Prepping for winter travel with a TTT

[lfhoward]

Hello everyone,

I'm curious what experienced teardroppers do to prep their trailer for winter travel? (Besides stay home because it's !)

As a Jeep owner in the Northeast I am familiar with the usual prep.
- Make sure the snow scraper and collapsible shovel are packed.
- Have a blanket, food, and water squirreled away in the trunk.
- Make sure the battery is still good, and charging properly.
- Make sure the tires have good tread and are properly inflated.
- Never let the gas tank get below 1/4 full.
- Drive cautiously in winter weather conditions, whether in 4WD or not (because lots of other people don't seem to notice that it is snowing out, or they think their AWD makes them invincible!)
- Speed up and slow down gradually, and take turns slowly.

What else is there to do specifically to prep a tiny travel trailer for winter travel?

How about any driving tips to avoid jack-knifing the trailer on ice?

Are their strategic differences for towing trailers that have their own brakes vs. those that don't?

Thanks for any and all thoughts!

[jandmz]

Our trailer is not as tiny as most on this site, but towing on ice and snow calls for extreme caution. I was taught winter driving years ago, and my instructor always said to drive as if there were a raw egg between your shoe and the pedals. No quick moves, either speed changes or steering.

If your trailer does not have brakes, it will try to push your tow vehicle, and cause your tow vehicle's rear end to slide to the side. So, brake gently and slow down slowly. A trailer with brakes is easier to control because you can use the brake controller to apply the trailer brakes only, and use the trailer to "pull" your tow vehicle to slow it down.

Other than that, keep your water system empty and use bottled water kept in the tow vehicle's heated space. Canned goods can also freeze and rupture the cans, making a real mess.

Most important of all, HEAD SOUTH!!! and, have fun.

[swoody126]

THIS ADVICE IS AN EXCELLENT START...Our trailer is not as tiny as most on this site, but towing on ice and snow calls for extreme caution. I was taught winter driving years ago, and my instructor always said to drive as if there were a raw MY INSTRUCTOR SAID "ROTTEN EGG" egg between your shoe and the pedals. No quick moves, either speed changes or steering. & KEEP GREATER DISTANCES BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICKE IN FRONT OF YOU

If your trailer does not have brakes, it will try to push your tow vehicle, and cause your tow vehicle's rear end to slide to the side. So, brake gently and slow down slowly. A trailer with brakes is easier to control because you can use the brake controller to apply the trailer brakes only, and use the trailer to "pull" your tow vehicle to slow it down. CONSIDER REDUCING THE DIAL/PRESSURE ON THE TRLR BRAKES IN ICY CONDITIONS

Other than that, keep your water system empty and use bottled water kept in the tow vehicle's heated space. Canned goods can also freeze and rupture the cans, making a real mess. PUT ANYTHING THAT MAY FREEZE & POP IN ICE CHESTS TO RETARD THE FREEZING PROCESS & CONTAIN ANY SPILAGE (WE KEEP OLD COOLERS FOR HAULING PLUNDER ON TRIPS AND PACKING/HAULING LIQUID ITEMS IN THE COLDER MONTHS, THEIR SEALS N LATCHES AREN'T AS CRITICAL FOR THESE PURPOSES)

Most important of all, HEAD SOUTH!!!

DITTO

and, have fun.

THAT IS ALWAYS "PLAN A"

see the comments in BLOCK CAPS, above, they help this old man keep his thoughts/answers in some kind of order...

sw