Your tow vehicle is the first item you must consider in towing safety. Keeping your tow vehicle in tip-top shape is the first step in towing safety and enjoyment of your trip.

One of the fundamental rules regarding towing safety is to correctly match up the strength of your tow vehicle with the size trailer you would like to tow. The hitch must safely "connect" both the tow vehicle and your trailer to provide both ease of handling and safety under the most extreme conditions.

Suppose you are in the lucky position of being able to purchase a brand-new tow vehicle. In that case, it goes without saying that you should analyze precisely what you want to tow, both for your present needs and future requirements, before deciding on which new tow vehicle you will eventually purchase. Always keep your long-term needs in mind.

For instance, you may want to upgrade your 17-foot boat to a 24-foot boat in the future, and you're saving up money for the eventual purchase. Buy a tow vehicle that can handle the future load! I've witnessed the heartbreak and disappointment of some customers who've just purchased a beautiful big boat or RV trailer and discovered that their current truck wouldn't pull it! I've even had some customers try to "get away" with towing a heavy trailer with an undersized truck. No reputable dealer will sell you a hitch package that we consider unsafe for your towing needs. I've had to refuse to install hitch equipment in some cases because I knew it was dangerous for what the customer wanted to do. So, always purchase your tow vehicle with your heaviest load capacity to avoid this situation.

Many optional features are available from your dealer, which may be essential for optimum performance in towing. Luckily, all the major auto manufacturers have studied the unique needs of their vehicles for towing use and have printed brochures to help you correctly match the tow vehicle equipment to your particular-sized trailer.

Tow Equipment You May Need

Here are just some of the items you may need for your own towing needs:

• Axle ratio
• Increased engine cooling system
• Transmission cooler
• Alternator and battery size
• Heavy-duty suspension system
• Tire size or rating
• Engine size, torque, and capacity
• Towing Package (includes some degree of pre-wiring)
• Special mirrors
• Hitch Equipment
  

If you are purchasing a used vehicle, many of these options can be added on later. Depending upon the weight of your trailer and the type of driving you plan on doing, the auto manufacturer may or may not recommend all of these options. Most options listed are recommended for extensive traveling under any conditions: mountain driving, hot climate driving, or when towing heavy class trailers. More about trailer classes here.

Even if the tow vehicle you choose has all of these options, try to avoid any type of driving that will overheat your engine, such as following a slow-moving truck up a long grade.

Keeping Your Tow Vehicle Cool

Let's talk about transmission and engine oil coolers for just a minute. I'm sure you've seen people parked on the side of the road with steam rolling out of their engines. You felt sympathy for them, right? Well, when you tow, your transmission operates at its maximum level. Towing puts extra strain on your engine and transmission, causing them to run at a much hotter temperature. To avoid becoming one of those unfortunate people on the side of the road, consider, at the very least, a trans-cooler and, if possible, an engine oil cooler.

Since excessive heat is your transmission's worst enemy, a trans-cooler is an ideal and often necessary towing accessory. Long trips, hill climbing, and towing larger trailers are harsh on your transmission. Hot transmission fluid running through the cooling system causes 50% of all radiator boilovers. When oil temperatures exceed 200 degrees F., oil breaks down, causing seals to crack and leak. Every 20-degree drop in oil temperature will double the oil life!

So what does the trans-cooler do that's so great for your transmission? I'm glad you asked. A transmission cooler will protect your radiator by reducing the transmission fluid temperature by as much as 80 degrees! The fluid constantly passes through air-cooled tubes before re-entering your transmission. The engine oil cooler functions much the same way. You can purchase these two types of coolers separately or together. You should also check your engine oil regularly throughout your trip.

Tire Safety

Tire size and pressure are also essential subjects for your tow vehicle and trailer. Under-inflated tires get very hot and can lead to tire failures and possible loss of vehicle control. Over-inflated tires can cause uneven tire wear. Tires should be checked often for conformance to the cold inflation pressures recommended on the Safety Compliance Certification Label for original equipment tires. Remember, spare tires should not be used while towing Class II or Class III trailers.

Most people don't realize they shouldn't tow anything with a new vehicle for the first 500 miles to "break it in." To properly break the motor in, you should drive the car exactly how you plan to drive it for the rest of its life. In other words, don't baby it if you don't plan on babying it after it's broken in. If you are hard on a vehicle, drive it during the break-in period. This will adequately seat the seals and rings.

Mirrors

Your tow vehicle might require unique mirrors, one flat to see the road and one convex to know the side of your trailer. These mirrors extend out from your tow vehicle, which enables you to see all the way down the side of your trailer. Remember, if you can't see beyond your trailer with your regular mirrors, you need extended towing mirrors for safety.

Lights and Wiring

Special light and wiring systems must be installed on your tow vehicle before you can tow any trailer. The trailer lighting system must be separate from your tow vehicle lighting system. Your qualified hitch installer will wire your taillights, signals, and brake light functions into a special plug or connector to access the trailer's light systems.

When you flip on your turn signal or push your brake pedal, the lights on the trailer must also signal your intentions for the driver behind you. The law says that any trailer that protrudes 4 or more feet behind your vehicle or visually blocks your taillights must be equipped with its own taillights, and your vehicle must have a connection to the trailer's taillights. Hence the need for wiring your vehicle.

If a trailer is longer than 15 feet or weighs more than 1500 lbs., it must be equipped with a brake system by law. The law states that if you tow a trailer equipped with electric brakes, you must have a brake control installed and working in your tow vehicle.

Cruise Control and Towing

Some tow vehicles come equipped with automatic overdrive transmissions and speed cruise control. I'm often asked about using these features when towing. With certain automatic overdrive transmissions, towing, especially in hilly areas and with heavier trailers, may result in excessive shifting between overdrive and the next lower gear.

If this occurs, it is recommended that the overdrive gear be locked out to eliminate the condition and provide steadier performance. Using the overdrive gear for the best fuel economy when there is no excessive shifting. Overdrive also may be locked out to obtain 3rd gear engine braking on downgrades.

It should be noted that most auto manufacturers do not recommend utilizing the Speed Cruise Control while towing. But I know you may be tempted to use it, so here are some tips. When driving uphill with a heavy load, significant speed drops may occur when using the Speed Cruise Control option. A speed drop of more than 8-14 mph will, by design, cancel the automatic speed control. In this case, temporarily resume manual control through the vehicle's accelerator pedal until the terrain levels off.

Towing at High Altitude

The last thing I want to mention regarding the tow vehicle is altitude. Since gas engines lose power at a rate of some 3-4% per 1000 feet of elevation, you should reduce the gross vehicle weight and gross combination weight of your trailer by 2% per 1000 feet of elevation to improve the engine's performance.