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[Markie]

Time is getting near for me and i need to start towing with the Jeep.

Ive just looked at a picture on ebay of a car transporter / trailer of average length and, coupled with the Discovery that it was attatched too its quite a size  :-/

Im now bricking it thinking about actually driving with a trailer behind me  

I think a few on here tow quite regularly, please tell me its easier than it looks - especially going round roundabouts and things  

[rikki_essex]

to  be honest its not to difficult going forward its when your reversing it it can get a bit tricky

[Andy B]

Time is getting near for me and i need to start towing with the Jeep.

Ive just looked at a picture on ebay of a car transporter / trailer of average length and, coupled with the Discovery that it was attatched too its quite a size  :-/

Im now bricking it thinking about actually driving with a trailer behind me  

I think a few on here tow quite regularly, please tell me its easier than it looks - especially going round roundabouts and things  

Just take your time. Plan as far ahead as you can. Take corners nice & wide, obviously where you have the space . You'll be fine, don't worry.
Reversing with a car trailer shouldn't be too bad. I assume it's twin axle, so unlike a single they need more of a shove to get them to turn.

[Markie]

Time is getting near for me and i need to start towing with the Jeep.

Ive just looked at a picture on ebay of a car transporter / trailer of average length and, coupled with the Discovery that it was attatched too its quite a size  :-/

Im now bricking it thinking about actually driving with a trailer behind me  

I think a few on here tow quite regularly, please tell me its easier than it looks - especially going round roundabouts and things  

Just take your time. Plan as far ahead as you can. Take corners nice & wide, obviously where you have the space . You'll be fine, don't worry.
Reversing with a car trailer shouldn't be too bad. I assume it's twin axle, so unlike a single they need more of a shove to get them to turn.

Yep it will be twin axle, and i had`nt even thought about reversing   I have a 90degree reverse turn into my living room driveway....

[Andy B]

.....
Yep it will be twin axle, and i had`nt even thought about reversing   I have a 90degree reverse turn into my living room driveway....

There are no laws though that make you reverse your trailer with your towcar, you are allowed to unhitch & move it by hand (providing it's empty!  

[mantahatch]

Do bear in mind it is not unusual for a loaded twin axle trailer to actually steer the car for you if you get a bit out of shape.
It frightens me to death seeing a 4x4 towing a twin axle horsebox or similar, the centre of gravity is so high, be very careful going round bends and in windy conditions.
Better to be a bit slow and complete your journey then end up having an accident.
I regularly tow a 5x4 single axle and that is so simple. I occasionally tow a twin axle car transporter and it is easy but does require you to be fully aware of road conditions and other vehicles, and if it loaded really watch your braking distances.

HTH

Mike

[Andy B]

Do bear in mind it is not unusual for a loaded twin axle trailer to actually steer the car for you if you get a bit out of shape.
It frightens me to death seeing a 4x4 towing a twin axle horsebox or similar, the centre of gravity is so high, ......  

You'd have been frightened in the car with me last Sat then!   I was towing our caravan on the M6 doing a more than respectable (but naughty) 65 mph. I was passed like I was stopped by a Range Rover Sport with a twin axle Senator caravan.
That doesn't include the 3 large trailers that went passed in the outside lane at various times!    

[Phil]

Towing is a piece of piss, IF the trailer is loaded correctly.

Its a dream with a Discovery, a number of times i've had 3T of sand in a 600kg trailer which is just over the max towing weight of a Discovery (shhh don't tell anyone) but it pulled it as if it wasn't there (it is a V8 Discovery by the way)

First time i did it i went down the road at 30 and did an emergency stop to see what happens, the trailer brakes 'locked on' and the thing stopped in the same distance it would without the trailer.

Twin axel is easier to reverse as it has 2 pivot points so it 'reacts' slower hence making reversing easier.

Best bit of advice, don't be scared of the trailer and you will be fine  

[Entwood]

Towing is not difficult at all, only a few simple things to remember.

1. Trailer, of whatever description, must be "balanced", and the nose weight correct for both the trailer and the towcar

2. Do NOT put heavy items right at the back to achieve balance, this turns the trailer into a pendulum.

3. If things go wrong and a swing starts, do NOT try and "drive out of it" by accelerating .. all you are doing is adding energy to an unstable setup. Just take both feet off all pedals, hold the steeering central and hope it settles down as you slow down, if you must brake then do it slowly and gently.

4. Take things steady and all will be well

 

[FRE07962128]

Agreed with all said, and just add that the longer the trailer the more you swing wide out of juntions and around bends in the  same manner as you do when driving a rigid lorry, coach or articulated rig and trailer outfit. Use that nearside mirror constantly to check on the positioning of your 'tow', not forgetting that trailers can often be wider than your car so adjust your running track accordingly.  

Correct balancing of the load on your trailer, even a dual axle outfit is also vital.  

Your brakes should be A1 and if your car is a manual ensure the clutch is 100%, otherwise such a large and loaded trailer could knock it out!

As for reversing I find it far harder to reverse a 6' x 4' trailer than a large unit.

All the best and enjoy it!! 8-) 8-) 8-)

[LFF64]

I have found the larger the trailer is, it is easier to tow mainly because you can see it  and see where it is going  

[Markie]

Thanks for all the advise so far folks, im a little bit more at ease  

Still a week or so before i do this as the Jeep has a steering wobble and is going to get tracked and balanced firstly.

Brakes are all A1 Lizzie, or they should be as the pads, discs, calipers and all brakelines were just replaced by a master craftsman muggins here to allow it to pass its MOT  

[hotel21]

The weight distribution that others talk about is important but its mainly reversing that puts most folks off.

Main thing I learned when towing - either a 40' artic trailer, a halfords special to take crap to the dump as well as all other trailer/van sizes in between - is to do all your reversing whilst going forwards...

In other words, THINK where the trailer has to go and get the whole assembly pointing in a straight line whilst driving forwards as though you have just driven forwards out the parking space, then reverse backwards watching the mirrors.   Whichever mirror the trailer appears in, then turn the top of the steering wheel towards that mirror to keep it straight.

As others have said, sometimes its the smallest trailers than can give the biggest problems as they whip around very very quickly due to the length of the towhitch from the axle centre line.

If in doubt, practice in a large emply carpark.  In fact, do that in any case.....  

[Lazydocker]

Absolutely spot on... When travelling forwards allow more space for EVERYTHING you have to do... Take your time and take no chances Remember that the back end of a car transporter will swing out quite a bit when making a tight turn!!!

As for reversing... Do it slow and steady and as H21 says... If you can get it straight before going backwards it's much easier

Practice makes perfect, but TBH I still have the occasional "oh opps it" moment when reversing and I do it for a living!!

Oh... And the smaller the trailer, the harder it is to reverse... I can stick the pikey wagon in a tight space first time... 45' trailer at work... Even easier!! Our 5' trailer tent which we don't have any more... Pain in the ar$e!!!

[Ian_D]

Cant comment on a larger trailor, but I remember going to pick up my small DIY trailor!

Its not big, but I was thinking 'god, whats the car going to feel like'

And I dunno why I worried! I couldn't tell it was even cliped on the back as it was so small! (I had quite an erm... 'intresting' moment when I went over a mini speed bump at 20mph with an empty trailor!   There was a big BANG, and I looked into the rearview mirror and just saw the trailor fly into view! Must have been a foot or so off the road! )

Downside of that is if im driving in a straight line, I CANNOT see it   And reversing is a complete sod, as I have no idea where the trailor is... and by the time it pops into view, its to late! I have to drive forward again to straigten the thing!