Towing Tips: Winter Holiday Travel with a Tow

The winter is filled with beautiful, cloud-like views, soft snowfall followed by warm evenings by crisp, hot cocoa filled fires. The winter can truly bring out the inner adventurer in you. But don’t let your next road trip come to a halt due to safety issues. Take on the winter equipped with the proper knowledge to make sure you don’t get into any life-threatening situations and your trips run smoothly. When it comes to towing in the winter, it becomes even more important to know these towing safety guidelines. Read below to learn how to travel safely this holiday season with a tow. 

5 Winter Tow Tips, Trailer Safety, & More 

1. Maintenance & Tire Checks: Regular vehicle maintenance checks should be done once a year to multiple times a  year, as well as making sure your tires are maintaining their tread. Your trailer needs to be up to date and maintained, as well as your vehicle. Consider checking the battery more often due to the cold weather. Cold weather decreases the life in batteries at a faster rate, especially when the batteries are older. However, replacement batteries are usually your best bet to avoid a dying battery. Regular maintenance for your trailer and brake repairs, as well as finding replacements for your wheels, tires, bearings, and seal is another way to ensure a safe ride. Safety during the winter is even more critical, so proper maintenance and repairs should on top of your list. 
2. Drive Safe & Slow: Be aware of the amount of weight you are driving and practice, especially if you’re a first-time driver. Icy roads reduce traction, so it’s ideal that you’re extra alert even if you have quality tires. For example, slowly add more and more power to your vehicle when speeding up. Once you are sped up, maintain your vehicle's forward motion and avoid stopping on icy inclines.  
3. No Cruise Control: No matter the distance, cruise control is a no-go when you tow in the winter. Towing in the winter and using cruise control can disengage the driver and potentially cause the trailer to be unstable.
4. Install Trailer Brakes: With the added dangers of driving in the winter, it’s vital to have trailer brakes. After you install your trailer brakes, check to see if they have a brake control. if they come with a brake controller ease up on the braking power if there’s a lot of snow. A trailer brake control is something to consider purchasing when towing during winter travel to avoid sliding or worse, potentially jackknifing. 
5. Stay Equipped: If it’s going to snow during travel, it’s a sign you will need to be more cautious and bring extra equipment. You never know what safety measures you will have to take. Stay equipped and keep the following in your car:

• Extra set of snow tires 
• Emergency kit
• Flares to call for help if you get stuck 
• Food and water 
• Charged batteries
• Flashlight 
• Blankets and extra clothing for warmth 

Stay safe this winter with Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales. If you are driving a trailer this winter in the snow, contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com. 

sources:

http://knowhow.napaonline.com/5-winter-towing-tips-safe-trailering-ice-snow/ https://www.crossroadstrailers.com/blog/index.php/how-to-tips-for-driving-your-trailer-in-the-snow/

Identifying Trailer Axle Issues

Trailer axle issues can happen over time with wear and tear, hitting a bump, and neglect if things aren’t fixed. When axle problems arise, it’s important to get them repaired immediately or you could potentially take a hit to your budget. Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales are the experts at spotting axle issues and help with trailer maintenance and axle repairs. So how do you identify axle issues?

Usually, the first sign of axle issues starts from unusual wear-and-tear on the trailer's tires. If you’ve gone through a few tires this year, you need the professionals at Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales to identify the axle issue and repair it before having to use more tires again. A misalignment of the axle on the trailer can cause you to buy too many tires in a year from excess tire wear and possible consistent blowouts.

If the axle is misaligned, this can result in many issues including terrible gas mileage, expensive breakdowns, and vibration to the trailer. When the tires are uneven causing alignment issues, this can reduce the stability of the trailer and reduce the ability to maneuver. If this issue isn’t fixed by the professionals or maintained early on, you risk potentially losing tread and experiencing a blowout which is a severe safety concern.

Depending on how often the trailer is used, the axle should be inspected every six to 12 months and realigned to make sure your trailer drives straight without experiencing other issues. If you are looking for an experienced axle repair and maintenance professional, Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales is the expert to help you. We identify and repair:

1. Manufacturing defects
2. Axle damage that may be caused by heavy breaking or an accident
3. Axle misalignments from bumps or potholes in the road
4. Steer-axle adjustment issues
5. Excess tire wear
6. Caster issues causing vibration or steering issues
7. Bent axles & shifted axles
8. Excess camber resulting in tire shoulder wear

And so much more. Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com.