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Tips for Towing With Your Ford | Mount Juliet, TN
One of the best things that your Ford crossover, SUV, or pickup truck offers is tremendous towing capacity. Before you embark on your next camping trip, here are some tips on how you can tow safely and confidently with your Ford.
Find Your Model’s Tow Rating
Your tow rating is how much your Ford vehicle is capable of towing. This can be found in your owner’s manual. Your vehicle’s engine size, transmission type, and drive type, help determine its tow rating. Once you know your tow rating, you should know the weight of the trailer or other item that you are considering towing to make sure it doesn’t exceed your Ford’s towing capacity. The trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) indicates the maximum amount your trailer should weigh. You should consider your trailer’s empty weight and what you will carry with that trailer to make sure it does not exceed your Ford’s towing capacity.Find The Right Hitch
Choose the right hitch for your vehicle, especially if your vehicle doesn’t have a factory-installed tow hitch. Hitches are made up of three parts: the receiver, the ball mount, and the trailer ball. Each component should be labeled with their own weight ratings, each of which must meet or exceed your Ford’s tow rating.Hitch Up Before You Load Up
Make sure you hitch up before you load up. If your Ford has backup cameras that assist with hitching a trailer, they will come in handy as you connect the trailer to your vehicle. The trailer tongue needs to be raised, the trailer wheels need to be chocked, and the trailer receptacle should be unlatched. As you back carefully under the trailer ball, make sure it is centered before setting the parking brake and setting into Park. As you lower the tongue receptacle onto the ball, snap the latch closed once it is fully engaged.Load Items By Weight
Position the items by weight so the trailer is properly balanced and stable while driving. The trailer’s tongue weight is the amount of downward pressure on the hitch point. The usual tongue weight is 10 percent of the trailer’s overall weight, with a goal of 60 percent of your cargo’s mass situated ahead of the trailer axle and 40 percent behind it. Your heavier items should be placed ahead of the trailer axle but not completely towards the forward edge. The heavy items should also be positioned as low as possible in your trailer. As you’re loading items, secure the loose items so they don’t shift while you’re driving and alter the trailer’s tongue weight.Do Maintenance
Before you set out with your trailer, be sure to conduct some basic maintenance checks. Double check that your trailer lights work and the tires of your trailer and Ford have proper tire pressure. There will be extra stress on your vehicle when you’re towing a trailer so make sure you recently had an oil and filter change, your fluids are properly topped off, and your brake pads are still effective.Tips For Safe Towing
With a trailer in tow, you want to make sure you’re driving slower than normal. The extra weight of the trailer creates an aerodynamic drag, which means you should be mindful about accelerating and braking gradually. Your stopping distances will be much longer so be sure to leave enough space between the vehicle in front of you in case you need to respond and brake quickly. Make sure you’re looking far ahead down the road so you can anticipate any maneuvers you may need to take. Since you’ll be driving slower, stay in the right lane so you don’t disrupt the flow of traffic. When you turn, swing wide so that the trailer doesn’t hit any curbs since its arc around corners are tighter than what you are used to with your own vehicle.If you’re ready to upgrade your current model, visit Two Rivers Ford in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, to check out the current Ford truck lineup.
