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Stay Safe on the Road: Towing Safety Facts

As drivers, we’ve all seen that SUV pulling an unwieldy or improperly weighted trailer or RV on the highway. Being caught behind such a vehicle can induce a moment of panic. When it’s your turn to tow, it’s important to know how to tow safely. Using a tool like a sway control hitch can reduce trailer sway on the road. Armed with the towing safety facts below, you’ll be ready to tow your RV or trailer safely and effectively.

Different Trailers Require Different Safety Measures

If you’re interested in purchasing an RV or already have one you’re ready to safely tow, it’s important to learn about the type of motorhome you have. There are two types: motorized and towable. The motorized RV is an all-in-one unit, whereas the towable is the type you hook up to your family car, pickup, or van. With over 30 million RVers in the US (including those who rent RVs) according to the RVIA, RV safety is a big deal.

While most motorized RVs have built-in technology to prevent sway and overturns, motorized units should receive routine maintenance and upgrades to keep you and your family safe on the road. Towable RVs are legally required to have working general safety tools, such as brake lights, but upgraded brake controller wiring, multi-axle brake controller upgrades, and more can potentially lower your insurance and prevent serious injury in case of an accident.

Safe Towing Requires the Right Towing Safety Tools

A safe towing experience requires the right tools and the right mindset. Here are some safe towing tools and tips to get you started.

Fixing Trailer Sway: When it comes to towing an RV, there are two types of trailer sway devices: sway prevention and sway reduction. One of the most important towing safety facts is that trailer sway frequently contributes to loss of control for RV drivers. Fixing trailer sway is possible through devices like the SwayMaster.

Electric Brake Controllers for Trailers: Electric brake controllers help you maintain control of your vehicle by regulating the use of your brakes to prevent rollovers and dangerous trailer sway on the road.

Weight Distribution Mechanics: While there are various tools to measure and estimate your weight distribution in your towable, common sense is chief among them, especially on long trips. When you rearrange anything transportable in your towable, ensure that all the weight isn’t in one part of the RV, especially if the items aren’t centrally located. Transported goods such as furniture and luggage are frequent culprits for poor weight distribution, and this is especially important if you’re using your RV to transport a hefty amount of items (for a cross country move, for example) rather than for recreation.

Reputable Towing Safety Products

Towing safety products are crucial to the safety of your family on your road trips. Knowing your towing safety facts, you should only purchase licensed towing safety products from a reputable dealer, manufactured in the United States. Always carefully evaluate the quality and manufacturing of any product required for towing safety.

Hayes Towing Electronics Products are Proudly Made in the U.S.A. and in-stock!

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A Few Simple Tips to Use When You Are Searching for Electric Trailer Brakes

Choosing the right electric trailer brakes for your trailer is a process that needs time and focused attention. If you rush into the buying process, it is more than likely that you will end up buying a trailer brake system that does not meet the needs of your trailer. That’s why we have come up with this simple list of a few tips that you can remember the next time you are searching for electric trailer brakes for your trailer.

Look for a Supplier With Positive Reviews

In the same way that you probably would not trust any old doctor with your family’s health, you should also not be so quick to trust the first electric trailer brake supplier that you happen to come across. Doing this can only lead to frustration and all kinds of dead ends. It pays back time and time again to invest a bit more energy into the process of searching for a supplier that has some positive reviews in place to back up their claims, their customer service, and their products as a whole.

Having trouble finding a company with the right reputation? Start by asking around for a recommendation from someone you know and trust. Beginning by asking around and talking to people who live in your own local community is a good start, but don’t stop there. You can always reach out to your network of friends, coworkers, and family members to see if they might happen to know of a supplier with a strong reputation and positive reviews. Of course, you can always take to the internet for more reviews as well. A few Google searches may give you some options to check out. From there you can read the reviews and see what other customers may have had to say about a supplier in the past. Be sure to watch out for specific features and considerations that apply to the world of trailers and RVs. For example, when it comes to trailers and crosswinds, were you aware of the fact that A 35-mph crosswind could put as much as 3,440 pounds of force pushing on the side of a large trailer, according to a study on commercial vehicle towing accidents by Knott Laboratory? Just remember that you can’t always trust everything you read on the internet these days as you are scrolling through reviews left by past customers.

Get Your Budget in Place Before You Get Too Far Into Your Search

A budget is one of the best ways to set up some realistic guidelines for yourself. Without knowing where your finances stand you are going to have a tough time knowing what kinds of suppliers are within your price range. After all, there are so many different electric trailer brake systems out there on the market today. Many of them range wildly in their prices, so a budget that you set up can help you to know where you stand before you go on a wild goose chase looking at pieces of equipment that you will not be able to afford.

If you get stuck on making your budget, there are many online tools that you can use. Similarly, you can get a lot of research done when searching for electric trailer brakes. This way you can get a better feel for what you can afford before you ever even step foot inside of shop that specializes in selling these parts. Research, when combined with the right budget, will deliver results that you and your loved ones are proud of. It will also make that next trip that much better.

At Hayes Towing Electronics we are happy to offer you, your family, and your team the best and latest and greatest in electric trailer brakes, trailer brake controller solutions, and electronic trailer sway control. With our experience in the industry, we are well aware of how tough it can sometimes be to find a great parts supplier that you can invest your time, money, and support in. That’s why our team is standing by to answer any questions that might happen to pop up as you embark on your search for the right set of electric trailer brakes to meet your needs, regardless of how specific they may be. Please feel free to reach out and get in contact with a member of our staff today for even more information on our products and services. Hayes Towing Electronics Products are Proudly Made in the U.S.A.

Hayes Towing Electronics Products are Proudly Made in the U.S.A. and In-Stock!