My dad traded in his pop up camper for a trailer that is about 19 feet long. He isn’t used to having something that large behind him when driving which obstructs his view. So I’m thinking he would probably benefit from some towing mirrors as well as a wireless backup camera put on the license plate of the trailer.
Is there anything else he would need to feel more secure when towing his trailer?
He might have his brakes checked.
Convex mirrors. I assume they would be included on “towing mirrors” but they’re vitally important especially on the right side and it’s nice to have one that’s 6"x6" and individually adjustable instead of a cheesy 2" round stick-on.
What’s he towing it with? You haven’t told us anything about his tow vehicle. If he has an F250, he probably needs nothing else for the 19 foot trailer. If he’s using a minivan, he’ll need to look into GCWR limits and probably invest in a transmission cooler.
Also, is the travel trailer one of the old 96" or the newer 102" width? That might make a difference in the mirror add-ons.
Just for additional info, I use these clip-on CIPA mirrors for towing my 102 width rig. They’re pretty good, but the rubber straps deteriorate in the sun too rapidly for my taste (need to replace very 18 months or so).
Knowledge of the vehicle’s rated towing capacity.
Knowledge of the vehicle’s load’s weight, the trailer’s weight, and trailer’s load’s weight.
Knowledge of how to load a trailer for weight distribution and load stability.
Transmission cooler.
Extended convex side view mirrors.
Vehicle rear spring airbag suspension inserts and air compressor.
Hitch aligner.
Trailer weight distribution system with sway control.
Trailer brakes.
Trailer back up lights.
Practice, practice, practice.
Get a frame mounted hitch receiver. Don’t use a ball mounted to the bumper. Replace the receiver retaining pin with one with a lock instead of just a clip. If his truck doesn’t already have one get a trailer wiring harness.
Also know the trailers height. Unless you want a convertible.
I could understand this caution with a car but if a truck or SUV has a square trailer insert for a ball hitch I was under impression it was solidly attached to the frame. I have not looked under my GMC Denali SUV but the square hitch insert is not physically part of the bumper. Aren’t all truck towing inserts attached to the frame?
Older pickups usually had step bumpers – steel bumpers with a step in the middle. The licence plate would be mounted in the step’s alcove, and the ball part of the hitch would be screwed into the step. These were OK for lightweight towing, but not suitable for much more. In contrast, a receiver hitch (that square tube mounted to the frame) is usually capable of towing a greater load. A lot of late model pickups have these rather than step bumpers.
F150 4.6L engine. I think the trailer weighs 4000-5000 lbs and the towing capacity in the F150 is 8000 or more.
