Advice for cross country towing??
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 136
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From: Eastern Iowa
Advice for cross country towing??
I know some of you tow long distances very often. I dont.
I'm no stranger to towing, but a long trip pulling a trailer is 50 miles for me. I am leaving for Pennsylvania in the morning. It will be roughly 825 miles out there with the empty trailer, and on the way back we will have a Ford Ranger the gates my friend bought. Quite a load I suspect.
Any advice??
I'm no stranger to towing, but a long trip pulling a trailer is 50 miles for me. I am leaving for Pennsylvania in the morning. It will be roughly 825 miles out there with the empty trailer, and on the way back we will have a Ford Ranger the gates my friend bought. Quite a load I suspect.
Any advice??
Reading your sig, DON'T tow with your performance tune. Are you towing on a car trailer? Make sure you have a good brake controller. Depending on how you load the trailer you may want a weight distributing hitch. Hopefully you have a 5.4 to pull that load
My biggest concern towing on a long haul is being prepared. Make sure to check the pressure of the tires before you go, this will help with handling and gas mileage. Make sure you also have a spare trailer tire as well, I would hate to be stuck 800+ miles away from home.
As canadian_screw mentioned, a good brake controller is a must. Do you know how much the truck sags with that kind of weight on it? You don't want to get there and find out that the truck drops 8" in the rear. You might be able to pull the Ranger back on the trailer some to help but this might introduce sway problems if you do it too much.
As canadian_screw mentioned, a good brake controller is a must. Do you know how much the truck sags with that kind of weight on it? You don't want to get there and find out that the truck drops 8" in the rear. You might be able to pull the Ranger back on the trailer some to help but this might introduce sway problems if you do it too much.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup, WA
Having towed trailers coast to coast in my younger days when I worked for a construction company I did what I could get away with submitting on my expense sheet for prepping the van and trailer. I'd get the van serviced for it's fluids. I'd make sure the spare was good for the van and the trailer. I'd check and repack the bearings on the trailer myself.
I'd check the air pressures each morning when the tires were cold. I made sure they were at the MAX COLD PSI for the tires.
Once on the road, I'd stick with around 60 mph. At that time, I think it was still 55 mph nationally? (late 80's). Anyway, even if the speed limit was higher, that's all I'd go anyway...
At gas stops or rest stops, I'd make a check of things by doing a walk around the entire rig. I'd pop the hood to make sure things were okay.
I never did break down or even have a flat on my trips back and forth. Did it a couple of times too.
Good luck!
Mitch
I'd check the air pressures each morning when the tires were cold. I made sure they were at the MAX COLD PSI for the tires.
Once on the road, I'd stick with around 60 mph. At that time, I think it was still 55 mph nationally? (late 80's). Anyway, even if the speed limit was higher, that's all I'd go anyway...
At gas stops or rest stops, I'd make a check of things by doing a walk around the entire rig. I'd pop the hood to make sure things were okay.
I never did break down or even have a flat on my trips back and forth. Did it a couple of times too.
Good luck!
Mitch