and difficult to control on the road. Uneven loading and improper hitch weight can make steering
difficult and result in unsafe stopping and braking of the trailer and the tow vehicle.
For bumper-hitch trailers, always load 60 percent of the cargo weight evenly in front of the
axles.
For Goosenecks, load 70% of the weight in front of the axles. This will result in an
approximate 10 percent of the loaded trailer weight on the hitch. Hitch weight should never be
less than 10 percent of the gross vehicle weight (trailer plus payload).
Distribute load as shown below:
Tips for the beginner – Turning & Backing up
Always remember when turning, that the trailer makes tighter and quicker turns than your tow
vehicle. To help compensate for this, please allow as much space as possible when turning so that the
trailer will not jump the curb or hit any obstacles. When backing up place your hand on the bottom of
the steering wheel while watching in your outside mirror. If you want the rear of the trailer to turn
right move your hand right, and if you want the rear of the trailer to turn left then move your hand left.
Please always remember to check the area behind the trailer to see that there are no obstacles in the
way before you begin to back up.
