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Towing Tips

November 15th, 2008 by Justin

If you are a 4×4 enthusiast or looking for some quick tips on how to tow properly, here are just some of the few things you should know.  First off, one of the most important pieces of information you need to tow safely is the gross weight of your load.  There are two numbers that are important, the first is the GCWR or Gross Wombination Weight Rating, the other number is TUL, the towing unbraked load.  While these two numbers are important, if you are unsure, many recommend at least 10 horsepower for every 1,000 pounds you tow.

Towing

When you tow a load, you will be working your transmission very hard, make sure that your transmission is in good condition and the fluid levels are properly filled.  Besides checking fluid, if you are towing a vehicle that has either 2 wheels or 4 wheels on the road, make sure your vehicle is in neutral- if the vehicle you are towing is facing reverse, never put that vehicles transmission in reverse.

For those that are interested in the proper way to use a tow bar, it is very helpful to make sure that your tow bar is as horizontal as possible.  When a tow bar is perfectly horizontal, it will prevent the item that you are towing from pushing in or riding up on the tow vehicle during hard stops.  A horizontal tow bar will also ensure longer reliability due to less stress on both the hitch and mounting brackets.

Another important tip to consider is if you are towing a vehicle or item, one of the easiest ways to damage your tow bar or the towed vehicle is to back up.  Finally, for those towing a car around the country, you should know that the odometer for newer cars will usually not count the mileage of the vehicle as it is being towed.  Most of today’s new vehicles only count the odometer when a key is in the ignition.

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Posted in 4x4, General | | 1 Comments

One Response to ' Towing Tips '

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  1. 2009 Kia Borrego | 4x4, Trucks & Trailers said,

    on November 30th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

    [...] Other numbers that definitely make the Kia Borrego a staunch full size 4×4 is its 7,500 towing capacity and curb weight of 4,600 + pounds.  With these numbers, you can tell that Kia is serious [...]

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