<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT"%> ROCKCRAWLER.com - It's Summer - Here Are Some Trailering Tips

It's Summer - Here Are Some Trailering Tips

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" In the summertime we get a lot of people towing trailers that haven't done a whole lot of that, in the past," says Rob Krouse, General Motors trailering engineer. "You drive your vehicle most of the year and it handles and accelerates one way -- you put a trailer on and it's a lot different."

Krouse says you need to use all of your senses when towing a trailer, especially one that may weigh several tons.

"You want to look around, see what's going on -- watch your instrument panel," says Krouse. "The gauges -- look for overheating. If you smell anything that might be burning -- your brakes, transmission, you want to pull over. If you feel any instability, or trailer sway, again you pull over."

Rob also warns that many people don't use the right kind of vehicle to pull and maneuver large trailers.

"In towing a trailer of any kind, some things you want to keep in mind, are that powertrain, acceleration are greatly affected," says Krouse. "You've got a lot more weight to pull around. The vehicle doesn't respond as quickly as it does without a trailer. Braking is also greatly affected, you've got to leave a lot more time and room to react to things that happen in front of you."

The latest trailering technology comes from GM. The Quadrasteer 4-wheel steering system is available on the Chevy Silverado, and makes tight maneuvers, such as backing into a boat launch much easier.