Repair 7

The Tongue Weight

The tongue weight is the downward force that the tongue of the trailer applies to the hitch of the tow vehicle. This will affect the height of your trailer hitch, and it should be 10 to 15 percent of the total trailer weight.

Gross Towing Weight

Gross towing weight is the weight of a fully loaded trailer. Distributing the weight on the trailer will adjust the tongue weight and height of the trailer hitch. Sixty percent of the load should be on the trailer floor in front of the axle.

Bottom Line

Trailer hitch height from the ground should be around 15 to 18 inches. This can be adjusted with the tongue weight and gross towing weight. The tongue weight must be in balance for a safe towing vehicle.

Your 1999 Ford F-150, a sturdy vehicle with a 5.4-liter engine, can tow a trailer on camping trips or other vacations -- or when you simply want to move the trailer. The F-150 comes equipped with a towing ball, which allows you to attach cable to the trailers towing hitch. Once youve made the connection, drive the speed limit and avoid sharp or sudden turns in your Ford F-150.

Instructions

1

Drive your F-150 to a point in front of the box trailer where you can attach the tow ball and hitch.

2

Place the F-150 in park, and engage your emergency brake.

3

Exit the truck, and walk to the tow ball. Wrap the cable in place around the tow ball, and clamp it shut so it stays in place. Test the connection to ensure it wont come undone easily.

4

Tie the other end of the cable to the tow hitch of the box trailer, taking special care to clamp it in place to stabilize it.

5

Turn on the hazard lights of your box trailer if it has them, which will alert drivers of other vehicles to take caution when driving behind you and your trailer.

Plumbing in a travel trailer is similar to that of a home or office building in that youre removing the old parts and replacing them with new ones. The hot and cold water pipes in your travel trailer can be replaced with standard PEX plumbing pipe, while drain pipes can be standard PVC piping. Repairs in travel trailers are common due to movement while traveling as well as seasonal damage and wear and tear over time.

Instructions

1

Turn off the water supply to your travel trailer and completely drain the fresh water tank, the black water tank and the grey water tank. Measure the size of the pipes youre replacing and purchase the materials at your local home improvement store. Bring along the old parts if you want to be 100 percent sure of purchasing the correct sizes. Purchase a little extra material to allow for mistakes or areas you may not have previously noticed.

2

Disconnect any fittings with the adjustable wrench and the pipe wrench. Attach the pipe wrench to the section of pipe going into any fittings, and adjust the adjustable wrench to fit the size of the nut on the fitting. Apply pressure on the wrenches in opposite directions to disconnect. Cut away any sections of pipe that need to be replaced with the reciprocating saw.

3

Measure the replacement piece of pipe and cut it with the reciprocating saw. Clean the inside and outside of the replacement pipe and the old section of pipe you will be connecting to with the pipe primer/cleaner. Remove excess burrs from cutting the pipe with the saw. Apply pipe glue to both the male and female ends of any pipe fittings or areas where the pipe will be joined together and slide the new pipe into place. Hold it in place for several minutes until the glue begins to set. With fittings, simply tighten them in place after the glue has been applied.