Your vehicle will need service more often when you regularly pull a trailer. Important items to pay particular attention to include engine oil, automatic transmission fluid, axle lubricant and cooling system fluid. Brake condition is another important item to frequently check. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these items before you start your trip. Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer and towbar. Follow the maintenance schedule that accompanied your trailer and check it periodically. Preferably, conduct the check at the start of each day’s driving. Most importantly, all towbar nuts and bolts should be tight.
NOTICE
To prevent vehicle damage:
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you must get to know your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
Two labels on your driver’s door sill show how much weight your vehicle was designed to carry: the Tyre and Loading Information Label and the Certification Label.
Checking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking brake by counting the number of “clicks’’ heard whilst fully applying it from the released position. Also, the parking brake alone should securely hold the vehicle on a fairly steep grade.
Check your tyres, including the spare tyre, once a month or more. How to check Use a good quality tyre pressure gauge to check tyre pressure. You can not tell if your tyres are properly inflated simply by looking at them. Radial tyres may look properly inflated when they are under-inflated.