davidfarmer

The above video is just for fun. It's an old one, but relevant.


I was prompted to start this thread due to something I saw a few days ago. I was picking some parts up from my trailer (in storage lot), and I saw a boat with interesting wheel chocks. This moron was using his LIFE JACKETS as wheel chocks. I'll shoot a photo over the weekend.

Anybody else have any (or been guilty of) an Stupid Towing tricks??

Falcon

Yep, when I was a teenager, I often towed a boat with a Triumph TR3. Man, that was stupid. The trailer had no brakes and all the stopping force was by the car.

I can't believe girl's parents allowed their daughters to get in that car with me.

fatbillybob

Best advice? Never bring a knife to a gunfight.

spazegun2213

Never EVER over load a tow vehicle (and really mess up the weight positioning). When I was coming moving from college I had an 88 rx7, 3 sets of wheels on a steel 18ft open trailer and a fully loaded jeep cherokee, manual. The trailer itself was close to the towing capacity on the jeep as I found out after. Even in a straight line the trailer would sway a little. The BIG problem was stopping it. I was thankful to have a brake controller that I could press to activate the trailer brakes to stop that, but Coming down out of the mountains was... well it was quite a sobering experience. Made it 900 miles, and when I got home I swore I'd never do that again. The Jeep was forever retired from towing.. anything.

Han Solo

This video is what happens when you don't have enough tongue weight and have a flat tire. (Ask me how I know)

travisnd

A few bits of what little wisdom I have....

1. Check your tow vehicle and trailer in the same manner as you check your racecar. Torque the lugs, check the tire pressures, check your fluids.

2. Lube your trailer bearings and clean/repack them every year or two. I went four years w/o touching mine because the first time I pulled the dust cap off I didn't see a zerk. It was there, but covered in grease. When I went to clean/repack them finally I found evidence they were on the way out... could have ended badly.

3. Adjust your trailer brakes annually. The shoes should drag on the drums some. If the wheel/tire is off the ground and you spin it as hard as you can it should make around 2 full rotations.

4. When towing go around the block hitting the gas and brakes some. Then pull over and check your hitch, straps, load.

5. If it's raining check your straps every time you stop, they can and will stretch. I used to use straps with hook ends (vs. snap ends) and had a car come off the trailer in the rain when the straps stretched. Luckily it didn't happen at high speed. Happened pulling away from a light and the rear of the car came off and hit the ground. The rear straps were still attached and stopped it from coming off completely. Just minutes before I was on the highway going 60. I promptly bought snap ring straps.

6. Re-calibrate your brake controller often. Most will re-calibrate if you hold down the level selector button. Over time they can get out of whack and the inertia sensor won't work right. Mine was way over clamping my brakes at low speeds making everything get very very hot. Re-cal fixed it.

7. Take your time setting up your trailer/rig if you're using a weight-distributing hitch. It takes some time and some basic math skills and is very important.

8. Related to above... take some time adjusting your brake controller per the instructions.

9. Don't try to load your car on the trailer when it's not hooked up to anything (Never done this, but seen it a few times).

10. Check your trailer lights and wiring over. Last year I kept blowing the fuse for the running lights and it ended up being a frayed wire on my trailer.

11. Trailer tires are supposed to be run at max PSI as listed on the sidewall and inflated cold. It's not like a street tire that you run at 35psi when it says 44max on the side.

That's all I can think of for now.

davidfarmer

just a reminder that trailers with zerk caps on the bearings....I believe you are only lubing the outer bearing, not the inner.

It irritates me that cars can go a lifetime without new bearings, commercial trucks go a LOONGGG time without new bearings, but car haulers need it done ever few thousand miles (or so the dealer tells me). Seems like a scam, although I have lost bearings before while towing.

alextz

I recommend the Equalizer brand weight distributing hitch, had for 4 yrs now, before that I used to use a standard weight distributing hitch, trailer used to sway a bunch at higher speeds....with the "Equalizer" brand, no sway at all,ever.

c4cruiser

The zerk fittings on the EZ-Lube feature on Dexter axles (other axle brands probably have similar setups) does lube both inner and outer bearings. There is a path around the axle stub that allows grease to flow to the large bearing set.

It's important to use the proper bearing grease too. Use a lithium complex NLGI-2 EP grease. This type of grease is available in tubes for small grease guns.

Even with the ability to lube bearings with a grease gun, it's still a good idea to pull the bearings every two years to inspect them. clean and re-pack them. It's a good idea to replace the grease seals at that time. And always carry at least two sets of bearings and grease seals!

rfn026

Nothing good ever comes from pulling a trailer.

Richard Newton
Speed TV Blog

travisnd

There are companies making sealed "lifetime" trailer bearings now, but I don't remember the specifics. Remember seeing it when I was researching replacement bearings for my trailer.

The E-Z lube hubs I have grease both bearings. The grease comes out a small port under the inner bearing. In theory it fills up the rear, then the space across the spindle inside the hub eventually reaching the outer bearing and coming out the front/outer side. Most stuff I've read online states it's good practice to pull them and clean/repack them every couple of years.

Is "Green Grease" OK for this? I didn't know any better and always used it on my jetskis. I read the selling points on it and it seemed up to the task? I've never had any issues. I put new bearings and races on my trailer last summer and repacked everything with this stuff. You think I'm OK, or should I put the specific stuff you mentioned in it next clean/repack?



EDIT - Did some reading and learning about greases and it turns out the Green Grease is a lithium complex NLGI-2 EP grease with an Timken rating of 80. They only say "Mixed Complex" on the marketing stuff because they add synthetic polymers (their wording) to make it tacky and stick to stuff and be waterproof etc.