If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer; Weight Of The Trailer - Buick 2004 Century Owner's Manual

Trailering means changes in handling, acceleration,
braking, durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe
trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
That is the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before pulling a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assembly, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. What
is more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer

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. Ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
4-40
•
Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) the vehicle is driven. The engine, axle or
other parts could be damaged.
•
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that the
vehicle tows a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full throttle.
This helps the engine and other parts of the 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 the vehicle's parts.
There are three important considerations have to do
with weight:
•
The weight of the trailer.
•
The weight of the trailer tongue.
•
The total weight on the 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.