Whether you’re towing an RV travel trailer, fifth wheel RV, folding camping trailer or toad, your most important consideration is making sure your tow vehicle can handle the weight. Trying to pull more weight than your truck or SUV is rated to handle not only puts you and other motorists in danger on the highway, it can ruin the vehicle’s motor and leave you shopping for a new truck. It’s important to use the fully-loaded weight of your RV when shopping online for a truck to pull it. If you plan to trailer a toad (car, ATV or motorcycle) behind your travel trailer or motorhome, you must also add that weight into your calculations.
You should also know the towing requirements for your home state and the states you will be traveling through. Selecting a tow vehicle and tow package that meet the most exacting U.S. and Canadian requirements will allow you to travel without trouble through multiple states and provinces. Some safety features to consider include:
- RV auxiliary brake system
- RV sway control system
- RV skid wheels
- RV tow mirrors
- RV hitch lock
- RV adjustable hitch bar
For comprehensive information on RV tow vehicle sizing, truck classification and truck ratings, follow the Tow Vehicle links under the Resources tab on our home page.
Claire is one of our regular writers on the RVT blog. She brings up to date news and timely trends to the blog.
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