If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer; Weight Of The Trailer - Chevrolet 2006 HHR Owner's Manual

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 will be driving. A good source
for this information can be state or provincial police.
•
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
•
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
•
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not 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.
Do not drive faster than the maximum posted
speed for trailers, or no more than 55 mph
(90 km/h), to save wear on your vehicle's parts.
•
Do not tow when the outside air temperature is
above 100°F (38°C).
•
Do not tow more than 1,000 miles (1 600 km)
per year.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight:
•
The weight of the trailer
•
The weight of the trailer tongue
•
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 (450 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 in the tow vehicle
must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight.