The RV (recreational vehicle) comes in different configurations, and the towing parameters may vary. For instance, the travel trailer is towed by means of bumper or frame hitch. Its near cousin, the fifth-wheel travel trailer, is towed by a pickup truck with a specially designed hitch in the truck bed. Other RVs, like the park model, are meant for prolonged residential purposes and require a special permit for movement on highways, as well as a specifically designed tow vehicle.
The truck camper is a single-piece vehicle that has become a residential unit, and the term towing does not really apply. The same applies to the legendary Winnebago, which is a larger and more extensively embellished version of the truck camper. The toterhome is an elaborate motor home that permits very large trailers behind it.
The primary movement of RVs is between RV parks, and these are usually a fair distance from each other. Towing an RV has never been the most fuel-efficient undertaking, but many people have little choice due to financial constraints that do not allow them to live in regular homes. Probably one of the highest usages of RVs in recent times was during the recent Hurricane Katrina devastation.
Safe RV towing is governed by Gross Combined Weight Rating parameters. Most manufacturers of RVs quote the stripped-down (unloaded) GCWR of their vehicles – in other words, only the combined weight of the engine, cab, wheelbase, and axle is mentioned. It is important to establish the optimum safety as far as braking and engine capacity is concerned, especially for long hauls. In other words, an RV must never be overloaded with people and goods.
RV enthusiasts have developed many communal practices like the brake buddy system, in which one vehicle’s braking capacity is supplemented by another during towing, if and when needed.
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Car Towing
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Even the best car will break down at some time or another – it is the nature of the beast. When it does, it probably won’t happen at a convenient time or under favorable circumstances. A tire blows, the engine dies, there’s a pileup –...
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Trailer Towing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The rules that apply to trailer towing are similar to those for RV towing. Basically, the towing vehicle and its trailer form a single united vehicle, though a hitch is involved. This reduces the margin for error, since what happens to the towing vehicle happens...
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Towing
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It is the nature of man to create circumstances in which he is compelled to pull a disproportionate amount of freight behind him. In a rapidly industrializing age, this phenomenon has multiplied to such an extent that many people now pull entire households behind them...
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Motorcycle Towing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There is a common misconception that towing a trailer by motorcycle is a self-defeating and pointless pursuit. After all, a motorcycle is not a “beast of burden,” and how much can one really pull behind a two-wheeler? That may have been true in the past...
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Truck Towing
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Tow trucks, also called wreckers, are used to clear disabled vehicles off highways and speedways. They constitute an emergency service that is of considerable importance in this age of heavy vehicle flow across the world. Without their efficient service, this flow would grind to a...
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Boat Towing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Boat towing or trailering across the United States is subject to different state laws as far as maximum speeds, trailer equipment requirements, trailer dimensions, brakes, insurance, and accessories such as reflectors are concerned. A separate permit for boat towing in each state is also required....
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Towing Services
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Towing is obviously big business in a country as big and riddled with roads, highways, and byways as America. The towing industry constitutes one of the main industrial lifelines of the country, and the efficiency of the nation’s traffic depends on towing service providers. Road...
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Boat Trailer Rentals
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It is important to choose the proper trailer for a boat as more damage can be done to a boat by the stresses of road travel than by normal operation. A boat hull is perfectly designed so as to be supported evenly by water. So,...
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An Introduction to Trailer Hitches
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Pickup trucks and SUVs with trailer hitches have a wide range of uses. They can pull boats, campers, cargo trailers and a number of other items. There are several types of trailer hitches. Most pickup trucks have what is called a ball trailer hitch. Other...
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Campers For Pickup Trucks
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Pickup truck campers are designed to provide space and equipment for sleeping and simple housekeeping during camping and recreational travel. Campers can either be attached over the pickup’s hold or can be fitted on a trailer. Many of these campers are designed to accommodate five...