Learn About Ford F-150 Towing
Prepare To Tow
Towing a trailer requires coordination of three components: the driver, the vehicle, and the trailer. Once synchronized through practice and patience, you ultimately become a towing expert! The professionals at Pittsville Ford have provided trailer safety requirements and ideal combinations. Our dealership has various tow-ready vehicles outfitted to take on your adventures. Review our trailer safety requirements, and contact our staff if questions arise along the way.
Get Hitched
The first line of defense in towing is properly hitching the trailer to the truck. To ensure a secure connection, determine the appropriate hitch system by checking your trailer’s owner’s manual or contacting our team. Then make sure the chain is correctly fastened.
Balance Weight
Trailer safety requirements include evenly distributing the freight and cargo. You will want to balance the weight equally both front-to-rear and side-to-side to have more control over steering to keep your goods affixed. Remember not to skip this step or it could cause your trailer to sway or induce stress, resulting in damage or loss of cargo.
Get A Tune-Up
Staying current with routine vehicle and trailer maintenance is crucial for towing safely. One of the most safest ways to tow a trailer is by consistently checking its operation. Be sure to inspect for optimized steering, accelerating, and braking.
Verify Compliance
Consumers, dealers, and manufacturers must complete the Compliance Verification Program through the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) to meet trailer towing safety standards. This required NATM membership guarantee includes successfully participating and completing the program and emphasizes industry best practices.
Ideal Combinations
Your vehicle’s tow rating depends on its configurations. For instance, when you equip the new Ford F-150 with the newly engineered hybrid V6 engine, you can achieve at least 12,000 lbs. of max towing capacity. If you require more seating, the Ford Expedition has a best-in-class tow rating of 9,300 lbs. when outfitted with the Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package. Depending on your trailer’s size and load, you may require the massive strength of a Ford Super Duty®.
Visit Pittsville Ford today to go over more trailer safety requirements!
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