When towing smaller campers, like teardrop-shaped ones or those around 40 feet, specific considerations come into play. This article provides crucial tips to ensure a smooth towing experience, especially if it’s your first time with a camper trailer.
1. Optimal Towing Vehicle for Small Campers
While flexibility exists in choosing a towing vehicle for your small camper, practicality is key. Skip the heavy-duty SUV or large truck; it’s overkill. Calculate GCWR and GVWR to find the right match, ensuring it aligns with the Maximum Tow Rating.
For ultra-compact teardrop trailers (10ft, 290 lbs), believe it or not, a motorcycle with a 1,000cc engine can handle the job. Larger trailers (e.g., 450 lbs) are still motorcycle-towable with a 1,300cc engine. Stay safe by using a swivel hitch for stable turns.
2. Load Your Cargo Wisely for a Balanced Camper
Arranging things in your camper is like playing Tetris. Make sure most of your stuff is towards the front (about 60%). Don’t put too much at the back (not more than 40%). If you load it wrong, your camper might swing like a dog’s tail, making it hard to control.
3. Pack Light: Tips for Your Small Camper
Your tiny camper can’t carry much, so be selective. Keep clothes minimal and limit passengers. Don’t go crazy with food and water—there’s not enough space, and they’re heavy. Prepare for more frequent stops; your small camper has its limits.
4. Adopt a Safe Driving Speed for Towing
Towing, whether a small or large camper, requires a careful approach to driving. Many camper owners advise maintaining a slow pace, approximately 40 MPH, for enhanced safety. This deliberate speed ensures better control over your vehicle, especially during crucial maneuvers like turning and stopping. While on highways, adhere to speed limits, avoiding excessive speeds beyond 40 MPH to prioritize safety and minimize the risk of accidents.
5. Plan Ahead: Familiarize Yourself with the Road
Enhance your confidence on the road by proactively assessing potential challenges before your trip. Use user-friendly apps like Google Maps to review your route, identifying aspects like four-lane highways, overpasses, tunnels, and tight turns. Ensure your vehicle dimensions align with clearances and exercise caution on highways prone to sudden lane changes.
6. Park with Caution: Prioritize Safe Parking Practices
Ensuring safety and conscientiousness while parking is crucial. Whether refueling, taking a break, or securing accommodations, finding a suitable parking spot is essential. With a camper trailer attached, parking becomes a meticulous task. Take your time, seek ample space, ideally utilizing two vertically arranged spaces. Avoid attempting to fit your setup into a single parking space, as this can lead to complications. Refrain from parking at angles or diagonally in most lots, respecting others’ need for parking. Exercise judgment in tight spots and consider alternative parking if necessary, especially avoiding narrow parking garages.
7. Back Up Safely: Minimize Risks of Jackknifing
When leaving your parking spot, especially with a camper trailer in tow, the process demands careful handling. If backing up is necessary, proceed slowly and attentively. Taking the time to execute this maneuver is crucial to avoid the risk of jackknifing. Jackknifing occurs when the camper trailer sharply angles away, compromising safe driving conditions. Moving at a deliberate pace is essential to prevent this potentially dangerous situation. Although it may initially feel cautious, prioritizing safety during parking lot exits is paramount to avoid mishaps and maintain control over your vehicle.
8. Anticipate Traffic Moves: Stay Ahead on the Road
Understanding that your truck and camper require a gradual stop, adopting a forward-thinking strategy becomes crucial. Beyond maintaining a slow speed and planning your route, what additional measure can enhance your road-savvy approach?
Embrace a technique favored by motorhome enthusiasts who assess traffic dynamics within 15-second intervals. This method involves predicting actions based on cues from vehicles ahead, such as turn signals or brake lights. Developing this skill over time allows you to narrow the prediction window to 12 or even 10 seconds, although this may require years of towing experience.
While not claiming psychic abilities, mastering this technique reduces the need for abrupt braking. Anticipating events seconds in advance offers ample time for a composed response, prioritizing safety and enabling you to bring your vehicle to a stop with precision.
9. Signal Clearly: Activate Turn Indicators Promptly
Addressing the importance of timely stops, how frequently have you encountered this scenario? Cruising down a three or four-lane highway without a trailer, suddenly, the driver ahead decelerates to change lanes without signaling. They nearly cause a collision, leaving you silently frustrated. Surely, this scenario sounds familiar from your years of driving, doesn’t it?
Certain drivers seem inconsiderate, neglecting the existence of their turn signals. You can’t afford to be one of them anymore. Even with a compact camper, it occupies substantial space on the road. When making turns, changing lanes, or executing maneuvers, activating your turn signals is imperative.
These signals communicate your intentions to fellow drivers, allowing them to make space and avoid abrupt braking. Providing early notification, your turn signals enhance road courtesy. However, ensure not to activate them excessively early, as this might confuse other drivers about your turning intentions.
10. Consider Upgrading Your Mirrors for Safer Towing
Many novice camper trailer owners find themselves considering mirror upgrades to enhance their driving experience. The standard mirrors provided with your truck or SUV often fall short when it comes to towing a camper, leaving blind spots that compromise safety on the road.
Extended side-view mirrors emerge as a popular choice among RV and camper enthusiasts. These mirrors, available in both permanent installations and convenient clip-on varieties, offer enhanced visibility for towing purposes. Clip-on versions provide the added advantage of easy removal when not towing, adding to their practicality.
Additionally, exploring rear-vision camera options can significantly improve your towing experience. Equipped with a driver cockpit monitor, these cameras provide comprehensive visibility of the area behind your trailer. While such upgrades may incur additional costs, their potential to alleviate concerns during lane changes, turns, and maneuvers makes them a worthwhile investment.
11. Exploring Different Hitch Options for Camper Trailers
If you’ve delved into the world of fifth-wheel trailers, you’re likely aware of their specific hitching system. But what about camper trailers? Can you use the same hitch? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Here’s a rundown of alternative hitch options for camper trailers:
- Weight Distribution Hitches: Ideal for pickup trucks, these hitches connect to the truck’s rear hitch. They ensure balanced tongue weight distribution, offering peace of mind during towing. Despite their unconventional appearance with long metal prongs and chains, these hitches effectively stabilize the load.
- Bumper Hitches: Versatile and compatible with trucks or SUVs, bumper hitches attach to the vehicle’s bumper. Constructed from durable materials like rubber or metal, they feature a square-shaped receiver tube suitable for various hitch setups. Designed for lightweight towing, bumper hitches are a suitable choice for small camper trailers.
- Pintle Hitch: Distinguished by their unconventional appearance, pintle hitches consist of a lunette (ring-like metal part) and a pintle resembling an oversized metal wrench. Despite their appearance, pintle hitches can tow trailers weighing up to 60,000 pounds. However, they may generate more noise compared to other hitch types.
- Gooseneck Hitch: Offering similar functionality to fifth-wheel hitches, gooseneck hitches connect to the rear axle of pickup trucks, providing additional space in the truck bed for gear and essentials.
- Rear Receiver Hitch: Among the most common hitch types, rear receiver hitches connect to the vehicle’s rear and feature a square receiver tube akin to bumper hitches. Classified into different weight classes, they offer versatility and accessibility for various towing needs.
12. Ensure Compliance: Trailer Braking Systems Explained
If your truck/SUV and camper trailer collectively weigh at least 1,000 pounds, and sometimes up to 1,500 pounds, you may be required to install a braking system for the trailer. While this requirement is mandated by some states, it’s not universal across all jurisdictions. However, if you intend to embark on cross-country journeys, it’s prudent to consider installing this additional set of brakes. Avoiding fines or potential safety hazards is paramount, making compliance with these regulations essential.
13. Prioritize Safety: Keep Your Camper Empty While Towing
While your camper trailer may comfortably accommodate occupants during camping stops, it’s crucial to keep it empty while in motion. Here’s why:
- Legal and Safety Concerns: Firstly, allowing passengers inside the trailer while it’s being towed may not comply with regulations, potentially leading to legal repercussions. More importantly, it’s unsafe. Without seatbelts in the trailer, occupants are at heightened risk in the event of a collision, jeopardizing their safety.
- Weight Distribution: Additionally, maintaining proper weight distribution between your trailer and towing vehicle is essential for stability. Just like arranging Tetris blocks, uneven weight distribution can destabilize the trailer, posing a risk to everyone on the road.
Prioritizing safety by keeping the camper empty while towing ensures compliance with regulations and minimizes the risk of accidents, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful consideration and responsible decision-making.
14. Stay Charged: Regular Monitoring of Your Camper’s Battery Life
Maintaining the functionality of your RV or camper entails diligent monitoring of its battery life. Here’s why it matters:
- Regular Testing: Just like any battery, the one powering your trailer has a limited lifespan. It’s essential to regularly test its charge and recharge it as needed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during your adventures.
- Climate Considerations: Climate significantly influences battery longevity. Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, can impact its performance. Therefore, it’s crucial to factor in climate conditions and take appropriate measures to preserve the battery’s lifespan.
- Optimal Storage: Maximizing battery lifespan involves proper storage practices. When your camper is not in use, consider removing the battery to prevent discharging and potential damage.
By staying proactive in monitoring and maintaining your camper’s battery, you ensure reliable power supply for your travels, enhancing your overall camping experience.
15. Enhance Security: Utilize Safety Chains for Hitch Stability
Ensuring the security of your hitches is paramount for safe towing. Here’s how safety chains can provide added protection:
- Secure Hitch Attachment: Investing in a set of safety chains adds an extra layer of assurance that your hitches remain firmly attached during travel.
- Optimal Placement: For maximum stability, position the safety chains in a criss-cross formation, creating an X-shaped pattern. This arrangement ensures that in the event of a hitch disengagement, the chains act as a safety net.
- Prevent Costly Damage: By strategically placing the safety chains, they serve as a safeguard, intercepting the tongue hitch and preventing costly replacements or potential accidents.
Incorporating safety chains into your towing setup enhances overall stability and minimizes the risk of hitch-related incidents, promoting safer and more secure journeys.
16. Ensure Safety: Conduct a Comprehensive Walkthrough
When embarking on a journey with a new towing setup, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the equipment and ensure everything is in optimal condition. Here’s how to conduct a thorough safety walkthrough:
- Check Tires: Prior to hitting the road, inspect the tires of both your towing vehicle and camper trailer. Ensure they are properly inflated and free from any signs of damage or wear.
- Inspect Towing Connections: Examine all towing connections, including hitch attachments, safety chains, and electrical wiring. Confirm that everything is securely fastened and in proper working order.
- Verify Mirrors: Adjust and verify the positioning of your mirrors to ensure maximum visibility of both the road and your trailer.
- Scheduled Stops: Plan to take breaks approximately every 50 miles during your initial journey to assess the condition of your setup and address any concerns promptly.
- Gradual Adjustment: After gaining experience with your setup, adjust the frequency of your safety stops based on your comfort level. Consider extending the interval between checks to 100 miles or conducting inspections at the beginning of each driving day.
By incorporating these safety measures into your routine, you can enhance confidence in your towing abilities and promote a safer and more enjoyable travel experience. Regular checks ensure that your equipment remains in optimal condition, contributing to overall peace of mind on the road.