Driving with a trailer: – Avoid mistakes

(Al-Bail 24): There are great forces at play when you drive a trailer loaded with a heavy load. However, only a few simple movements are needed to keep the load in place and make the trailer follow faithfully behind the vehicle.

– When the trailer is loaded, one of the most important principles is that the load should not have the opportunity to start moving, explains Regional Director Erik Andersen at Wright Traffic School.

Two ways

Once the load starts moving, even fairly light objects will wreak havoc.

There are two principles to avoid this: tie the load tightly, and lock it.

When the load is properly attached, the friction with the ground becomes so great that it remains stationary. Likewise, it will not move if you fill the space in front of the load. It is best to combine these methods.

Are you allowed to tow the trailer?

Correct weight distribution

-If the heavier load is behind or in front of the trailer, you run the risk of the trailer starting to sway from side to side when speed increases, Andersen says.

Then it won't be long before the trailer takes full control of the vehicle. Therefore heavier goods should be placed in the middle, or slightly in front of the axle on the trailer.

Long boards

Building materials are something we like to transport on a trailer. It's also one of the most difficult things to keep track of. It's tempting to place panels over frames, but that's not always lucky. Both because the tires give way and the center of gravity becomes high.

According to Andersen, the best thing to do is to remove the tires from the front and back, and place the materials on the floor of the trailer.

Use the anchor hooks on the hanger, and make a high stack so the angle of the straps is as steep as possible, Andersen advises.

The material is then firmly fixed to the ground. If necessary, place pallets underneath to get the right angle for the straps. A belt pulled forward and around the front end of the material bundle will prevent it from moving forward.

Also make sure that the material does not protrude too much at the back. Then the aforementioned weight distribution becomes crazy, and you risk ending up in the ditch. Trailers with large material packages are overrepresented in accident statistics.

When transporting small and large items, such as garden waste, it is recommended to place a cargo net over them.

– Of course, the load must also be securely tied, but the net prevents branches and other small objects from flying off, Andersen concludes.

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