FEATHERLITE TRAILERS Horse Trailer, Owner'S Manual

Page: 15 / 78

Section 1 – Safety Information
R6 3/30/2017 Page 9
^ WARNING
Risk of fire or explosion
If LP gas is detected (by smell or by the LP
gas detector):
•
Do not touch electrical switches
•
Extinguish flames and pilot lights
•
Open doors for ventilation
•
Shut off LP gas supply at the LP tank
•
Leave the area until odor clears
Correct the source of LP gas leakage
before using LP appliances.
Do not use a flame to locate the source of
an LP gas leak.
1.2.21 Trailer Towing Guide
Driving a vehicle with a trailer in tow is vastly
different from driving the same vehicle without a
trailer in tow. Acceleration, maneuverability and
braking are all diminished with a trailer in tow. It
takes longer to get up to speed, you need more room
to turn and pass, and more distance to stop when
towing a trailer. You will need to spend time
adjusting to the different feel and maneuverability
of the tow vehicle with a loaded trailer. Because of
the significant differences in all aspects of
maneuverability when towing a trailer, the hazards
and risks of injury are also much greater than when
driving without a trailer. You are responsible for
keeping your vehicle and trailer in control, and for
all the damage that is caused if you lose control of
your vehicle and trailer.
As you did when learning to drive an automobile,
find an open area with little or no traffic for your
first practice trailering. Of course, before you start
towing the trailer, you must follow all of the
instructions for inspection, testing, loading and
coupling. Also, before you start towing, adjust the
mirrors so you can see the trailer as well as the area
to the rear of it.
Drive slowly at first, 5 m.p.h. or so, and turn the
wheel to get the feel of how the tow vehicle and
trailer combination responds. Next, make some
right and left hand turns. Watch in your side
mirrors to see how the trailer follows the tow
vehicle. Turning with a trailer attached requires
more room.
Stop the rig a few times from speeds no greater than
10 m.p.h. If your trailer is equipped with brakes,
try using different combinations of trailer/electric
brake and tow vehicle brake. Note the effect that
the trailer brakes have when they are the only
brakes used. When properly adjusted, the trailer
brakes will come on just before the tow vehicle
brakes.
It will take practice to learn how to back up a tow
vehicle with a trailer attached. Take it slow.
Before backing up, get out of the tow vehicle and
look behind the trailer to make sure that there are no
obstacles. Some drivers place their hands at the
bottom of the steering wheel, and while the tow
vehicle is in reverse, “think” of the hands as being
on the top of the wheel. When the hands move to
the right (counter-clockwise, as you would do to
turn the tow vehicle to the left when moving
forward), the rear of the trailer moves to the right.
Conversely, rotating the steering wheel clockwise
with your hands at the bottom of the wheel will
move the rear of the trailer to the left, while backing
up. If you are towing a bumper hitch rig, be careful
not to allow the trailer to turn too much, because it
will hit the rear of the tow vehicle. To straighten
the rig, either pull forward, or turn the steering
wheel in the opposite direction.
1.2.22 Safe Trailer Towing Guidelines
•
Recheck the load tiedowns to make sure the
load will not shift during towing.
•
Before towing, check coupling, safety chain,
safety brake, tires, wheels and lights.
•
Check the lug nuts or bolts for tightness.
•
Check coupler tightness after towing 50 miles.
•
Adjust the brake controller to engage the trailer
brakes before the tow vehicle brakes. Your
dealer can assist you by making this
adjustment.
•
Use your mirrors to verify that you have room
to change lanes or pull into traffic.
•
Use your turn signals well in advance.
•
Allow plenty of stopping space for your trailer
and tow vehicle.
•
Do not drive so fast that the trailer begins to
sway due to speed. Never drive faster than 60
m.p.h.
•
Allow plenty of room for passing. A rule of
thumb is that the passing distance with a trailer
is 4 times the passing distance without a trailer.