Tips for Loading Your Toy Hauler
If you’re heading outdoors for a camping trip and want to bring some of your favorite powersports toys with you, there’s no better way to keep it simple than a toy hauler. Toy haulers are great for making sure that you can safely transport your dirt bike, ATV, or any other small motor vehicle. You’ll be able to make the most of your outdoor adventure, and still have a cozy place to relax at the end of the day.
But before you embark on your journey, you need to load your toy hauler. It isn’t a difficult task, but there are some important steps you must take for traveling safely. Here at The RV Guys, we value your safety. That’s why we have put together an easy-to-follow guide to loading your toy hauler. If you need additional information, or you’re looking for quality toy haulers for sale, visit our dealership in Valley View, Texas.
Prepare Your Toy Hauler
A safe towing experience starts before you even hit the road. You'll want to make sure that your toy hauler and your tow vehicle are up for the task. Inspect them both for any potential issues. The first thing to do is to check the tire pressure. The tires should be properly inflated to reduce the chance of a blowout and reduce the wear on your tread. Look in your owner’s manual to find the ideal amount of pressure and then air up the tires to the recommended level.
The next step is to check all your mirrors. They should be properly placed so you can see both the toy hauler and parts of the road around you. Remember that even when your mirrors are set correctly, you’ll still have some pretty big blind spots, so be careful when you’re merging with the traffic. Finally, make sure that other commuters can see you. Test your brake lights and turn signals. They need to be bright and visible. If you have the time, you can even consider installing some LEDs to make you even more noticeable.
Distribute the Weight Evenly
When you start loading, you’ll want to distribute the weight in your toy hauler evenly from left to right. Balancing the weight will make it easier for you to tow your camper. You don’t want to put too much weight in the back of the toy hauler as it can be extremely dangerous, especially at higher speeds. For distributing the weight from front to back, you’ll want to follow the 60/40 rule. This means that around 60% of the total weight should be in the front half, closer to the hitch, and the remaining 40% should taper off the back.
Loading
Once you know where you want to put the weight, you are ready to load your toy hauler. Place your tow vehicle in the parking position and chock the wheels. You want the vehicle to stay steady so it doesn't impact the loading process.
When you are ready, try to find level ground. This will make the process go much smoother. Next, lower your gate to turn it into the loading ramp. Shoot for using the ramp at a low angle as that will make it easier to load. Then drive your powersports vehicle up the ramp slowly. You don't want to hit the accelerator and smack it into the back of the toy hauler. Once you are inside, turn the engine off as soon as possible. When you're in a small space with fumes, you can risk carbon monoxide poisoning.
Secure Your Vehicle
When your powersports vehicle is loaded, the last step is to secure it so it’s not rolling around while you’re driving. Your toy hauler probably comes with some D-ring tie-downs, but you can always add more as you need to. Use ratchet straps to use the vehicle’s natural suspension to keep it secured without damaging it. Finally, tug on the straps and shake the vehicle a bit to make sure it’s secured.
Even when you’re being careful, loading your toy hauler can be tricky. That’s why we recommend practicing this process before your first trip so that you can be more confident and fast when it really matters.
We hope you found this guide to loading a toy hauler useful! If you need additional help, or if you’d like to check out some of the best toy haulers for sale, visit The RV Guys in Valley View, TX. Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to help you with all your RV-related needs. We welcome all our patrons coming from Pauls Valley, OK.