>tfw about to pull my car by trailer across 3 states tomorrow
>tfw have never pulled a trailer before
how fucked am i
>>14749134
Practice backing up before you put the car on.
Will it be equipped with working brakes, is your tow vehicle noticably heavier than the loaded trailer, are you able to slow down without hectic braking, will you choose a sensible tow speed? You'll be fine.
None of you watch your mirrors on corners
>>14749134
Not suuuuper fucked. Assuming your trailer is secured correctly and the car is tied down nicely, driving with a trailer isn't the hardest thing. Just make sure to take very wide turns to accommodate your trailer, you're gonna want at least one of your front wheels to go over the center line when your turning with a trailer that long. Backing your trailer in is another question. Just hope whoever it is you're delivering to doesn't have a super long driveway, or is fine with streetside.
>>14749134
Square out your corners and you should be fine.
P.S dont try to reverse
>>14749134
Take corners like you're driving a semi, swing wide.
>>14749248
this
also SLOW THE FUCK DOWN for corners and big bumps
and when entering and exiting fuel stops, and other places with bollards, watch the trailer in the mirrors so you dont ram it into shit
Here is a nice horror story for ya
>have friend who just finished restoration of a VW bus,
>two tone blue and white
>is moving so he is towing it (why I couldn't tell ya)
>halfway to destination is doing 60
>has a blowout of the trailer,
>It pulls his truck sideways into the median,
>rolls both trailer and truck
>Totals both of his vehicles
Drive safe.
Reversing; slow and steady. One fuckup can be really expensive. Easy to remember tip for reversing straigth; use your side mirrors and roll the wheel over towards the side the trailer is coming out on. If the trailer is starting to come out on the left mirror then roll the wheel to the left, and opposite for the the right
Remember that the trailer may cut corners a lot sharper than you. Wide, calculated corners.
Braking distance will be increased.
Do regular stops to check your tow straps and similar so that they haven't lost grip or strength
Make sure your tires are properly inflated and that your lights are all working
Your car will accelerate a lot slower
You'll feel bumps and cracks in the road A LOT heavier
And remember to pull up the nosewheel (and aim it to the right so that incase the trailer drops it'll steer off the road) before driving off... I once drove two hours with that dragging sideways on the ground, and when I got out it was on fire
Reversing in tight spaces is the hardest thing to learn
Just don't gun it on the interstate like you normally would. Do a speed you are comfortable with.
Watched mini van lose control on the interstate once, his trailer was bouncing around and he was serving across three lanes with zero control.
>>17531079
Either don't back up at all, or practice it in a parking lot quickly before you get where you need.
Drove with a trailer for my job for the first time the other day, its not as terrifying as it seems once you get going.
Just be aware you'll need to stay on the outside and turn in on corners, keep checking mirrors and don't be that dick taking up one and a half lanes.
>stopping distances will be longer
>you will need to take wider corners
>reversing may be a pain if you've never done it
>if it starts snaking let off the power but don't brake
>lrn2strapshitdown
>>14750783
Also bias the weight slightly in front of the trailer axels. Not so much that the jockey wheel is nearly hitting the street when raised, but you don't want it attempting to lift the rear of the truck.
>>14749134
If you're reversing, turn the wheel in the opposite direction of where you want your trailer to go. Always get out and look during backing and when you don't feel safe. Swing the vehicle wider in turns and look at your trailer tires in the mirror to gauge when to cut back into the lane. Your trailer not following the vehicle is called off tracking.
