Road Baja
Handy Tips for Towing and Maintaining Your Popup Tent Trailer by Hank Roberts
I bought myself a popup tent trailer for family trips and going on fishing trips with my pals. I use it a lot so it can get a bit of a rough ride at times. Having spent a good few dollars on my Jayco Baja I wanted to make sure she would last a good few years and serve me well on my frequent trips.
She’s not to bad to tow and reasonably easy to manoeuvre with a little bit of practise. She’s 20′ 6″ long and 69″ high, going forward ain’t to bad but reversing can be a little challenging. Weighing up to 4,550 pounds fully laden you need to manoeuvre her carefully on the road especially when you get out in the wilds and mountainous regions where the roads are testing even without a 20 foot trailer hooked on to the back of your vehicle.
First thing you got to realise is that your vehicle is going to handle a lot differently with the trailer attached. Here’s a list of things to watch out for:
The tow vehicle will accelerate slower and take longer to break.
Don’t make any sudden changes in direction, this can cause jack-knifing.
Trailers can “fish tail” i.e. sway side to side at high speeds, so be aware of this, especially with one axle trailers.
When backing up the trailer goes in the opposite direction to the tow vehicle. A good trick is to put a hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn the wheel in the direction you want the trailer to head.
Before any journey carry out some basic checks:
Tire Pressure
Hitch mounting to receiver
Check break lights and signals
Safety chains need to be secure and crossed under the trailer tongue
Have a checklist of other items you need to take with you including adequate water. fuel and energy in the way of a generator for example if you are going to particularly remote areas.
Maintenance Tips
It is important to ensure that the camper is bone dry when storing for any length of time. You want to avoid mildew and that very familiar smell of damp which can take a long time to clear when trying to air the camper. Also damp causes damage to the internal fittings and possibly the frame in some models. So dampness is your main adversary so don’t take any short cuts in drying out, you will regret it.
I hope you’ve found these quick tips helpful, good luck and good camping!
About the Author
Hank Roberts is an expert fisherman and keen writer spending much time exploring remote areas pursuing his passion for the great outdoors. To learn more about Jayco Tent Trailers please visit his website.
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