So, you want to explore the outside world but that does not mean that you are willing to trade your creature comforts for a life of totally surviving off the land, right? Well, you don’t have to. Exploring outdoors does not necessarily equate to roughing it. Even the most ardent wilderness enthusiast would not mind having access to his porcelain throne in the midst of the wilderness. Everybody could use a break once in a while to explore the vast wilderness. That’s where a travel trailer comes in – Travel trailers are great because they enable you to have your cake and eat it too. With a travel trailer, you get all the creature comforts of civilization without having to part too much with the outdoor experience. What a great way to balance both worlds and make sure the pleasures of home aren’t very far away when you’re out and about!
But the million-dollar question is whether or not you are prepared for travel trailer towing. Of course, towing a trailer is fun but it has its share of challenges. You’ve got to stay alert behind the wheel because that extra weight is going to affect how you used to make a sharp turn or apply brakes! Basically, you will have to relearn the basics of driving once again because that heavy load will interfere with your driving skills in more than one way. And don’t forget the basics like hitching up correctly – now THAT’S Crucial!
When it comes to selecting a travel trailer for your upcoming trip, there’s no shortage of options. Do you crave daily showers or prefer letting nature be your deodorant? Dreaming of just enough essentials or full-on luxury voids? No matter what tickles your fancy – we’ve got you covered. Let us decode any confusing terms and varieties so that stunning vacation rides await you!
Types of Travel Trailers
You should not rush when trying to zero in on a travel trailer. Buying the first one that catches your eye could come back to bite you once you realize it doesn’t have some of the features that other trailers have. You need to do a little research before you decide to spend your hard-earned money on something such expensive.
Here are some of the most popular travel trailer types and their pros and cons. Do read them so that you can make the right choice in the end.
Conventional Travel Trailers
Conventional travel trailers with their amenities will make any nature enthusiast swoon. Conventional travel trailers have got it all; from showers to bathrooms, kitchens, sleeping areas, and beyond. Basically, these Conventional travel trailers let you chill out in nature with some luxuries so that you don’t have to rough it out in the open.
Fifth-Wheel Trailers
Fifth-wheel trailers, or 5ers, are easily distinguishable from other types of trailers due to their unique shape and the way in which they are hitched to the towing vehicle. Unlike traditional travel trailers that gets attached to the rear bumper of the towing vehicles, Fifth-wheel trailers attach to the truck bed and thus forming an unbreakable connection between the two. Designed for serious RVers, Fifth-Wheel Trailers tend to consume a lot of energy as it comes fitted with numerous features and amenities. Despite this downside, fifth-wheel trailers offer smoother rides as they are able to distribute weight better than other kinds of travel trailers.
Pop-Up Trailers
Pop-up trailers, on the other hand, allow beginners a perfect setup. It offers the best of the both worlds. It lets you explore the outside world with all its beauties and at the same time, it does not make you spend a fortune on it. And setting this thing up is relatively easy. All you have to do is use the hydraulic lift or crank a handle to set it up. No steep learning curve involved! these trailers come with flexible canvas walls ready to expand – so get out there and enjoy nature on budget.
Storage Trailers
Storage trailers are of an entirely different ilk. Just as the appellation implies, they are designed not for living in, but rather for transporting goods. More often than not, Storage Trailers have got aluminum frame that makes extremely lightweight. Telescoping trailers have got solid walls that can be stretched to accommodate more luggage.
Teardrop Trailers
Popular during the 1940s and now experiencing a resurgence, teardrop trailers have become a favorite amongst those inclined towards more minimalistic travel trailer options. These vintage models are much more compact than their full-sized counterparts, but contain all of the essentials including a miniature kitchen and an accommodating sleeping area for two. Unlike their bigger counterparts, teardrop trailers are much more manageable; they are easy to set-up, weigh significantly less and consume far less fuel than traditional travel trailers.
Travel Trailer Towing Tips
Contrary to what most people believe, towing a travel trailer is no walk in the park. You may think you already know how to drive and therefore towing a travel trailer is not going to be that complicated. But the reality is knowing how to drive has got nothing to do with towing a travel trailer. Towing a travel trailer or any other trailer is a different ballgame altogether. You will need a lot of practice before you even think of taking the trailer to the highway. Find an empty parking lot to learn the basics of towing so that tricky maneuvers don’t become too much of a nail biter. Check these tips before pulling off: they’ll definitely have your ready to roll with confidence!
Getting Hitched
The very first thing that we need to do before we start our journey is to check the label on the hitch. The label has all the information that you need to figure out whether it will be able to handle the weight of the trailer or not. If the weight of the trailer exceeds the recommended level, you will have to upgrade the class of the hitch otherwise the hitch will buckle under the strain. Better be safe than sorry!
Once you have got the right class of hitch, you will have to move on to the next step and that is raising the trailer on the jack. Next, you will have to drive in reverse to ensure that the trailer coupler gets seamlessly attached to the hitch ball. The hitch ball needs to be aligned center to get the perfect fit. Once both the towing vehicle and the travel trailer are perfectly aligned, bring your truck to a standstill and apply the parking brake. Carefully drop the trailer onto the hitch ball until it is snugly seated in place. Then lock them in place by activating the locking mechanism. Once this step is complete, you will have to connect the trailer’s wiring with the vehicle’s electrical outlet. In the final step, you will have to get the safety cables attached in a crisscross pattern.
Weight Distribution
Having good control over your trailer is key! Make sure the weight of what you’re hauling isn’t concentrated in one spot. Balance it out evenly from side to side and front to back for an all-around smoother ride – no more swaying trailers here!
Braking
Traveling with a travel trailer in tow can be like dragging an anchor. Unsurprisingly, the more weight you’re lugging around, the more of a challenge it is to slow down – so keep plenty of distance between your rig and whatever’s ahead when hitting those highways! When you’re towing a trailer, remember that your ride is now heavier and has more momentum. So that means, if you are driving at high speeds, you may find it hard to stop. So, you need to make sure that you are maintaining enough space between your car and the vehicle ahead because you simply can’t apply emergency brake when you are towing a travel trailer.
Turning
When hauling a trailer, never underestimate your turn radius! Make sure you give yourself some wiggle room when turning or else you risk meeting an unexpected accident in the end.
Don’t forget that the wheels on your towing vehicle will turn more slowly than those of the travel trailer. Allow for extra space when making turns by taking it nice and wide!
Parking
A little help goes a long way when it comes to parking a towing vehicle. Having somebody outside your vehicle lend you some guidance is the key for success – especially if you are not entirely sure of the dimensions of the rig. Once you have spotted the perfect place to park your vehicle, you need to apply the parking brake first and then you can take your feet away from brake pedal. Don’t forget to place blocks behind the tires to stop them from rolling away uncontrollably.
