Holiday Hauling Safety Checklist:
12 Things to Do Before Towing to See the Family
You’ve packed the gifts, bribed the kids with snacks, and promised yourself you won’t talk politics at dinner this year.
Now don’t forget the most important part of the trip: getting everyone (and everything) there safely—especially if you’re towing a trailer or hauling a heavy load in winter.
If you’re newer to towing, winter can feel… intimidating. Snow, ice, steep grades, crosswinds, that one uncle who insists “you don’t need snow tires.” Ignore the uncle. Read this instead.
Here’s your Holiday Hauling Safety Checklist: 12 things to do before towing to see the family—with practical tips, winter-specific advice, and a few smart upgrades like Pacbrake Air Springs, recovery ropes, and recovery boards to make the trip smoother and safer.
1. Confirm Your Rig Can Actually Tow the Load
Before anything moves, make sure your truck and trailer are a safe match.
- Check your truck’s tow rating, Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), and payload rating in the owner’s manual or door jamb sticker.
- Payload rating is the maximum weight your truck can carry in and on the truck itself—that includes passengers, gear in the cab, cargo in the bed, and the tongue weight of the trailer pushing down on the hitch. It does not include the weight of the truck itself.
- Truck curb weight
- Passengers
- Cargo in the bed
- Trailer weight (empty + cargo)
You want to be under, not “ehh, close enough.” Overloading is a huge factor in winter towing incidents and loss of control.
If you’re not sure what your trailer weighs, many truck stops and some scrapyards have scales. Quick weigh-in now, less stress later.
2. Level and Stabilize Your Truck With Air Springs
When you drop the trailer on the hitch or load the bed with gear, does the rear of the truck squat like it just gave up on life?
That squat isn’t just ugly—it can:
- Reduce steering control
- Mess up your headlight aim
- Increase sway and instability
- Put extra stress on rear suspension and tires
Pacbrake Air Springs (air suspension helper bags) help you:
- Level the truck under load
- Maintain a more consistent ride height
- Improve stability and control in crosswinds and on icy or uneven roads
Unlike a one-size-fits-all rubber bump stops, you can adjust air pressure depending on your load—perfect if one weekend you’re towing toys and the next you’re hauling a trailer full of gifts and gear.
Pro tip: After you hook up, step back and look at the truck from the side. If it’s nose-up like a speedboat, it’s time to add air.
3. Check Tires on Both Truck and Trailer (Winter Matters)
Your tires are the only thing between your rig and the road—don’t cheap out on that contact patch.
Before you go:
- Inspect tread depth. For winter towing, deeper tread is better for clearing snow.
- Check tire pressure (cold). Cold weather drops PSI, which can lead to poor handling and blowouts.
- Make sure your trailer tires are in good shape—no cracks, bulges, or weird wear.
In snow-prone areas, a proper winter tire on the tow vehicle is strongly recommended. Winter tires stay softer and grippier in low temps compared to all-seasons.
If you can’t remember when you last checked your trailer tires, the answer is “too long ago.”
4. Test Lights, Brakes & Wiring—Before Dark
Winter days are short, and visibility is often lousy. You want every light doing its job.
Walk around and confirm:
- Truck & trailer brake lights
- Turn signals & hazards
- Running/marker lights
- Trailer brake controller is working and properly adjusted
Inspect your wiring harness for:
- Frayed wires
- Corrosion on the plug
- Loose connections
A quick clean-up and test in the driveway beats finding out you have no trailer brakes on a snowy downhill grade.
5. Plan for Gentle Braking and Smooth Deceleration
Winter towing is all about control, and control comes from smooth, predictable inputs—especially when it comes to slowing down.
Before you even hit the road, get into the mindset of planning your stops earlier than you normally would:
- Look farther ahead and start easing off the throttle sooner.
- Use gradual, steady brake pressure instead of quick stabs at the pedal.
- Leave extra room between you and the vehicle ahead so you’re never forced into a hard stop on ice or packed snow.
If your truck has features like tow/haul mode, use them according to the owner’s manual. These systems adjust shift points and can help keep things smoother and more controlled without you needing to constantly fight the brakes.
The key idea: in winter, your job is to never surprise the tires. Smooth deceleration keeps more traction available, which keeps your trailer tracking calmly behind you instead of trying to pass you.
6. Pack a Smart Winter Emergency & Recovery Kit
If something goes sideways (literally), you want the right gear on board.
At minimum, pack:
- Warm gloves, hats, and blankets
- Food, water, and a basic first aid kit
- Ice scraper and snow brush
- Shovel
- Booster cables or jump pack
Now, add some serious recovery gear:
Recovery Ropes
A proper kinetic recovery rope (not a random old tow rope from 1992) is designed to stretch and help gently pull a stuck vehicle out of snow or mud. The stretch reduces shock loading on both vehicles.
Recovery Boards
Recovery boards are your “get unstuck without a tow truck” tool:
- Slide them under your drive wheels when stuck
- They provide instant traction on ice, snow, or slush
- They’re compact, easy to store, and don’t require electricity, hope, or a miracle
Pairing Pacbrake recovery ropes and boards gives you a solid self-rescue setup if you slide off into a snowy shoulder or get stuck on an unplowed side road.
Bonus: boards make great impromptu “snow steps” when you don’t want to step into slush in your good boots.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have recovery boards, most interior truck mats have ribbed or studded undersides, which you can use to throw under your tires and get out of a slippery spot in a pinch.
7. Load the Trailer Properly (And Don’t Just “Wing It”)
Poor loading can make even a well-set-up rig feel sketchy.
Key rules:
- Aim for 60% of the trailer’s weight ahead of the axles and 40% behind.
- Shoot for 10–15% tongue weight of the total trailer weight on the hitch. Too little tongue weight = sway. Too much = sag.
- Secure cargo so it can’t shift under braking or over bumps.
If your truck squats even after careful loading, that’s another case for Pacbrake Air Springs to bring it back to level and calm.
8. Check the Weather and Have a “No-Go” Line
Holiday plans are important. Arriving safely is more important.
- Check the forecast for the whole route, not just departure and destination.
- Watch for:
- Heavy snow
- Freezing rain
- High winds
If conditions look bad, be honest: can this trip be delayed a few hours or a day? Many winter towing safety guides are crystal clear—if you can avoid towing in the worst conditions, you should.
Remember: your family would rather tease you for “being overcautious” than visit you in a hospital.
9. Practice With Your Setup Before the Big Drive
If you’re new to towing—or you’ve changed your trailer, load, or truck—take time to:
- Do a short test drive on quiet roads
- Practice:
- Braking distances
- Lane changes
- Gentle turns
- Backing up
The more familiar you are with your setup, the less likely you’ll be surprised when conditions get slick.
10. Slow Down and Increase Following Distance
Every winter towing article, expert, and grandma says the same thing: slow down. And they’re right.
- Posted limits assume ideal conditions—dry pavement, good visibility. Winter is the opposite of that.
- Leave way more following distance than normal so you can brake gently and gradually. Sudden braking with a trailer on ice is how jackknifes happen.
If people tailgate or get impatient, let them pass. You’re driving a truck, not auditioning for a Fast & Furious snow special.
11. What to Do If You Start to Slide or Skid
Even with perfect prep and saintly driving habits, winter sometimes wins a round. If you feel the truck or trailer start to slide, here’s how to respond without making things worse:
- Stay calm – sudden reactions are the enemy.
- Ease off the throttle – don’t floor it, don’t slam the brakes.
- Steer where you want to go – gently turn the wheel in the direction you want the front of the truck to travel.
- Avoid jerky or large steering inputs; think small corrections, not emergency yanks.
A light wiggle is normal on windy highways. A big fishtail is not. If sway starts to build:
- Gently let off the throttle and keep the steering wheel as straight as possible.
- Do NOT slam the brakes—that can exaggerate the swing.
- If you have a trailer brake controller and know how to use it, a light, momentary manual application to the trailer brakes (not the truck) can help the trailer straighten out behind you.
- Once it settles, slow down and reassess: speed, load balance, tongue weight, and wind.
The goal isn’t to be fearless in winter—it’s to be prepared, relaxed, and ready to respond smoothly when things get slippery.
12. Do a Final Walkaround Before You Roll
Right before you leave, do one last walkaround checklist:
- Hitch locked and pinned
- Safety chains crossed and properly attached
- Breakaway cable connected
- Lights confirmed again (especially if you’ve been loading in the cold)
- Trailer jacks/stabilizers fully raised
- Cargo doors shut and latched
- Truck and trailer both sitting level (thanks, Air Springs)
This quick lap around your rig catches a surprising number of “oh wow, that would’ve been bad” issues.
Wrap-Up: Make the Trip as Relaxed as the Destination
Holiday hauling doesn’t have to be stressful—especially if you:
- Take the time to prep your rig
- Respect winter conditions
- Invest in a few smart upgrades like Pacbrake Air Springs, Exhaust Brakes, and recovery gear
Those upgrades don’t just add comfort; they add control, stability, and peace of mind when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
So go see the family, enjoy the food, survive the questions about when you’re getting a “real job,” and know that your tow rig is ready for the trip there and back.