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Trailer Towing - Crawler HaulerTrailer Tricks and Tools From the February, 2009 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road By Fred Williams Photography by Fred Williams
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As our sport of four-wheeling has progressed to running deeper mud holes, taller sand dunes, and rougher rock obstacles, the vehicles we drive are becoming more and more specialized and less and less street driveable. Let's face it, if you want the ultimate vehicle for your chosen terrain, then it's probably not going to work as well on the asphalt-and that's when you'll start thinking about a trailer. Trailers are a handy tool and evil curse all in one. From the moment you drag one home you must consider where you are going to park this new vehicle that requires maintenance, tires, and (in some states) license and insurance. But unlike your Jeep or mud truck, you can't even drive this thing to work on sunny days or when your daily driver or tow rig is in the shop. Yes, trailers are a curse. But on the other hand, look at all the great things a trailer can do for you. Ever see a rusty old truck that would be the perfect hunting rig at the cabin? Tow it home. Got some friends that are getting rid of a fridge, couch, or lathe across town? Tow it home. Even if you like to drive your trail machine on the street, there may just come that opportunity where you get a week or two off, and you decide to go wheeling on some trail thousands of miles away. Though the drive there in your trail rig may be possible, the drive home in a battered and broken truck may not be so safe for the other drivers you'll share the highway with. Finally, whether we like to admit it or not, sitting in a warm, quiet cabin of a tow rig can make a long drive much easier on the driver. A comfortable driver is often more aware of his surroundings and able to react better to dangerous situations. Simply put, having a trailer can allow you to get there, wheel harder, and get back safer.  With so many project vehicles...  With so many project vehicles being built by the 4-Wheel & Off-Road staff, we quickly realized that we needed a trailer. From the day it was brought home from Carson Trailer in Gardena, California, it has been in constant use. Since we wrench on everything from flyweight flatfenders and Samurais up to 4-ton or larger Avalanches and Super Dutys, we knew we needed a big trailer, but went with a bumper pull since we also tow with as many different trucks as we haul. If we had one dedicated tow rig we would recommend a gooseneck for ease of towing, but our steel-deck trailer works fine for our application. Ours was built 105 inches wide and 18 feet long with dual 6,000-pound axles supported by leaf springs.  Trailer tires are some highly...  Trailer tires are some highly abused components. If you have a two-axle trailer you'll find the tires do a lot of scrubbing when turning, and when loaded they support not only the weight of your vehicle but also the weight of the trailer. We outfitted our trailer with a set of Goodyear's new Unisteel G149 RSA tires that have a load E and G rating. This will result in a 3,000-pound-capacity per tire at 80 psi and a 3,750-pound rating at 110 psi. Be sure to check that your wheels and valve stems are rated to support the high pressures and loads from the trailer weight, and keep the pressure up in the tires to help them live longer. Also put your trailer on a scheduled maintenance program to keep all the bearings lubed and suspension bolts checked for proper tightness.  If you're a truck guy and...  If you're a truck guy and collector of fine potential projects (aka junk) then you'll surely come across a need for a trailer-mounted winch. We looked to a company that supplies numerous tow trucks and found a small Superwinch unit for our trailer. The S5000 comes with 50 feet of 1/4-inch wire rope and a remote with 30 feet of cord so you can winch a vehicle onto the trailer while sitting in it and steering. We've found the winch is good for vehicles with tires that hold air and roll, but for dead pulls we require a snatch block or larger-capacity machine.  In addition, we went with...  In addition, we went with electric trailer brakes on one axle for on-road control as well as drive-over fenders. One place you shouldn't skimp is a heavy-duty jack; going with the cheaper versions will just cost more over time as you replace them every other year.  Many trailers are not built...  Many trailers are not built wide enough for fullsize trucks to squeeze between the fenders, but if your rig is small like a Jeep or Toyota-yet outfitted with full-width axles-you may not need a giant heavy-duty trailer. This ingenious trailer owner reinforced the standard fenders with some 1/4-inch plate so that the fullsize rigs can roll over them without crushing tin.  Another ingenious and low-buck...  Another ingenious and low-buck recipe for the wide trucks is to lay a piece of wood on its side next to the fender where it can support a lot of weight. By doing this and only running one tire over the fender you can get the vehicle far enough forward for an even weight distribution.  Once the vehicle is on the...  Once the vehicle is on the trailer it's time to tie it down. We've found that for 99 percent of the time the best method for tying down a truck is to go around the axletubes and attach straps to the deck of the trailer. We use axle straps from Mac's Custom Tie Downs that come with a protective sleeve to guard against chaffing. However, be careful that axle straps do not run over any brake lines. Rather, have them run under any hard lines; even if it takes a little longer to weave them into place, it won't risk damage to these vital parts.  Another option is to build...  Another option is to build custom shackles onto your axlehousing for quick hookup, but be sure the welds are solid and professional. Also don't use your winch cable as a tie-down-it's not designed for that and the winch brake won't necessarily hold. But remember if you are the driver of the tow rig, it is your responsibility to double-check every strap and tie-down; it's your driving record on the line if your buddy's rig comes off your trailer and smears a busload of kids.  On our trailer we like to...  On our trailer we like to run both front and rear straps straight, or one set straight and the other crossed over. But always run two straps front and rear for insurance in case one comes loose or breaks. In addition to the axle straps we use a complete set of ratchet straps from Mac's Custom Tie Downs, and the whole kit comes in a small duffel bag for safe storage. Also, unlike in this photo, tie up those loose strap ends with a small bungee or rubber band; don't let them drag or flap around in the wind getting chaffed.  Mirrors are another thing...  Mirrors are another thing to consider. Most late-model 1-ton trucks come outfitted with good fold-out mirrors for towing, but if your rig isn't so equipped look into some attachable towing mirrors to keep an eye on your cargo and where that car next to you is when you want to change lanes.  Many trailers are not built...  Many trailers are not built wide enough for fullsize trucks to squeeze between the fenders, but if your rig is small like a Jeep or Toyota-yet outfitted with full-width axles-you may not need a giant heavy-duty trailer. This ingenious trailer owner reinforced the standard fenders with some 1/4-inch plate so that the fullsize rigs can roll over them without crushing tin.  Another concern before leaving...  Another concern before leaving home is making sure your safety chains are in place, your brake-light wiring is plugged in, and nothing is dragging on the ground. Even when you're tired from wrenching all night or wheeling all weekend, taking a few extra seconds to check everything can be a life-saver on the highway or steep mountain pass. If you're on a long trip, be sure to stop, check your brakes and marking lights, and retighten the straps after the first few miles, and then again at every fuel stop. Don't be afraid to back up the tie-downs with a safety chain, and make sure the vehicle is in gear and has the parking brake on. This unfortunate accident happened less than a block from home, and though we can all look back and laugh at it now, it could have been much worse. The culprit was using only one strap at each end, assuming it would be fine for the short drive home.
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