CURT Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of U.S.-made towing products, has developed new testing capabilities at its engineering facility in Wixom, Michigan. The company says this multi-faceted, three-axis, real-time test allows it to prove the safety of its hitches like never before and is setting a new standard in the towing industry in North America.
Based on testing developed by European manufacturers called the Carlos TC (Car Loading Standard, Trailer Coupling), this new test is designed to simulate towing in the real world. It does this using three actuators and varying loads. While many tests today apply load pressure up and down, CURT says it is able to simulate actual driving conditions by pushing, pulling, lifting and pressing at the coupling point. These forces are applied in varying combinations and degrees, to mimic the behavior of a real trailer in tow.
CURT is currently working with some of its OE customers, as well as a competitor, to develop this new testing capability into an industry-wide standard for North America. Robert Krouse, director of R&D, testing and Wixom Engineering, stated, “It is important that we are testing our products to the state-of-the-art, and the Carlos TC test and our latest North American industry work are important steps in furthering that goal.”
To learn more about our new testing capabilities in Wixom, check out this video. To learn more about CURT Manufacturing and its products, visit curtmfg.com.
