When you are not towing a trailer and have to climb a hill or drive through difficult road terrain, using 4 wheel drive is always an option. When it comes to towing a trailer, however, the rules are a little different. If you are planning on towing your trailer on steep inclines or declines, there are some ways to tow using 4 wheel drive. 

Dry Pavement

When you are pulling your travel trailer on dry pavement you should never tow in 4 wheel drive (or use cruise control for that matter). The reason why is that when you are towing a trailer, the rear axle of your tow vehicle will be carrying the majority of the contact/weight of your trailer. As such, you want the power from your tow vehicle to come from the rear (as opposed to being divided between both front and rear axles). 

Incline/Decline

The first thing you should ensure before towing your trailer, even on dry flat pavement, is that your tow/haul mode is activated on your tow vehicle. This changes the shift points to a more optimal setup for towing - both for inclines as well as declines. If you are towing a trailer, be sure to place your tow vehicle in tow/haul mode. 

On an incline, you are primarily putting your tow vehicle’s engine to use. If you are able to climb the hill with traction, there may not be a need for 4 wheel drive. Keep in mind that you may see a decline in your speed as you climb the hill, but 4 wheel drive would not be recommended in this situation until you needed the additional traction assistance. 

For the decline, if you are on a 4 wheel drive trail, it would be recommended to use 4 wheel drive low. Switching to this will alleviate extra usage of your brakes, preventing your brakes from overheating and becoming less effective. 

Using 4 wheel drive low forces your tow vehicle’s engine and transmission to slow the vehicle down rather than the brakes exclusively. Utilizing your trailer brakes in addition to the 4 wheel drive low will also help tremendously with steep declines. It also should be noted that 4 wheel drive low is to be used at low speeds while towing, not while traveling at higher rates of speed. 

Mud/Snow

It is not advised to tow any type of trailer through mud or snow unless you absolutely need to. Avoiding these types of towing situations will undoubtedly decrease your risk for any type of accident. If, however, you find yourself in the situation where you need to pull a trailer through mud or snow, go slow - slower than you would normally drive in these conditions without a trailer. 

Keep in mind that the trailer behind you is weight, so when you apply any amount of brake, your trailer will want to push you. With snow and mud being slippery, too much forward momentum from behind the tow vehicle can quickly cause you to lose control. Your best approach is to use 4 wheel drive low and your trailer brake while driving at very slow speeds.

Make sure that you keep an emergency kit on board, drive slow, and plan ahead when it comes to navigating rough terrain or inclement weather. Happy towing, and happy camping!