Going out to the campground or on a road trip and don't wanna leave your powersport toys behind? Best option is to set up that toy hauler. They are great for making it easy to safely tow your small motor vehicles to your next outdoor adventure, but the first part is making sure you are loading it properly.
A safe towing experience starts with the hitch you tow it on, you want to make sure that the hitch is the right fit for your truck and the right fit for your toy hauler. Whether you have a 2”, 2.5”, or 3” receiver, BulletProof Hitches are available in 3 different tow capacities based on the amount of weight that can be towed by your vehicle. The Medium Duty hitch is rated up to 14,000 pounds, the shank of this hitch features Box Steel Construction which makes it overall a lighter hitch. The Heavy Duty hitch is rated up to 22,000 pounds while the Extreme Duty hitch is rated up to 36,000 pounds; both the Heavy and Extreme Duty hitches have a solid steel shank and are overall much heavier.
Preparing your toy hauler is extremely important. A loaded toy hauler will be incredibly heavy and you want to take the time to check the condition of your toy hauler to prevent a serious accident from occurring on your trip.
Safety Checks
Depending what hauler you will be loading, whether it be a Forest River RV, Sandstorm, Wolfpack, Cherokee, Heartland RV, Pioneer, XLR, or any of the many other options you will want to make sure to do all safety checks before ever thinking about getting on the road. Begin by checking both your vehicle and your trailer's tire pressure, this will reduce your chances of suffering a blow out on the road. When you do this you should also check for bald spots, lodged objects or any other issues with your tires. Next attach your hauler to your tow vehicle, this is the time to make sure all connections are strong. Don’t forget to grease your dual ball and coupler before hooking up. Check your mirror to adjust for blind sports, and finally test your brake lights and turn signals.
Proper Loading
When loading a toy hauler you want a 60/40 ratio. This ratio should be that 60% of your cargo’s weight is up front and 40% towards the back while keeping a 50/50 ratio on the left and right in order to not put too much weight on one set of tires. Your vehicle is already being impacted by the weight of your toy hauler so making sure to have proper ratios in your load size will prevent imbalances at higher speeds. Planning out your weight distribution is incredibly important.
Now that you have planned it out it's time to load it up. Begin by making sure that you are parked on level ground and chock the wheels for additional stability. Your toy hauler gate will be converted into a loading ramp when lowered to make it easier to load. When loading your powersport vehicles, you will want to drive slowly but give just enough speed to get up the incline. Once you are up the incline, you will want to shut your engine off quickly in order to avoid inhaling fumes. Secure your vehicle inside the hauler so that it does not move. Many haulers come with some form of tie downs but you can always add more as you see fit. Use ratchet straps in order to keep it secured without having damage to your vehicle. Finally, tug on the straps and give it a little shake to check that it is secure.
If you’ve followed these steps and tips, you are safe and secure and ready for your next adventure! Towing, at the end of the day, is all about being careful but it can still be tricky so practice is one of the most important parts of making sure your next road trip is safe from the moment you leave the driveway.
Happy Towing!
