I recently read an article about an engineer who is a high profile disaster investigator, specializing in things like the BP oil well in the Gulf and bridge collapses. He was quoted as saying that in the end there is lots of analytical detail, but the actual problems turn out to be about 10% mechanical and 90% human. Towing is like that, in that accidents are almost always caused by carelessness in driving and the use of equipment, not the equipment itself.
- Take it easy. Forget what you know about driving to work, and watch how truck drivers do things. Be obsessive about what you're doing when towing.
- Read and study everything your manufacturers give you about towing. Learn how your vehicle is supposed to work.
- Early in your RV adventures, get axle weights on a truck scale. It's the only way to get the facts. Here's how to do it and a spreadsheet to do the math:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ad.php?t=12552
- Scale weights are also the way to know for sure that you have your Weight Distribututing Hitch set up right.
- Speed is a huge factor in RV accidents. You have twice the safety margins on almost everything at 55 versus 70, and at 70 you have half as much time to learn about adventures while they are happening to you. Generally, RVs and trailer tires are not intended by their manufacturers to go over 65.
- Lots of people do lots of things differently. Treasure actual experience over the opinions of those who haven't actually done it themselves. Blessed are RV people who will share their mistakes so that others can learn from them.