Protecting Your Vehicle While Towing

2 August 2017
 Categories: Automotive, Blog

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The arrival of the summer months often means that towing vehicles see an increase in use. Whether you are heading out to the lake with your boat in tow, or hauling your camp trailer into the wilderness, having a functional tow vehicle is critical to many of your summer plans. Ensuring that your tow vehicle remains in good working condition will help you avoid breakdowns and improve your vehicle's performance over time.

Here are three things that you can do to ensure your vehicle stays protected while it's towing this summer.

1. Add a towing package to your vehicle.

Many passenger vehicles were not designed to withstand pulling heavy loads on a regular basis. If you want to protect your vehicle from towing damage, it can be beneficial to invest in a specialized towing package.

These packages typically consist of durable hitches, advanced electrical connections, and increased horsepower that can give your vehicle the ability to easily haul a heavy trailer. Adding a tow package to your vehicle will help preserve engine performance, supply additional engine power, and prevent towing-related engine stress over time.

2. Invest in aftermarket shock absorbers.

When you add the weight of a trailer to your vehicle, you are placing a tremendous amount of stress on the vehicle's chassis. Ensuring that your tow vehicle is capable of shouldering this additional burden might mean investing in some aftermarket parts.

You can have your mechanic upgrade your vehicle's factory shock absorbers to some shocks made specifically for towing. Aftermarket shock absorbers will help to keep your vehicle more steady and prevent sway while towing heavy loads over rough roads.

3. Use specialized lubricants.

Towing heavy trailers on a regular basis can cause your vehicle's engine to run hotter than normal. Ensuring that the engine doesn't overheat and cause serious mechanical damage is critical when it comes to protecting your vehicle while towing.

You can easily manage engine temperatures by opting to use specialized lubricants and fluids in your tow vehicle. Adding a high-performance synthetic lubricant to you vehicle's radiator will help temperatures within your vehicle's engine bay by improving heat transfer and preventing fluid breakdown.

Keeping your towing vehicle running properly will ensure that you are able to haul boats, camp trailers, and other heavy loads to your favorite summer destinations. Make sure you are acting proactively to prevent towing-related damage by installing a towing package on your vehicle, adding aftermarket shock absorbers, and utilizing specialized lubricants to prevent engine overheating.