Towing Trailer Nose High | What to Do?
When you carry a trailer by a tow truck, there are a few things you should definitely know. When a tow truck carries a trailer, the trailer gets attached to it with the hitch. At this point, you can lower the truck, tow the trailer nose high, or raise the trailer. Each option comes with its own circumstances. And truth to tell, the option where towing the trailer nose high is not so good for the trailer.
In this post, we’ll break down why towing a trailer nose-high isn’t a good option and what steps you can take in this case. So, take a few minutes and read the entire post.
Why Towing Trailer Nose High Is Bad?
It’s because in this case a downward force is exerted by the trailer on the hitch and there’s less weight on the hitch compared to the weight on the trailer’s wheels. With these negative factors, this option becomes comparatively bad and comes with a number of disadvantages. Here are the disadvantages that make this option ultimately bad –
1. Excessive Trailer Sway
As you may already know, trailer sway is a condition where the trailer starts to move side to side by the side forces. When the trailer nose is high, it causes trailer sway. A little sway is okay, but when the sway becomes too much, this can be very dangerous. It can cause an imbalance of the trailer and ultimately a severe accident.
2. Affect Braking Performance
While the trailer nose is high, the weight automatically gets distributed in the front of the tow truck’s axle. As a result, it affects the braking performance by reducing it. And when the braking performance gets downgraded, it doesn’t let the truck stop as it should, and in the worst-case scenario, it can cause an accident.
3. Uneven Weight Distribution
With a high nose, the weight of the trailer can’t get distributed evenly and causes uneven tire wear. It happens because not all the tires have to take the load of the weight evenly. So, the tires that get more stress will have a shorter lifespan and overall it’ll become pretty hard to keep the trailer stable.
4. Cause Damage to Trailer
When you tow the trailer nose high, it’ll most likely put an excessive stress or weight load on the truck’s axle and frame, and these are considered two vital things. Eventually, it can cause damage to the trailer as a result. If so, unfortunately repairing those damages won’t be cheap.
What to Do When the Trailer Nose Is High?
Now that you know towing a trailer nose-high brings a lot of difficulties, it’s better to avoid doing this and go for the option where you’ll lower the truck. Most travelers recommend this as a better option.
But if somehow it isn’t possible to alter the option and you need to go with the high trailer nose option, you can do the followings at least for towing your trailer safely –
- Make use of a hitch capable of proper weight distribution to diminish the trailer sway and keep the trailer level.
- Make sure that you’ve loaded the trailer properly in a way that the overall weight of it gets distributed evenly.
- Check whether the trailer’s tires are having uneven wear. If so, it’s better to replace it with a fine one.
- Keep in mind to drive slowly. It’s better not to accelerate or brake all of a sudden, especially in this case.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is it better for a trailer to be nose up or down?
It’s better to tow the nose down. Towing the trailer nose down can cause the center of gravity to move a little more forward of the trailer’s axles. It actually enhances the tow stability which helps to ensure the overall stability.
What happens if the hitch height is too high?
Undoubtedly, it can be pretty dangerous. When the hitch height is higher compared to the trailer, the trailer will lean backward. This way it becomes so difficult to balance and keep the trailer stable while moving. It can even cause an accident if the situation gets out of control.
How high should a towing trailer be?
It has been found that it’s better to keep a trailer hitch height of 16 to 19 inches from the ground. That means you should tow your trailer 16 to 19 inches higher to the bottom of the trailer’s coupler.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that towing your trailer’s nose high is bad in most cases. There can be some exceptions based on the tow truck or trailer type and the weight distribution. But overall, it’s better to skip this process and go for lowering the tow truck. If you find this post useful, don’t forget to share your feedback with us.
