RV Towing Safety Checklist — Weights, Hitches & Habits

Most towing trouble traces back to numbers nobody checked. This checklist covers finding and respecting your weight ratings, hitch and brake hardware, tires and bearings, and the on-road habits that keep the rig behind you.

Know your numbers

• Find your GVWR, GAWR, and GCWR stickers and write the numbers downTrailer VIN sticker, tow vehicle door jamb, and the owner's manual. These are limits, not suggestions.
• Weigh the rig LOADED at a truck stop CAT scaleAbout $14 and ten minutes. Most RVs run heavier than their owners guess.
• Tongue weight should be 10–15% of trailer weight (Travel Trailer, Toy Hauler, Pop-Up Camper)
• Pin weight should be 15–25% of trailer weight — and fits within truck payload (Fifth Wheel)
• Camper weight (loaded, with water) fits within the truck's payload sticker (Truck Camper)
• Passengers, pets, firewood, and hitch weight all count against payload too

Hitch & connection hardware

• Weight-distribution hitch tuned for your loaded tongue weight (Travel Trailer, Toy Hauler)
• Sway control installed and adjusted (Travel Trailer, Toy Hauler)
• Receiver, ball mount, and ball ratings all meet or beat trailer weight; ball torqued to spec (Travel Trailer, Toy Hauler, Pop-Up Camper)
• Fifth wheel hitch bolts torqued; jaws and plate lubed (Fifth Wheel)
• Tie-down turnbuckles tensioned per the maker's spec — recheck after 50 miles (Truck Camper)
• Tow bar, base plate, and safety cables rated for the towed car (motorhomes)
• Supplemental braking system for the towed car — required in most states (motorhomes)

Tires, bearings & brakes

• Trailer tires inflated to the sidewall max, checked cold every travel day (towables)
• Check tire date codes — trailer tires age out at 5–6 years even with good tread (towables)
• Wheel bearings repacked every 12 months or 12,000 miles (towables)
• Brake controller gain set with a test stop on every trip's first mile (Travel Trailer, Fifth Wheel, Toy Hauler)
• Breakaway switch battery charged and switch tested (towables)
• Re-torque lug nuts after any wheel service and again at 50 miles (towables)
• TPMS on the trailer so a slow leak never becomes a blowout (towables)

Habits on the road

• Add 4+ seconds of following distance; brake early and gently
• Respect your trailer tires' speed rating — many ST tires are rated 65 mph (towables)
• If the trailer sways: OFF the gas, steady wheel, manual trailer brake — never slam the brakes (Travel Trailer, Toy Hauler, Pop-Up Camper)Practicing the manual-lever reach in a parking lot is worth doing once.
• Check the hitch, straps, and a hand on each tire at every fuel stop
• Plan fuel stops you can get OUT of — pull-through pumps are your friend
• Never carry passengers in the trailer or camper while moving
• Know your height, weight, and route — use an RV-safe GPS or app

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