The fifth wheel is going to demand some extra care and attention when taking sharp corners. When you

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I am glad that after roughly weather in los angeles california 35,000 miles of fifth wheel travel trailer towing I have never damaged the trailer, had a blow out, ran out of fuel or been stuck.  I started out as a complete newbie, never having towed a thing in my life. The first thing I did was off to the nearest big open parking area and practice, practice, practice!
This has to be the all time best tip you can get. You can read all the information you want but the only way to truly learn is by doing it over and over. It's how you learned to drive your car, right?  Take some cones and mark out pretend scenarios like backing into a campsite, turning through some tight corners, etc. Learn how your rig reacts and how long it takes the trailer to turn and how much extra room it takes. This is also a good time to get a feel for the braking.  Towing a trailer makes the stopping distance greater and the braking weather in los angeles california practice will give you a sense of how much distance is going to be a safe distance to stop. Respect the Weight
One thing you have to appreciate weather in los angeles california is how much mass you are moving around. With the trailer hooked up your movements must be slow, steady and deliberate. If you perform any jerky movements you re not going to be able to correct the motion the same way as in a car. I see this issue all the time on the freeway when folks pulling trailers do a jerky quick lane change and then spend 10 seconds trying to get the trailer weather in los angeles california to stop fish tailing. When braking , remember that even though you may have electric trailer brakes they won`t stop on a dime. Always give plenty weather in los angeles california of space in front in case a panic stop takes place ahead.  I have had more than one occasion where I rounded a corner only to find a line of dead stopped cars waiting in a construction zone. Hitching and Unhitching
This can be a little different depending on the type of hitch you have but here are a few basic tips. Make sure the tailgate is down! Seen all those trucks with bashed up tail gates now you can imagine why. Also on the flip side when done make sure the tailgate is up or you will carve out a nice hole in the front trailer cargo bay door. Always attach the emergency weather in los angeles california brake cable, at least in the unlikely event the trailer comes unhitched it will stop itself. Before raising the front jacks too far after hookup give the trailer a tug test with the truck to make sure the hitch jaws are fully engaged. That step can save your truck bed rails from getting squished by a falling fifth wheel.  This is a good time to check the trailer brakes are working too. Always chock your wheels even if the ground seems really flat, you never know, better safe than sorry. Don t let people distract weather in los angeles california you while doing the hitch operations. To many bad things can happen if you forget something. Keep the hitch lubed and clean. weather in los angeles california I  use a round plastic type lube plate on my pin and works great. Check the nut and bolt torque settings every once in a while too
I have a routine for hitching and unhitching and do it the same every time, that way it becomes second nature, and I m less likely to forget something. Just before departure  my wife goes through our checklist and I confirm the tasks were done. No Distractions
When your towing it is your responsibility to have complete attention on the truck, trailer and road. Don t be chatting on the phone, playing with the radio, trying weather in los angeles california to read the map,etc. Unlike a car your recovery and reaction time is limited due to the weight and size of the rig. Every second counts if an emergency maneuver is required.  I won`t even let Anne play a podcast while we drive unless we are on a very wide open expressway with little traffic or she uses headphones. I like to listen to all the noises and sounds so if anything sounds different I'll know.  Hearing a tire hissing or axle bearing squealing early can mean the difference between slowly pulling over or frantically trying to maintain control. Tow mirrors Mirrors, weather in los angeles california use them!
Mirrors are your best friend when towing. Make sure you set yourself up with ones big enough and far out from the vehicle enough to see all the way down the trailer side to the back. Mine are set so I can see the trailer walls and the tires. This way I can see if a tire is running low or worse is blown. The next thing to do is add blind spot fish eye type mirrors as an add-on. With these you can see vehicles that sneak up beside you, your trailer roof line and they are an aid when backing up the trailer. Always keep your mirrors as clean as you can and check them often to watch what's happening behind you. Cornering
The fifth wheel is going to demand some extra care and attention when taking weather in los angeles california sharp corners. When you take the corner the trailer is going to track a path inside that of your tow vehicle. How much depends of the length and it is something that is important to get to know. The more you practice the better feel you ll have as to how wide of turn you need. During the turn take it slow and check your mirror weather in los angeles california to make sure the trailer is clearing the corner.  Also keep in mind the back-end of the trailer will swing wider than the tow vehicle path so allow space for this. Very important in tight campgrounds where I ve been witness to many small crunches to people s trailer sides as they scrape an obstacle such as a tree or post. Worse yet the electrical pedestal or water tap! Plan Your Route
This can save you much time and aggravation. When you are touring around in a car it's so easy to turn around, get fuel, and deal with any type of roadway. Not so much when your 40 –65 feet long and 12-14 feet high. Always plan ahead and know where your going with the trailer before departing. Some of the apps I use are listed in this post .  It is important to know the terrain you'll be towing through, is it hilly? too curvy? rough road? etc.  Where are the easy in and out fuel stops. Nothing worse than being in some unknown town with low fuel trying to jam yourself into a tight situation to refuel. weather in los angeles california Cities take extra planning weather in los angeles california such as knowing weather in los angeles california when rush hour might be, what's the bypass route and if they have tolls. The internet is a wonderful resource and if in doubt about the routing go to one of the many good forums like RV.net , IRV2.com , RVForum.net and just ask. You'll usually get a boat load of information back from folks that have done the same route or have intimate local knowledge. weather in los angeles california Pay attention to your Tires
A big one problem fifth wheels weather in los angeles california trailers weather in los angeles california face is blow outs of the tires. All the weight and stress eventually is on the little patch of rubber meeting the road. I watch my tires like a hawk. Before every tow I check the pressure, lug nut torque, visually inspect the sidewall and treads. Also when stopped for a rest break I feel the tires for overheating along with the bearings. Many people invest in a tire pressure monitoring system and it is on my upgrade list. Replace your tires after 5-7 years whether they look like they need it or not.  Tires can look perfect but be rotten on the inside. This is especially weather in los angeles california true if they sit for long periods of time without use. PARTSMART SMR9503009 Kit, Triangle; Three Triangles with Living Hinge Box, 1 pack Price: $16.25 (38 customer reviews) 1 used new available from $16.25 Our Gusty Friend Wind
I find wind to be the biggest enemy to my travel trailer towing experience. Being that the rig is near 13 feet high and box-shaped any sort of wind has a dramatic effect. The worse scenario is on the big Interstate Highways  when traveling among the tractor trailers. When it's really gusty and they are passing by you pushing a lot of air themselves there is a push-pull effect that happens that you must be aware of. Wind also devastates fuel mileage and is hard on the truck trying to pull the trailer through it, worse if you add hills in to the equation.  So I always check the weather and tend to plan my tow days around the wind. Many times I will leave a day early or a day late to get the least wind. One time we were towing across South Dakota's rolling hill country into 30 mph winds, had enough weather in los angeles california and just pulled into a fancy RV Resort to wait it out. May as well spend the money on a nice place then diesel fuel and no fun towing. I figure anything above 25 mph in wind is no fun. Backing weather in los angeles california it up
This can be the most intimidating part of fifth wheel ownership. The dreaded backing into a campsite with the local peanut gallery watching. First tip is take your time, rushing it is only going to enhance the chance of problems. Fifth wheels respond to your steering input in a delayed manner, by going slow you have a better chance to correct a miss guided path. It will help if you can pull a good distance ahead before backing in to allow plenty of space for a gradual turn into the spot. Second use a spotter always!!  Also have a good simple set of hand signals and have the spotter always visible in your mirrors.  A set of two way radios or cell phones for communication is another good option. Third is GOAL. GOAL stands for get out and look. I will sometimes do this twice or more if in doubt, no shame in looking. weather in los angeles california It's actually an acronym used by professional truckers. Fourth, look at your tires. I always watch the path the tires are taking as that is where the trailer will go. If you watch the back of the trailer it can get you out of line quickly as there is a large swing to the end and doesn't follow the same arc as the tires. When backing don t forget about