I'd love to be able to afford a house further off the main road, but unfortunately I'm not there yet. In the meantime, we live near a main road, and we have a huge fence to keep the dogs and the kids inside and the noise out. It's a challenge to find a design for a really big fence that doesn't look like a jail fence! I have researched all of the options I have to keep everyone safe and make our yard as comfortable as possible, and I thought this info might be useful for other homeowners like me.
Whether you're moving home or just heading off camping for a long weekend, loading your new custom trailer correctly is important for safety, stability and fuel-efficiency.
Here are some tips on how to load your new custom trailer.
Towing weights
It's important to know how much weight your trailer can legally carry. The total weight that you can load must not exceed the trailer's GTM (gross towing mass).
In addition, the combined weight of the trailer and its load (aggregate towing mass) must not exceed the ability of the towing vehicle or the capacity of the tow bar and coupling.
Load distribution
When loading the trailer, the most important factor that you should take into consideration is that the load is spread in such a way that the towing vehicle remains stable to drive.
Put the heaviest items onto the trailer first, positioning them over the axel and near to the front of the trailer. Loading items in this way places the bulk of the load's weight onto the tow hitch, keeping the trailer level and preventing it from swaying or jack-knifing.
If your load is longer than the trailer and therefore overhangs the back of it, note that it cannot exceed the same distance to the front of the load.
Load security
Always use securely fastened straps or ropes to keep your load safely fixed to the trailer and make sure that they can cope with the weight they are expected to hold. Rope should be fastened using a truckie's hitch knot as this is very secure and also permits tension adjustment. You can use as much rope or strapping as you wish, as long as you can be confident that the load won't shift during transit.
If you're using a trailer cover, make sure that it is firmly fixed in place before you set off, especially if the weather is windy or if you are intending using exposed routes.
If you feel or hear the load moving while you're on the road or your trailer cover comes loose, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and re-secure it.
Safety tips
Trailers are heavy vehicles and you should never try to move or lift your trailer without assistance.
When you are driving, always allow plenty of extra time for stopping at junctions and remember to allow room for your trailer to corner on bends so it doesn't clip the kerb and overturn.
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