1995 Cadillac Fleetwood Owner's Manual - Page 177

Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with proper towing equipment. To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read the information in "Weight of the Trailer" that appears later in this section. But trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be used properly. That's the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of your passengers. So please read this section carefully before you pull a trailer. Your Cadillac is a passenger vehicle. Trailer towing can change the way your vehicle performs on the road. The loads and forces created when trailering subject the vehicle to significant levels of stress. Load-pulling components such as the engine, transmission, rear axle, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of the added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What's more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements. If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer If you do, here are some important points: 0 There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you'll be driving. A good source for this information can be state or provincial police. You should always use a weight distributing (equalizing) hitch if your trailer will weigh more than 3,000 lbs. (1 362 kg). Consider using sway control if your loaded trailer will weigh 3,000 lbs. (1 362kg) or more. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls. weigh 2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always use a swaycontrol if your trailer will weigh more than 2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls. 0 e Consider using a sway control if yourtrailer will 0 Trailers that weigh more than 1,000 lbs. (454 kg) should be equipped with trailer brakes. Surge brakes may be used on some trailers (e.g., boat trailers). However, surge brakes do not work well with most sway control devices.Do not use sway control devices on trailers equipped with surge brakes. 0 4-32