If you are planning on towing a vehicle with your pick-up truck, there are some things to know first. This should never be something you rush, due to the various dangers involved in towing a vehicle. Follow these safety tips to tow a vehicle without causing damage or injury.

Check Your Vehicle's Towing Capacity

The first thing you should always do before towing a car or trailer behind your truck is to check its towing capacity. Don't just guess and assume that because you have a big truck, you will have no problem hauling a small trailer. Get exact weight restrictions from your vehicle's manual. It isn't just what your truck can haul, but what your hitch is able to support. Also remember the capacity includes anything inside the car or stored in the trailer, not just the trailer itself.

Even Out the Load

If you plan to haul a trailer behind your vehicle, make sure the load is even. Don't pack all the heavy items in the back and the lighter items in the front. It will be uneven and is more at risk for tilting or shifting. The front, back, and sides should have about the same amount of weight from the items. The easiest way to do this is by packing all of the heaviest items first. Rotate where they are stored on the trailer, such as storing one item at the front, one at the back, and then one at each side. Continue until all heavy items have been loaded onto the trailer.

Check Your Hitch's Condition

If you have never used the hitch on your truck before, you need to inspect it. Make sure it is still in good condition. If it has rust or corrosion, it is at risk of breaking while towing a car or trailer. You last thing you want to do is attach a car to a rusty hitch, then have it break off when you are driving 60 mph on a busy highway. It only takes a minute to check the hitch and make sure it can support whatever you are trying to tow. You can also have a company like TNT Equipment Hauling check the hitch for you.

Inflate Your Tires

The last thing to check is your tire pressure. Even if you just filled them a couple weeks ago, check them ago. Make sure they are filled exactly to what your vehicle manufacturer recommends. You are going to be hauling a heavy car or trailer full of stuff, so you need as much air in your tires as possible. Check the tire pressure again on your return trip if you plan on towing the trailer or car back to your home.