RV How-To Guide | Connecting Your Hitch to the Trailer

  • Raise the trailer tongue to make sure there is enough room for the hitch ball to go underneath the coupler.
  • Position the hitch ball to go underneath the coupler and insert wheel chalks to keep the trailer from moving.
  • Open the coupler latch and use either the crank or power jack to lower the coupler onto the hitch ball.
  • After placing the coupler correctly, lock the latch and insert a hitch pin to avoid the ball unhitching.
  • After inserting the pin raise the tongue jack completely to be ready to travel
  • Hook your safety chain hooks across each other and underneath the hitch to the hook brackets on your hitch. Crossing the chains would likely prevent the coupler from hitting the ground should it become unsecured.
  • The safety chains should be long enough for the tow vehicle to turn sharply but not long enough for them to drag on the ground.
  • If you have a breakaway cable attach this to the tow vehicle so in the event your trailer disconnects from the tow vehicle, emergency brakes will be applied to the trailer. You must have a battery connected for this to function.
  • If you have one, plug in your trailer electrical cord and get someone to test the brake lights in the tow vehicle and check to see they are operating the break lights on the trailer correctly
  • Before disconnecting your trailer make sure all safety hooks, electrical cords, pins, and spring bars are removed before raising your jack to take the weight off the tow vehicle.
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