluids cool is to replace the stock oil pan with a deep pan or larger capacity oil pan. Many of these pans are aluminum, which dissipate heat quicker than a steel factory pan. The most effective and most expensive solution is for keeping fluids cool is to invest in one of the many aftermarket transmission coolers.

Consider Hardware and Software Upgrades

Aftermarket manufacturers produce a wide variety of parts from brakes to computer chips that can dramatically improve the performance of your tow vehicle and make towing easier. Upgrading brakes with a larger rotor or better caliper will help slow or stop everything quicker. Premium brake pads that dissipate heat also improve stopping. Aftermarket exhaust systems increase exhaust flow and reduce backpressure for increased torque. And finally, engine management software that optimizes engine performance is available from a variety of manufacturers. A quick Internet search can provide a wealth of information about available performance parts from a variety of manufacturers.

Don’t Forget to Brush

Following good maintenance procedure is a lot like brushing your teeth. Failure to do either can cause a lot of pain and unnecessary expense. You should give your tow vehicle and trailer a good once over before towing. Checking all of the fluid levels, the air filter and regularly replace the fuel filter will keep the vital components clean and clear of debris. Cleaning windows and mirrors will reduce glare and make the trip a safer and easier for you and your eyes. It’s also a good time to considering add trailer mirrors which dramatically improve rear-view visibility. And don’t forget to check your trailer’s brake fluid, electrical wiring and tires. Make sure the lights work properly and everything is in working order.

Each of these seven tips will improve your towing experience and help insure a trouble- free ride. For best results, take the advice of the experts and follow-up on all of them.