Sam Anderson is a young touring pro on the walleye circuit. Between his fishing and promotion work, he drives through 17 states a year, iiiainly the northern half of the country. He tows in all kinds of weather and terrain, and his tips are worth a listen. • “First, do a walk-around inspection of the truck and trailer. Make sure everything is stowed properly on the boat.You’d be amazed how many fishing rods are lost each year because someone forgets to secure them properly with a tie-down or put them in a rod locker.”
• “One of the accessories I regularly inspect—and almost never see anyone even look at—is windshield wipers.This is critical. Try driving 5 or 6 hours in bad weather with worn-out wipers. It’s bad enough during the thy; at night, when you’re tired, forget it.You’re an accident waiting to happen?’
• “check the air pressure on the vehicle and trailer tires. A lot of people check the tires on their truck but forget the trailer. Make sure that the tire pressure is in the recommended range because of the extra weight you’re hauling. Properly inflated tires will also help the tow vehicle deliver maximum fuel economy, and when you tow, every gallon counts?’
• “check the wiring harness regularly for signs of corrosion that could cause the trailer running lights and brake lights to fail. Northern drivers take note: Road salt is a certified killer of electrical connections?’
• “check the trailer wheel hubs regularly. Most people check the hubs once a year. I do it every time I stop for fuel. Why? Because of the heat that towing generates. You want to make sure the hubs still have adequate grease, arid it’s a whole lot better to stop at a service station and get it fixed than have the hubs lock up in the middle of nowhere. And let me tell you, you don’t want to deal with a hub failure at highway speed; it’s nasty business. I know some guys who won’t even go on the road without spare bearings packed in grease and stored in sealed plastic bags in case of emergencies.”
February 08, 2010
