Towing Equipment

Tires and wheels are vital components of any trailer. Without these essential parts, you're just dragging stuff behind your truck. But don't confuse them with the ones you might buy for your car.

By Robert Lamb

Even if you see the world through rose-colored glasses, it's best to be prepared for the worst. If your towing setup fails, towing safety cables can prevent disasters on the road.

By Jennifer Horton

The loading ramp is a real-world version of that old friend from high school science class, the inclined plane. Like that old friend, it makes lifting things easier. A loading ramp helps you move heavy objects from the ground into a trailer bed.

By Christopher Lampton

You know those little wedges you can use to keep your car's tire from rolling? They're called wheel chocks, and they could save your life. It may seem like pretty boring stuff, but they actually are pretty interesting little ramps.

By Josh Clark

The wheel gets all the glory. But as far as your trailer's concerned, the wheel would be nothing without the trailer wheel hub. This behind-the-scenes device facilitates the wheel's spinning motion.

By Cristen Conger

Imagine getting dressed with only a handheld mirror to aid you. That's about as futile as towing a large trailer with a mirror that shows just half your load! Towing mirrors are an essential part of any towing experience.

By Cristen Conger

Whether you want to train for the Tour de France or pedal across a beach at sunrise, you may need a bike rack to fulfill that desire. Which one is the best for you, Lance Armstrong?

By Robert Lamb

Whether you want to broadcast your allegiance to your favorite sports team or just keep your hitch tube from collecting debris, hitch covers are the answer. Now you just have to decide which one.

By Robert Lamb

Trailer bearings do you and your payload a world of good. They provide a smooth ride and prevent friction from doing its dirty work. Do you know how to install these key components?

By Robert Lamb

There are several examples of drawbar pull in front of us each day -- you just need to know what you're looking for in order to spot it. But what exactly is drawbar pull, anyway?

By Scott C. Benjamin

Towing has many hazards, but probably the scariest is a breakaway trailer. What happens if your trailer disconnects? Will it stop before it hits something?

By John Fuller

When you step on the brake pedal, you know your tow vehicle is going to stop. But what's going to stop that heavy payload you're towing behind you?

By John Fuller

Controlling a towed payload can be difficult, but towing steering stabilizers can help your towing experience take a turn for the better.

By John Fuller

When it comes to grease caps, you really don't have a choice. If you use them, your wheel bearings continue to work. If you don't, your wheel bearings fail. But what are grease caps, anyway?

By Scott C. Benjamin

With the seemingly endless amount of stuff children require when traveling, a family car can get awfully cramped. Cargo carriers can offer some much-needed space.

By Josh Clark

A number of accessories can attach to a tow vehicle's rear-mount receiver. But just imagine how useful some of those accessories might be at the front end of a pickup truck, SUV or recreational vehicle.

By Scott C. Benjamin

Whether it's a gigantic RV or a herd of draft horses, if you're looking to do some major towing, you need the right equipment. This not only includes a serious pickup truck and a sturdy trailer, but a hardcore hitch as well. Enter the goosenec

By Jessika Toothman

Most people who've driven a trailer have experienced at least a few heart-pounding moments when the trailer started to sway and they worried they might lose control of the vehicles. A weight distribution system can help.

By Jessika Toothman

Enclosed areas can get a little stale or even musty -- that trailer in your driveway is no exception. Trailer roof venting provides improved airflow when you're parked or while you're cruising down the highway.

By Scott C. Benjamin

The harder your vehicle's engine works, the hotter it gets. If you're towing, your transmission is working harder, too. What can you do to prevent it from overheating?

By John Fuller

If you're hauling precious cargo, your trailer's suspension better be good enough to give a well-cushioned ride. Have you checked your leaf springs?

By John Fuller