Roadside Recovery: Using a Tow Truck Service

Hello, my name is Brian and I live in Syndey, Australia with my wife and our four kids. I have a busy day job working in an office, so at the weekends, I like to get away from it all. Last year, I took my wife and kids out for a drive into the Outback. I am a pretty experienced driver, but I still managed to get the wheels of our car stuck in some deep mud. The sun was getting low in the sky and I started to panic. Thankfully, I managed to contact the local tow truck company who sent a man out to rescue us. He even towed my car to the nearest garage and gave me some top tips about how to tow vehicles. I hope you enjoy my blog.

Tips For Towing a Trailer

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If you have a need to tow more boxes or equipment than what will fit in the back of your truck, using a trailer is a great idea. You can tow it behind your truck and avoid having to make multiple trips just to transport everything. Here are some tips to follow if this will be your first time towing a trailer.

Check the Condition of the Hitch

The very first thing you should do is check the condition of the hitch. This is the metal component located on the back of your truck, van, or SUV that allows you to tow other vehicles or trailers. If you haven't used it before, you might have mostly ignored it was there and may not be aware of issues with it. Inspect the hitch thoroughly to be sure it is in good condition. If it has a lot of rust or corrosion, which can happen with older vehicles, you may need to test its strength first before attempting to tow a trailer. The last thing you want to do is end up on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck because the hitch broke and your trailer disconnected from the truck.

Know Your Weight Limits

You also need to know how much weight your truck can take when towing something with the hitch. This information should be in your owner's manual. Don't underestimate the importance of this maximum towing weight, because it could mean the difference between successfully towing a trailer and ending up with a disaster on the road. Don't forget you are not only considering the weight of what goes in the trailer, but the trailer itself. Know how much everything weighs before you start loading it into the trailer.

Load the Trailer Very Carefully

The way you load the trailer can also make a big difference. If you put all the heavier stuff on one side and lighter stuff on the other, it can feel like it is pulling to one side, making it a lot harder to drive with the trailer. Try to balance out the load as best you can. You also want to have a good amount of heavy objects on the trailer tongue so it doesn't sway too much. Another good tip is put all the heavier cargo near the front where the axle of the trailer is located.

Inspect Everything Before You Leave

Sometimes you miss things when you are busy hooking up the trailer and making sure the brakes and lights work, so it is good to do one final inspection. Walk around the truck and trailer, making sure everything is connected properly. Inspect the tyres of your truck and the trailer, make sure it is connected securely, and double-check that the brake lights work on the trailer when you step on your truck's brakes.

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25 April 2017