If you’ve ever experienced the sensation of a car pulling to one side, then you know what it feels like to tow a vehicle that isn’t correctly balanced. This can happen when one or more of your vehicle’s wheels are heavier than the others—for example, if they have more cargo or carry heavier items. Over time, this can cause damage to your suspension and tires as well as drive train components like bearings and gears that connect the driveshaft to the axle shafts.
Proper Balance
Properly balancing your vehicle is extremely important for safety, handling and fuel economy. A vehicle that is out of balance will have a tendency to drift or pull in one direction. This can be a problem when driving on the highway at high speeds and if it happens while you’re towing, it could cause headaches and possibly even an accident.
For this reason, having your vehicle weighed before towing will allow you to adjust its weight distribution so that it’s safe and comfortable for both tow vehicles and trailers alike. You can use a tow calculator for this purpose, as professionals like Camping World say.
Stable Handling
The weight of your vehicle is distributed evenly over its wheels by balancing out the front and back. When you tow a trailer, the distribution of weight changes from all four wheels to two, but you can still keep it stable by using a shock absorber hitch.
Efficiency
When you know the weight of your vehicle, it’s easier to calculate how much fuel it will use and how much it weighs. This can help you decide what fuel to use and whether or not to tow a trailer.
In addition, if you’re driving with a heavy load, such as a trailer full of equipment or furniture, there is a risk that your car may become damaged while driving down the road. If you know what weight your vehicle can handle before it becomes unsafe or breaks down, then this information can help prevent problems from occurring in the first place!
Safety
There are many benefits to weighing your vehicle before you tow. These include:
- Reduced risk of tipping over. Tipping is a serious concern for towing companies since it can lead to injuries and damage to your car. By weighing the vehicle and calculating its center of gravity (CG), you can see how much weight is on each axle, which will tell you how much torque should be applied when lifting the truck or car onto the flatbed trailer. This helps prevent accidents that could cause injury or damage.
- Reduced risk of jackknifing while in transit because of overloading or improper fitting cargo in the trailer compartment
- Reduced risk of rollover from placing too much weight on one side during an incline climb with steep grades on mountain roads
- Reduced likelihood of blowouts due to overloads caused by improperly loading vehicles into trailers
Weighing a vehicle is an important part of the towing process. It helps to ensure that your truck or car is safe and stable on the road, which can be especially important for those who need to tow heavy loads regularly. In addition, weighing a vehicle provides you with information about its overall weight distribution so that you can adjust accordingly.