Chevrolet 2008 owner manual If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer, Weight of the Trailer

If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer

If you do, here are some important points:

•There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live

but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this information can be state or provincial police.

•Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch retailer about sway controls.

•Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1000 miles (1600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.

•Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.

•Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed for trailers, or no more than 55 mph (89 km/h),

to save wear on your vehicle’s parts.

•Don’t tow a trailer when the outside temperature is above 100°F (38°C).

Three important considerations have to do with weight:

•the weight of the trailer,

•the weight of the trailer tongue

•and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.

Weight of the Trailer

How heavy can a trailer safely be?

It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg). But even that can be too heavy.

It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in this section for more information.

Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.

You can ask your dealer/retailer for trailering information or advice.

4-31