Driving Tips for Towable RVs
Even those who have experience towing cargo trailers might find towing an RV to be an entirely different beast. Many towable RVs are big, and even with additional safety precautions, you’ll need to take certain steps to prepare for your first trip. To help you out, 47 West Trailers has provided some broad tips for driving your towable RV and how to prepare so you have a safe and efficient journey. You can also talk to some of our staff in person when you visit our dealership in Troy, Missouri.
Preparation
If no one’s told you yet, it’s important to know that before we dive into driving, you’ll need to make sure you have the right tow vehicle to match your RV. Smaller trailers probably won’t need heavy-duty tow vehicles, but the bigger your rig gets, the more important this is going to be. Overwhelming any part of your towing unit can create a big hazard. Familiarize yourself with the towing limitations of your commuter vehicle (including the gross combined weight rating) and figure out if they line up with your RV, or if you’ll need to upgrade. Also be careful of how you load your RV. Avoid putting too much weight in the back, since this can create a sway risk and make it more difficult and dangerous to drive.
Turning
When it’s time to get behind the wheel, there are some challenges you’ll encounter straight away and it’s important to know how to approach them so you’re more confident. Luckily, turning may seem a lot harder than it actually is. Just remember that your trailer will go where your tow vehicle goes. This means if you have a longer trailer, you’ll need to pull forward farther to clear the turn. Avoid hairpin turns as much as possible. Right angles are fine, but anything tighter than that and you’re going to start struggling.
You’ll want to be careful about making turns that are too tight in a fifth wheel. Otherwise, you risk damaging your back window. Know that short-bed trucks for fifth wheels don’t give you a lot of wiggle room for turning, and most RVers would agree that this only works if you get an auto-sliding hitch.
Backing Up
Backing up can take some getting used to and often needs to be taken slowly, even if you have more experience. First and foremost, make sure you minimize the pressures around you. Don’t do this in the middle of a roadway if it can be helped.
Turning and backing up at the same time can be a little counterintuitive from what you’re used to. If you want your towable RV to turn to the right, you need to turn your steering wheel to the left. If you want it to move to the left, you need to turn your steering wheel to the right. This is because your trailer is going to move in the opposite direction of your tow vehicle. We highly recommend asking a friend or family member to help guide you, whether this is your first time or your hundredth time, as you’ll have big blind spots with a towable RV.
Other Important Tips
In general, you need to be conscious of the extra weight behind you. Even smaller towables add more pressure to your tow vehicle, especially when braking. While you can invest in a trailer braking system to help with stopping, you need to give yourself lots of space between you and the vehicle in front of you and also to monitor your speed. Adjust your following distance and speed so, if you have to stop suddenly, you won’t slam into the vehicle in front of you.
This is going to be especially important when traveling downhill. You’ll also want to downshift to help with braking, since riding the brakes to the bottom of the mountain can cause them to overheat. Signal you’re going to turn or change lanes long before you do it. Remember that you’ve got big blind spots and a smaller car—that you may not be able to see—needs time to move away from you in order to avoid a collision.
Trailer sway is going to be a big risk for you and it’s hard to know when it’s going to happen. Even if you’re driving carefully, a sudden gust of wind can push your trailer around, which can, in turn, pull your tow vehicle with it. Just remember to remain calm and keep the nose of your tow vehicle pointed in the right direction. If a wind storm rolls through and you’re having a hard time staying in control, consider pulling off until the high winds die down, or find another route.
Hopefully, this helps you at least get started, but we here at 47 West Trailers suggest you spend lots of time practicing behind the wheel before you hit the road. If you need more tips, or if you’re still looking for the perfect towable RV, then stop by our location in Troy, Missouri, and we’ll help you with all your RV-related needs. We proudly serve Columbia and St. Louis, Missouri.