Towing large weights, or loads of large size, on roads, whether camper vans, private boats, or anything else that needs to be towed by your tractor, can be a tricky process. Driving a car alone is very different from driving a car with an extra set of wheels hanging from the back. Ignoring minor problems may make your car bumpy and wobbly, make it uncomfortable to ride, and even damage the things you're towing. Ignoring big, important issues can lead to more serious consequences, such as a rollover, resulting in a traffic accident.

While it may seem complicated, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure a safe and reliable traction ride. These steps include a quick set of routine equipment checks to understand your vehicle's specific towing capabilities. Like how much weight can your car or truck pull? Do you need to buy any extra equipment before you go? How can you adjust your driving skills to make the journey safer? Here are 10 tips to make traction more efficient and safer.

1. Know your car or truck's towing power

Before you start loading endless loads onto a trailer or hooking an 18-foot boat to the back of your car, it's a good idea to know the towing power of your car, truck. No matter how powerful your engine is, pulling too much weight can cause myriad problems. The first thing to do is to check the vehicle's owner's manual, which should have a specific number for the maximum traction weight.

Also, you should know the meanings of the following groups of nouns:

Replenishing weight -- simply put, the actual weight of the entire vehicle, including all fluids (i.e. filled up with gasoline/diesel, oil, coolant, transmission oil, etc.) and all other additional equipment.

Cargo weight - Cargo weight includes the weight of passengers, cargo and any optional equipment (i.e. skylight).

Allowable Payload -- This is the maximum weight a vehicle can carry, including cargo and full passengers.

Knowing how much weight your vehicle can pull will keep your journey safe and allow you to be well prepared before you leave. It's not enough that you know how much weight you can carry, you also have to know how to distribute the weight properly.

2. Proper weight distribution

If you've ever moved to a different house or apartment on your own, you may have had to handle what you moved yourself. You need to sort,pack and load. Most likely, you'll move the big items like furniture and the TV first and tie them up with string. Next, you bring smaller boxes and smaller objects up and place them around the larger objects. You don't stack things too high, knowing that a slight turn could tip them over.

You need to consider these same problems in traction, because the nature of the problems you encounter is the same. A simple way to make traction work smoother and safer is to pay attention to maintaining a proper weight distribution.

Always load the heaviest load first and tie it down with a rope so that it doesn't move during the ride. Smaller goods should be put in between the blanks. Keep the center of gravity of the cargo as low as possible. About 60% of the total weight of the cargo should be in front. In addition, it should be noted that the goods on the trailer should be as far as possible around the average, so that the center of gravity of the trailer is in the middle, to reduce the chance of rollover.

3. Check your rearview and side mirrors

If you've ever driven a large truck or any vehicle without rearview mirrors, you know how important it is to use your side mirrors correctly. Changing lanes can be a dangerous move if you don't have an easy way to see the back of your car.

There are usually two types of side view mirrors: regular and extended side view mirrors. Regular side mirrors are like the ones you can see in any car or truck -- you can see the lane next to you through them. The extended side view mirror allows the driver to see the traffic behind and to the side. They are usually larger and taller than regular side-view mirrors, and are necessary if your towed vehicle's tractor-trailer completely blocks your rear-view view.

4. Good road lighting

When you are driving at night, you must make sure that all the lights in the front, back, left and right of the car, including those on the trailer are in good working condition. Failing headlights or faulty turn signals or brake lights, especially in a towed vehicle, can put other drivers or pedestrians at risk. If these problems are noticed by a patrolling officer, they are likely to pull you over and give you a ticket.

Keeping all the lights on when you tow is not only important to double, but in some states, it's actually necessary to double the number of lights you have. In some states, whether you're towing a car, flatbed trailer, cruise boat, or camper, the law requires that the towed equipment have operational running lights, including brake lights, rear lights, and turn signals. All of these lights must also be synchronized with the lights of the vehicle you are driving, and the lights on the trailer and the towed vehicle or any other towed device must be on at the same time as you apply the brakes. That is to say, the front and rear brake lights, tail lights and turn lights must all work in sync.

5. Daily tire maintenance

In any case, whether you have a special plan or not, it's smart to check your tires frequently. Like other auto parts, car tires wear out, need proper maintenance, and can be replaced in time. Ignoring a tire check can be especially dangerous, as a faulty tire can leave you stranded or even cause an accident.

Even if you don't think it's more important, there's no denying the importance of tires when you're towing them. Pay special attention to your tyres before towing - not only do you need to pay attention to the tyres of the towing vehicle itself, you must also remember to pay special attention to the tyres of the towed vehicle. You should keep the pressure of your tyres in line with the manufacturer's guidelines. Under-inflated or over-inflated trailers can cause them to swing unsteadily, so make sure you keep the tire pressure right. Of course, check the tire pressure at the same time, incidentally also check the hub bolts to ensure that they are properly tightened.

6. Synchronize the towed vehicle and the towed brake

Just as the headlight systems of the towed and towed vehicles need to operate simultaneously, the braking systems of both vehicles need to be synchronized. First, most state laws require a towed vehicle to have a separate braking system. This allows the towing vehicle not to have to do all the work when braking.

Of course, it's also very important to make sure that the brakes are working properly. A faulty brake can spell disaster on the road. In a trailer, if the brakes fail, the increased load weight and inertia will definitely increase the risk of a crash. Also remember to give yourself plenty of extra braking room. Avoid emergency braking to reduce brake pad wear. The correct way to brake is to gently step on the brake and slowly slow down the car until it stops. Of course, if you encounter an emergency, the vehicle will stop in the shortest time and distance, and it is necessary to step on the brakes.

Another way to reduce the risk of accidents is to control the speed at which you drive and not to exceed the speed limit.

7. Drive slowly

Sometimes we all feel the urge to drive too fast. It is our natural instinct to put our foot on the gas pedal and feel the joy of a car accelerating forward. Those who own and drive high-performance, high-horsepower sports cars may remember that feeling. But when you're towing, the thrill of speed is the last thing you need to feel.

Because towing is heavier and longer, the faster you drive, the greater the danger you pose. Increasing speed increases the swing of the vehicle being towed behind, making it more difficult to stop the vehicle quickly without the danger of losing control or rolling over. The increased speed also makes it difficult to control the vehicle while driving normally. When towing, caution is the best way to drive safely. So, drive slowly.

8. Choose the right trailer to tow

Some cars are already equipped with factory towing equipment. For others, it is a matter of choice, so selecting the right trailer is a very important step. There are basically two types of trailer towing, centralized load-bearing towing and distributed load-bearing towing. Centralized towing is recommended for hauling weights not greater than 3,500 pounds (1,588 kg). Distributed towing is recommended for hauling weights greater than 3,500 pounds. If the load on the rear towed vehicle is too large and the center is forward, the downward pressure will put too much pressure on the part connected to the towed ball. This will cause the towed vehicle and the connection to sag, making the trailer and the towed vehicle look like a big V, and the rear wheel of the trailer will bear too much load. Distributed towing allows loads to be distributed on the axes of the front and rear trailers and the trailers being towed, keeping both horizontal or parallel to the ground. As important as it is to drag the contents of the car, so is the contents of the trailer.

9. Stay calm

You add a lot of extra work to your car's drive system because of the added load when towing. Greater load will inevitably cause the engine to generate more heat, which will cause the gearbox to bear greater stress and accelerate the wear of the gearbox.

Adding a transmission cooler, especially if your trailer has an automatic transmission, can significantly reduce the temperature of the transmission fluid in the transmission. At the same time, adding a larger radiator, or installing an additional cooling fan, can significantly reduce the cost of expensive repairs due to the inevitable wear and tear caused by frequent towing.

10. Practice makes perfect

Before you hit the road, surrounded by angry drivers and towing trucks, the best way to make sure your towing trip is safe is to practice.

Find a place away from traffic, such as an empty parking lot, load everything into the trailer, and simply drive around and do all the motions. Practice backing up your car with your rearview mirror and carefully observe the radius of your turn. Practice accelerating and then braking safely to get a feel for the braking distance. Remember, the more load you drag, the more distance you have to brake.

With the ideal trailer and the best towing, keep these points in mind and you can turn a bumpy trailer ride into a pleasant driving experience.