Can you tow a trailer with a brand new truck?

Towing a trailer to your truck is a difficult task. Everyone can’t do it but only by a proper way to hook it up. If you want to bring your family vacations to a new level buy a trailer, but you must know which one to buy.

A trailer is like a big cabin on wheels; you can use it to travel with family or moving your luggage when going to another state.

All you have to know is how much the trailer’s towing capacity and whether it is fully equipped or not.

You can find many demanding weight vehicles and load the trailer to handle the GCWR, luggage, passengers, and fuel.

You have to be careful; otherwise, overloading a trailer can cause a crash on the road.

Can you tow a trailer with a brand new truck?

You can tow a trailer with a truck only in case if you know a few things about it, such as weight it will pull and can do that job properly.

Always keep in mind that it is not as simple as it sounds. You need to learn about (engines, transmissions, and equipment packages). It will ensure that you have the right truck for your needs, but it’s not easy to remember all the numbers and their task.

Can you tow a trailer with a brand new truck?

How to tow a trailer with your truck skillfully?

Here you will find out the procedure to tow a trailer with a brand new truck whatever your truck has the capability.

Know your vehicle’s GCWR

GCWR means Gross Combined Weight Rating refers to your vehicle, passengers, cargo, trailer, and load. All the big cars, trucks have this number that lets you know the maximum capacity and weight that is safe for your vehicle.

So if you want to tow a trailer to your truck, you must not exceed the weight limitations.

The pulling configuration includes (drivetrain, wheelbase, engine, hitch, and gear ratios) need to know how they work.

First of all, if you are not needed four-wheel-drive capability, you should choose the rear-wheel-drive for maximum towing ability.

You must also know longer wheel trucks can have better control when towing to the trailer than shorter counterparts.

Talking about the vehicle’s power, you should consider a diesel one with a high tow rating than a gasoline truck. You are also known to the different axle ratios with high pulling power, but it consumes more fuel than a lower axle ratio.

Choose the best trailer for your brand new truck

When you are about to buy a trailer to tow with your truck, you must learn which one is the best option and how their system works. Here are a few types of trailers with different qualities:

(i) Flat trailer for truck

Flat floor trailers work great with all-terrain vehicles. Single-axle are good with light loads (2500 pounds) and double-axle for heavier items. You can also choose enclosed trailers for hauling general cargo, but they are a bit heavier than open trailers and challenging to handle.

(ii) Towing a car without a trailer

You may have seen this on American highways that an RV pulling a Jeep, such as you can attach the tow bar to a rear-wheel-drive and pull it in neutral.

You can check your car or truck description to see if it is enabled to be towed with a four-wheel flat on the road, or you need single-axle tow to drag it.

(iii) Travel trailers

Travel trailers mean home on the road. People use conventional trailers for camping as these are lightweight as 2500 pounds or airstream ones at 10,000 pounds.

These travel trailers have a unique standard hitch setup with a fifth-wheel. Gooseneck trailer making it easy to tow with the truck.

Know the hitches and balls

Before towing your brand new truck to the trailer, you must learn the hitches and balls that how they work with the weight when tow. Here are the five classes of hitches according to weight control.

Up to 2,000 pounds – Class 1
Up to 3,500 pounds – Class 2
Above 8,000 pounds – Class 3

Up to 10,000 pounds – Class 4
Up to 12,000 pounds – Class 5

You will find out that most cars come with class 1, 2, 3, whereas heavy vehicles like trucks and SUVs can be equipped with 3, 4, 5 class hitches.

These hitches have the following sized receiver tube and ball mounts:

25-inch receiver tube belongs to class 1 and 2
2-inch receiver tube to grade 3

5-inch receiver tubes to 4 and 5 depending on the vehicle’s configuration.

Its size should be according to the trailer’s weight for lower or raising ball mounts as it sits back to level. However, most manufacturers guide the ball size on the coupler, which is average 1 7/8, 2, or 2 5/16 inches.

So it would help if you used a ball with the weight capacity of your loaded trailer. On the other hand, if you have a heavy-truck to tow more than 12,000 pounds, then you need a gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitch.

(Gooseneck uses a ball-type setup and can handle up to 30,000 pounds).

(Fifth wheel uses a horseshoe-shaped mount handle up to 25,000 pounds).

Properly tow a trailer with a truck?

People who don’t have experience in towing a trailer to truck should follow these steps to connect your vehicle to the trailer:

At very first secure the ball mount in the hitch’s receiver tube
It would help if you lined up both vehicles
Make sure the trailer coupler must be higher than the ball on the hitch

You can use the vehicle’s backup camera to spot the exact place of the ball under the trailer coupler connect it slowly
Now put the tow vehicle in park and set the parking brake
Then find a twist handle on the trailer tongue to low or rise the metal pipe which is called the jack to twist it to lower the coupler onto the ball

To secure the coupler to the ball using the attached cotter pin on the latch
Now lift the tongue of the trailer to see everything is connected
You can now raise the trailer jack up and out of the way completely

When a trailer is attached, put the chains on a trailer with your truck in a criss-cross pattern for safety

Skills of loading the trailer

When you are about to load your trailer, whether you are moving to another city or going camping; you should distribute weight equally. If it exceeds weight limits, it can cause a fishtail at the rear, and the vehicle can sag with poor handling and brake.

Generally, the trailer’s tongue weight should be 9 to 15% of the total weight, so use a scale to load weight correctly.

Let’s make it simple by remembering a few things when loading the trailer. Use ratchet straps or tie-downs to ensure your load is secure and safe.

It would be best to use telescoping mirrors to see your full trailer. Also, make sure the tires are trailer tires, not car tires, or adequately inflated.

When driving, check your tires and keep trailer wheel bearings greased to avoid damaging axles.

Be aware when towing on the road

When you are all set to go in your truck towing with the trailer and hit the road. You should be careful because now you have two vehicles on the road at once.

If you have the latest truck and have the tow/haul mode, then engage it, so the engine works accordingly with the heavier weight. Also, remember a few precautionary things:

When going with the trailer, plan your route carefully; otherwise, it will be frustrating (dense city traffic, construction, steep hills, or mountain).

Always fill your truck’s tank full before towing a trailer to it.
Always keep a roadside safety kit with (flares, first-aid, reflectors, and other supplies).
Do no run your truck as usual drive slowly at a maximum speed of 55 m/h.

You have to put an early break because to stop more mass.
Always stay in the right lane and have the patience to change the road or use Turn signals to make more sweeping turns.
Park your vehicle and trailer at a particular place to avoid getting stuck.

Slow your speed on steeps roads or downhills to avoid risking overheating by braking hard.

Towing tech ability

With the advancement of technology, everything has become automatic, as many automakers are offering SUVs and trucks with automated features. Some of them have tow/haul packages to fix the pitch automatically. Brakes, larger mirrors, and upgraded cooling system comfort you more.

2019 Ram trucks

These kinds of trucks have self-leveling air suspension to stabilize the trailer and truck with blind-spot monitoring and tire pressure monitoring.

2019 Ford F-series

Pro trailer backup assist helps in reversing when the trailer is attached and offers a pressure and blind monitoring system.

2020 GM heavy-duty trucks

It is incredible technology Silverado HD, and Sierra HD has a see-through transparent trailer view. So that you can see what’s behind the trailer.

Conclusion

Towing a trailer with a brand new truck is a process, as explained in the above article. Now you can follow the steps to connect your vehicle for whatever purpose you are towing them and hit the road safely.