You are in the market for a new car and you have decided that you want to buy a truck. Not only do you want to buy a truck but you want to buy one that can tow a trailer.
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A truck with a towing capacity can save you money on moving and hauling things. You can also make money with a vehicle that can tow a trailer. You can move furniture or haul away unwanted junk. You can also take your whole family on a camping trip with a luxury pop-up tent.
You would think that almost any truck would have the capacity to tow a trailer. However, there are many trucks that do not come ready for towing. If you plan on doing some hauling, you will need to install a step bumper or a receiver hitch.
Deciding on a Hitch
The step bumper is a non-slip step that is good for loading cargo into your truck. It also has hitch holes in it so you can tow a vehicle. It looks like a bumper with a step built into its frame. Many step bumpers are equipped with a mounting hole for a hitch ball.
Your alternative to a step bumper is a receiver hitch. It is used for towing and it mounts to the frame of a vehicle. Receiver hitches tend to attach to the rear. Some models are designed to go under the bumper. Others still attach to the front. The front-mounted variety is good for attaching your car to a tow truck. The rear-mounted style allows you to tow a trailer.
Step bumper or bumper hitch and a receiver hitch serve different purposes. A driver can use a step bumper as a towing hitch. However, that is not what step bumpers are made for. A receiver hitch is made for towing purposes. If you want to use a hitch primarily for towing things, you should get a receiver hitch.
Advantages of a Step Bumper
A step bumper makes loading things into your truck safer and easier. If you will only tow smaller trailers and light loads, a step bumper should do the job. Step bumpers tend to have roughly 3,500 lbs of towing capacity. You will be able to see the rating printed on the bumper itself.
The step makes it easier for people to get on and off of the truck’s bed. particularly if your truck’s bed is particularly high up this can be a real safety advantage
If you are hauling something for work and time is of the essence, a step bumper can make loading and unloading the truck bed faster.
Step bumpers are perfect for loading and hauling cargo on your truck bed. If you are carrying a lot of cargo while climbing into your truck, you will be better off with a step bump. These bumpers are an economical alternative to a full-size cargo trailer.
Advantages of a Receiver Hitch
If you have a tendency to hold very large or heavy loads, a receiver hitch is a much better option. If you tow vehicles for work, it is also a good idea to have a receiver hitch.
What is a Receiver Hitch?
If you recently bought a truck that included a towing hitch, it is most probably a receiver hitch. The receiver hitches to a multitude of accessories such as ball mounts. You will generally attach a trailer with a ball mount.
Receiver hitches are put into different classes based on their tow weight and the size of the receiver tubes.
A truck’s towing capacity is determined by the weight of the unloaded cargo trailer. The gross trailer weight capacity alerts drivers to the maximum weight of a fully-loaded trailer.
Some large trucks come with a step bumper. Some step bumpers have extraordinary safety features like an anti-slip surface pad in the middle of the bumper. The pad adds traction to the step so if it gets wet or dirty it won't be too slippery.
Towing is a trickier business than it might first appear. There are a few safety precautions you should take before you actually use your hitch.
Know Your Truck’s Weight Limits
Before hauling a pop-up trailer or a moving pod, you should verify that your trailer and its contents fall within your vehicle’s towing limitations. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual should tell you the types of trailers that your vehicle can haul and the greatest amount of weight it can pull. It is important to use a compatible type of trailer hitch. It is also important to set everything up correctly.
Distribute the Weight
If your trailer starts moving from side to side when you are driving down the street, you should let up on the gas to see if that solves the problem. If it resumes after you accelerate again, pull over, and look at how the weight is distributed in the trailer. If items that you are carrying are not spread out evenly, or they are too far back to place a proper amount of weight on the hitch ball, the trailer will not be able to travel in a straight line.
5 to 10% of your load should be on your hitch. If it is not, you should redistribute everything before you get back on the road.
Make Sure The Lights Work
Connect the brake to the signal lights. the trailer’s turn signals brakes and tail lights should be synchronized with the signals and brake lights in your truck.
Make Sure Your Tires are Inflated Properly
The combination of under-inflated tires and too heavy a load is a recipe for disaster. You may experience blowouts if your tires are not filled properly.
Check the tires of your truck to make sure they are in good condition and inflated properly. Make sure to examine your wheel bearings as well, if a bearing overheats it can cause a tire to blow out.
Practice Driving Before Going on Any Long Trips
When you are towing a trailer, you are driving a combination of vehicles. These vehicles are longer and have more weight than most people are used to driving. It is important to know what you are doing.
Backing up is one of the hardest things you will have to do. but it’s a skill you can learn. When first begin, have another person direct you from outside. It will be especially difficult in places where there are a lot of tight spots.
You should never turn suddenly. This can cause the trailer to go upside down and cause a major accident. As with any other car, make sure to buckle your seatbelt.
Allow for More Stopping Distance
When you are towing something, you have more momentum than you would otherwise. Stopping requires more time and distance when you have a trailer attached to your truck. Youmust keep your distance from trucks in front of you and be aware of all traffic around you.
Pay Attention
Make sure to fasten all chains and tie-down your payload properly. You should never rush when preparing your trailer for travel. You should always drive slowly when you have a trailer attached to your car.
When you are on the road, check your mirrors to make sure you can see properly. Your driver’s side mirror will be essential in this case, so remember to adjust it properly.
Installing a trailer hitch on your car is hard work. You will need to have a lot of special equipment in order to get the job done properly. The pitch has to be installed perfectly in order for it to work properly. It is likely in your best interest to have a professional to it. Whenever you have any work done on your automobile, he will always have a couple of choices as to where to go to get the work done.
Taking Your Truck to the Dealership
If you take your car to a dealership to have your hitch installed, you will end up paying about twice the price as you would if you took it to an auto body shop. However, the mechanic at the dealership will be an expert in your type of truck. They will have been certified in your make and model of the vehicle and they will know exactly how the trailer they had should attach.
A dealership will charge you by the job and not the hour so that you will never be surprised by the bill. They will also have all the necessary parts on hand so you will not have to worry about waiting for a part to come in.
Taking Your Truck to an Autobody Shop
Autobody shops are the most popular places for Americans to get their cars fixed. They are less expensive than dealerships and you can talk to the mechanic directly. Many chain auto body shops will have special discounts for loyal customers.
You can find a good auto body shop by going to the AAA website. They maintain a list of approved mechanics. Be sure to ask a mechanic what kind of training they have with your type of truck. You should also get a reference or two.
If you are in the market for a new truck with a hitch already installed, you are probably wondering what you should do with your old vehicle. You will have several options for selling it.
Sell Your Vehicle Online
If you Google, “sell my car online” you will get many results. There are websites out there that will allow you to list your car for a monthly fee. They will often give you a special price if you buy several months of advertising at a time. The reason they do this is that it may take months for you to be able to sell your car on one of these sites.
You will be in competition with many other people on a car sale website. Once you do get an interested buyer, you will have to take time out of your day to show them the truck. They may end up not taking it or trying to talk you down in price.
Use Your Old Truck as a Trade-in
When you go to the dealership to buy your new truck, the salesman at the dealership will be authorized to give you a certain amount of money as a trade-in for your old truck. They are unlikely to give you a fair price for the old vehicle. They know that you want to get the transaction over with quickly and get on the road with your new truck.
They may also offer you what seems like a very good price for the truck. If they offer you a good price, remember to read the final offer on your new vehicle very carefully. A dealership will often tack the money they gave you for your trade-in right back onto the price of the new vehicle.
Sell Your Car to Us
Cash Cars Buyers can give you a great price for your used vehicle. We have a very simple procedure. All you have to do is fill out our form and we will get right back to you.
We will ask for your name, email address, and phone number. We will also need to know the make, model, year, mileage, and VIN number of your vehicle. Once we get your information, we will call you back with an offer.
If you accept our offer, we will make an appointment with you to come to get your car. We will pay you in cash and tow it away for free. It really is that easy.