Trailer Towing Break-in?

[AldeanFan]

Friends of ours just bought their first trailer brand new and the salesman told them not to exceed 80km/h for the first 500km.

Now they're trying to plan a trip that will get them 250km from home without driving on the highway [emoji44]

I've never heard of a towing break in period for a trailer, and wouldn't it have already been pulled at speed on the trip from the factory?

It's not a tow vehicle issue, they're truck is almost 2 years old.

The dealer is about an hour from their house so I said check the lug nuts and any bolts in the hitch when they get it home but otherwise they're good to go.

[OTRA15]

Never heard of that, and I would ask the salesman to put it in writing in an email, and to quote from the owner's manual. As you said, most AS are towed to the dealer from Jackson Center, and it is unlikely that the speed limit was followed then IMO!

Also advise checking the lug nuts with an accurate torque wrench before departing, after 50 miles, after 100 miles, and at every stop for gas, food or rest. It only takes a minute or two to do this!

After the initial tow home, checking the lug nuts can be done per the owner's manual. We do it quite often out of habit. Why not take the brief time, especially on our single axle trailer?



Happy Trails!

Peter

[JMynes]

Many salesmen just like to hear themselves talk. Others just don't know when to shut up, run out of facts, and start spewing nonsense.

[Dexterpix]

I was not told anything like that. Picked up ours in New Jersey and towed it home to Maine. Highway all the way. Not sure what your "breaking" in? There's no engine or transmission, gears, ect. Like a car or truck would have.

Joe D

[dznf0g]

Cut him a bit of slack, guys...perhaps he is looking out for the customer. Not all trailers are flat towed to the dealer, so maybe he is referring to breaking in new brake shoes. And more importantly, OP says this was their friends' first trailer. Maybe this is a way for the salesman to "encourage" slow travel until a virgin tow-er gets the feel of a trailer's handling without offending them. After all, dissatisfied customers rarely come back...and dead ones NEVER come back.

[glcmranger]

It has nothing to do with the speed, BUT, it takes around 500 miles for the Electric Brakes to adjust. I had to move the Brake Controller up to setting 8 until the Brakes adjusted themselves...

[OTRA15]

Rich, if the salesman had such benign paternalistic motives, it might have been nice to handle it differently IMO, as he created more stress for the new buyers by forcing them to find a slow-speed route home.

Poor communication IMO, whatever the motive . . .



PS -- The implication he might have wanted to save them from killing themselves? Well . . .

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Rich, if the salesman had such benign paternalistic motives, it might have been nice to handle it differently IMO, as he created more stress for the new buyers by forcing them to find a slow-speed route home.

Poor communication IMO, whatever the motive . . .



PS -- The implication he might have wanted to save them from killing themselves? Well . . .

It's all supposition anyway.

The only mechanical reason I can fathom is new brake break-in and wheel lug seating/loosening.

[GCinSC2]

Was it delivered to the dealer on a flatbed or towed on its own running gear?

[switz]

Our 2015 23D International Serenity was trucked on a long flat bed trailer along with a second 23D to the selling dealership. We towed it 2,000 miles to the modification center we used (A&P Vintage Trailer Works in Paradise, TX). Just for grins I suggested to check the wheelbearings. One set was completely scored and the others were low on grease.

When converting to auto-adjusting brakes, we installed new USA made Timken bearing sets on all four hubs.

No one at the New Jersey dealership even mentioned breaking in the brakes or even checking the wheel torque values as I left their lot with the new trailer. Based upon all of the issues with our unit, I can not believe a dealer PDI was even done with hands on the trailer.

[ATownTX]

FWIW, my Chevy Colorado has a 500 mile towing break in period that is separate from the normal break in... according to the manual. Maybe that is what he is referring to.

[OTRA15]

Your break-in period is for a tow vehicle. The OP was talking about his friend's trailer.

[ATownTX]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Your break-in period is for a tow vehicle. The OP was talking about his friend's trailer.

Thanks, I realize that. There could be some confusion between the dealer and the OP's friend regarding the break in period and which vehicle it applies to. The OP even mentioned the tow vehicle and that it is two years old, so there should be no break in period. I'm simply stating that MY tow vehicle has a break in period for towing, irrespective of the standard vehicle break in period. And that could be where the dealer recommendation is coming from.

[mythbuster88]

"Friends of ours just bought their first trailer brand new and the salesman told them not to exceed 80km/h for the first 500km."

Great advice for first time trailer drivers!

[ATownTX]

Originally Posted by AldeanFan

.
Now they're trying to plan a trip that will get them 250km from home without driving on the highway [emoji44]
.

I don't know... I think I would prefer the interstate or any 4-lane divided highway. If they are planning their route on 2-lane rural roads, they will wind up with a queue of angry people waiting to pass. There is not a minimum speed limit on the interstate. 50mph should be fine. My $0.02

[BigAl]

There usually is a minimum speed limit posted on major highways. I have seem 40 mph minimum. Always seems to me that it is a very slow minimum for a highway that has at least 60mph max. speed posted.
Al

[ATownTX]

I stand corrected. And I work for the DOT For some reason I was thinking there wasn't one in order to accommodate military vehicles and farm vehicles. Texas is one of several states that don't post a minimum on the interstate, however.

I'm heading out on a cross country trip (mostly interstate) here soon and I plan to keep it between 50 to 55 mph at all times.

The OP's friend will be fine on a highway at 50mph if that is what they choose to do.

Originally Posted by BigAl

There usually is a minimum speed limit posted on major highways. I have seem 40 mph minimum. Always seems to me that it is a very slow minimum for a highway that has at least 60mph max. speed posted.
Al

[AldeanFan]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies.

I think the dealer was just saying something he had heard said before,
Like the car dealer that told me it didn't matter what viscosity of oil I used as long as it was made by Castrol [emoji848]

I think we're going with these folks to pickup the trailer and camping with them on their first trip, they've never towed anything before and are a little nervous.