Paratus understands that building the most professional looking, diverse, and high end performance spray foam rigs does not mean much if the rig is not safely and properly engineered. To complete the unmatched care and concern delivered by our manufacturing department we would also like to take this week and give some insight into the best practices for towing your spray foam rigs. There are a number of important things to remember and understand to make towing your rig safe and comfortable. We will take a look at the following areas:

• The Tow Vehicle
• Determining Your Rig’s Gross Trailer Weight
• Driving Tips and Recommendations

There are many other aspects to rig loading and towing that are important to understand when handling your spray foam rig. Visit www.sherline.com to learn more on other rig loading and towing topics not covered here.

The Tow Vehicle

Understanding your vehicle and the restrictions it can impose when making a new spray foam rig purchase or towing your current rig is a crucial aspect of safe rig handling. It is common for truck manufacturers to state the maximum, but not recommended, capacities for their vehicle so be certain to verify the recommended weights for your specific vehicle. When a vehicle is rated as a “half ton” it will likely have few problems carrying 1,000 lbs in the bed of the truck, yet a 1,000 lbs. at the hitch can become problematic for that same vehicle. Another important thing to note about your tow vehicle is that not all problems can be solved by moving around the load to different points in the rig. A basic rule of trailer towing is:

“The tow vehicle and hitch must be capable of safely handling at least 15% of the gross weight of the trailer (total weight of trailer plus contents). Fifth wheel trailers usually have up to 25% of the gross weight on the hitch.”

Your Rig’s Max Gross Trailer Weight

When trying to determine what is the maximum weight of items you can load onto your spray foam rig there is a simple calculation that you can use:

Cargo Capacity = GVWR – Empty Trailer Weight

All spray foam rigs from Paratus are reviewed for weight and towing requirements and limits, and our technical support team can answer any questions you might have about how much room for additional storage your rig has. Keeping within the limits of what your rig can handle is an essential step to ensure a safe and smooth tow each time you travel with your rig.

Driving Tips and Recommendations

Many of the common issues that can arise when towing your rig from location to location such as excessive winds, trailer sway and the handling of dips and bumps can all be solved with one simple action, slowing down. When heavy winds come about a decrease in speed, or pulling off the road altogether, is essential to reduce the force of the wind as impacts your rig. Handling trailer sway requires two actions simple actions. The first is slowing down to reduce the level of sway. Second, steer as little as possible because quick steering movements actually cause the swaying to increase. Many of the tips and points made above seem to be very simple, and that they are. Knowing them and putting them into practice is something that can be easily overlooked because of their simple nature. Taking the time to implement the above recommendations will ensure both you and your rig’s safety for many years to come.

Paratus is committed to ensuring each of our spray foam rig owners currently and those to come in future enjoy a long, productive life from their rig. If you have any questions about load capacities, best practices or safety precautions never hesitate to call Paratus at 330-454-0500 or info@paratusfoam.com to get all of your questions answered.