Protecting your Trailer from the Elements

Don’t let your RV season end with the summer. A camper or RV is an investment, so proper care is ideal. Covering your RV when you’re not using it and other precautionary steps will take ensure your RV of its quality, saving you money and time in the long run. 

Why Cover Your RV? 

Not everyone is blessed with an indoor unit to store their RV, so many drivers tend to go with a tarp as a cover. While tarps can prevent water damage, they won’t ensure complete coverage, so using a tarp isn’t necessarily the way to go. To avoid a costly mistake, invest in an elements cover. Make your RV a priority, as the summer season comes to an end with an element cover. Here are some reasons to protect your RV.

• Sun Damage: The sun can cause seal damage to the exterior if there’s too much exposure to UV Rays. The interior will also reach extreme heats up to 144 degrees! Cover your roof to prevent costly sun damage. 
• Water Damage: During the winter, snow builds up on the roof, causing water damage. Eventually, all of the water build-up will seriously damage your RV.   
• Exterior Fading & Damage: Keeping your RV in the same condition as you purchased it, will ensure it’s value if you were to sell. Not covering your RV with an element cover will cause any color or design to fade or crack. 
• Dirt Build-Up: Dirt and debris build-up on your RV, leaving long, nasty dark streaks of dirt. These streaks tend to be a burden to wash off, so an elements cover can save you a whole lot of time! 

At Home Storage Tips

Depending on which state you live in, the laws are different on whether or not you can keep your RV at home. If your state allows it, you’re going to have to winterize your vehicle, along with investing in tire and vehicle covers. 

• Winterize Your Vehicle: When it’s officially the off-season, it’s time to winterize your vehicle. If there’s any chance of snow, get ready to do some maintenance. The winterizing process involves cleaning out the vehicle itself and flushing out the lines. Your RV or camper is about to sit without movement for a while, so winterizing is crucial. 
• Tire Covers: Ensure your tires durability with tire covers. The winter can take a toll on the traction and overall quality of your tires. Tire Covers are an easy fix for an expensive problem. 
• Element Covers: Protect your RV from the elements with an element cover. Element covers keep the interior at a temperature that won’t cause any unwanted damage. They also protect from water damage, dirt, and sun damage, something a tarp can’t quite do! 

Treat your trailer at Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales! 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 ricevilletrailers.com.

What to Know About Triple Towing

If you’re not quite sure what triple towing is, you might know it as “double towing” or “hauling doubles.” Triple towing is for the adventurer who needs an extra set of wheels. This includes, for example, a trailer, car, golf cart, boat, or maybe even an ATV. Whatever adventure you go on, make sure you know the triple towing safety guidelines and regulations. Read below to start your journey! 

Towing Safety & Regulations

• Training: Proper training for “what-if” scenarios are critical when it comes to triple towing. Proper education that a bus or truck driver would go through goes the same way for triple towing. Some states require training and education to get an endorsement on your license. 
• Legality: Each state has different laws regarding triple towing, so do your research on your state beforehand! Most states on the east coast don’t allow it, while the west coast does allow it. For example, different heights and widths of your motorhome are different per state, as well as proper training and education, as stated earlier. 
• Breaks: Commercial towing generally has air brakes that connect to all of the wheels, so even the farthest item being towed will stop. Recreational vehicles could have air brakes on the motorhome and electric brakes on the trailer, creating no brakes on the third towing device. Properly using your brakes while triple towing is critical to your safety and to keep your motor vehicles in quality condition. 
• Lifestyle: Triple towing isn’t for everyone and especially isn’t for every vehicle. Don’t be a mechanical burden on your vehicle. Learn the regulations of each state and if your primary vehicle has the capacity to triple tow. 
• Responsibility: Adding 2 trailers to your vehicle creates a lot of responsibility, especially with that second trailer. From stopping to traveling in tight spaces, to backing the trailer up, education and taking the proper safety precautions is vital and is your responsibility! Ensure the safety of yourself and others by doing your research. 

Start your next adventure today at Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales. 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 ricevilletrailers.com.

Source:

http://rvlife.com/rv-triple-towing-laws/

https://www.rvsafety.com/rveducation

What Type of Maintenance Does My Trailer Need?

Spring is here and trailers everywhere are being pulled out of storage to haul a variety of goods. The best time to check over your trailer and take care of any maintenance issues is now! Towing a trailer can be tricky business and confirming it so it’s safe should be a priority. To get started, check out these common maintenance tips and tricks:

Tires & Brakes

Be sure to take a look at the tires and brakes on both your trailer and the truck you will use to tow. Correct load rating and proper inflation of your tires can be critical. Look out for dry rot and wear on your trailer tires. Tires older than five years need to be observed closely, you can check the manufacture date on the sidewall of the tire. The DOT alphanumeric code includes the date of manufacture stated in the last four numbers. For instance, 2709 tells you tire was manufactured in the 27th week of 2009.

Make sure your brakes are working properly. You need more stopping distance while towing so having brakes that are even slightly spent could be a real hazard. Riding the brakes while towing can lead to overheating your brakes and possibly losing control.

Hitch & Safety Chains

Confirm the towing capacity limits on all gear and be sure the hitch ball is still firmly attached to the drawbar. Make sure that the coupler and hitch ball is sized correctly and fit together snugly. Your second line of defense is your safety chains, which are required. When choosing the thickness of your safety chain, confirm they will prevent the trailer from drifting, while still allowing it to turn easily. Also, crisscrossing your safety chains underneath the trailer's tongue can prevent the tongue from striking the ground in case the trailer becomes unhitched.

Wiring

Whether your truck and trailer came prewired or whether you needed to do your own trailer wiring, you need to confirm that nothing has short-circuited before you tow. Have someone stand behind the trailer while you run through a test of the brake lights and turn signals.

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.

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References:

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-truck-mods/10-towing-maintenance-tips

https://trailerguys.com.au/faq/trailer-maintenance/

Let’s Get Hitched: Different Types of Trailer Hitches

The perfect accessory can make an outfit, and the perfect trailer hitch set up can make your life easier. If you’re new to the world of trailers and trailer hitches, this is a great place to start. Here are a few basic types of trailer hitches, which will help you understand the world of trailers.

Ball Mounts
Towing vehicles, such as a pickup or SUV, usually come ready with a hitch receiver. A hitch receiver is a square opening under the back bumper of your vehicle that allows a ball mount to slide right in and be secured with a locking pin. Your ball mount needs to match the class of your hitch, which should reflect how much weight you plan to pull. There are five classes, broken down as follows:

• Class I: 2,000 lbs
• Class II: 3,500 lbs
• Class III: 5,000 lbs
• Class IV: 10,000 lbs
• Class V: Anything > 10,000 lbs

Hitch Ball
A hitch ball is a trailer accessory that fits into the ball mount. The shank of the hitch ball comes in different diameters, so it's important to match the hitch ball to both the diameter of the ball mount and the coupler on the front of your trailer. Many trailer retailers sell packages with different sized hitch balls, allowing you to be able to tow a variety of different trailers.

Couplers
Couplers are the part that attaches to the front of your trailer. Couplers are similar to ball mounts in that they’re rated based on their weight capacity. There are two types of couplers: an A-frame and a straight-tongue. In both designs, a cup will be placed over your hitch ball, and a spring-loaded latch will secure the two pieces together. Since the opening of the coupler will need to fit over the hitch ball, you’ll need to make sure they’re the same diameter.

While there are many more different types of trailer accessories, these three are a great place to start when trying to understand the basics of hauling a trailer. If you want to learn more about trailer hitches, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us here at Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales. We’d love to help you learn more, so give us a call at 641-985-2536, or visit our website.

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References

https://www.uhaul.com/Articles/Tips/119/Select-A-Hitch-Guide/

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/equipment/hitch-accessories/10-most-popular-hitch-accessories3.htm

Why You Should Cover Your Trailer or RV

As the cooler weather gets closer and closer, it also is a sign that RV and trailer season is sadly coming to an end. With rain, snow, and often sleet on their way, you should think about how you’re going to protect your RV or trailer over the winter season. Here are a few reasons you need to cover your trailer this winter.

UV Rays

If you don’t cover your trailer or RV, you’re going to notice UV damage in certain spots on your trailer. These rays beat down on your the exterior of your RV, and the heat buildup that accumulates on the surface can cause seal damage. Not only can the sun damage the seals on your trailer, but they can also fade the paint and graphics, and will also cause your trim to deteriorate and crack. This damage will cause annoying setbacks, and delay your summer trips due to repairs that could have easily been prevented.

Leaks

Cold winter weather is one of the biggest causes of leaks and water damage inside your trailer. In most cases, a leak in your RV or trailer can be worse than a leak in your home, mainly because leaks can go weeks and even months without being detected. If a leak isn’t detected quickly, you can end up with rotted wood trusses and frames, and you’ll also see mold and bacteria flourishing in the dark and damp places you can’t see. Leaks can cause a real dent in your wallet because many different aspects of your trailer, such as the floor or roof, are much harder and more expensive to fix than those that are in your home.

Interior Temperatures

Covering your trailer is one way to keep the interior temperatures of your trailer cooler. If you’re not doing this, temps can rise and cause real damage, especially if it’s humid. The water vapor in the air can cling to the floor, windows, and even seeps further into your camper between joints. This can cause structural damage and a real headache for you and your family.

If you want to start covering your trailer, but aren’t sure where to start, stop by Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales. We sell tarp kits that can help protect your trailer or RV even in the worst weather conditions. Give us a call at 641-985-2536, or visit our website to learn more about the services and products we offer.

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References

https://www.tripsavvy.com/covering-your-camper-trailer-2912595

https://www.campingworld.com/blog/rv-basics/why-should-you-cover-your-rv/

https://www.heavydutytarps.net/travel-trailer-covers

https://www.coltonrv.com/rv-humidity-problems-serious-damage/