Adding a tow hitch is one of the most beneficial and practical aspects to expand your horizons beyond what you can carry within your vehicle. Furthermore, it will give you the ability to tow a boat, cargo trailer, enclosed vehicle trailer, tow hauler, and any trailer that your truck can adequately handle, depending on your vehicle's capabilities. Whether you're a novice or a veteran when hooking up or towing with a trailer, there are many variables and attributes you will want to learn or further your education on trailers and hitches combined. U-Haul is here to aid you in understanding all the systems in your trailering and wiring.
Getting to understand how your trailer, hitch, and hitch coupler work with each other will help you accomplish the type of activities, lifestyle, and utilities you need to fit your purpose. Once your hitch is installed, and you have many purposes, how will you use your new U-Haul Trailer Hitch? It will be a great time to get acclimated with how trailering systems work with the actual trailer itself.
Using your hitch allows you to expand your horizons and lifestyle to use many different trailers and get the most utility out of your hitch purchase. Knowing how to use and adequately couple the system that makes utility so much more practical is crucial for the safety and the security of your journey to your destination. Understanding how your trailer and hitch work together to accomplish your needs for whatever life throws your way will pay dividends to gain more knowledge and confidence.
Throughout this article, we will give you the tools and understanding of how your trailer, coupler, and ball mount work cohesively amongst any trailer, including all U-Haul trailers.
Knowing Your Hitch & Trailer Components
Anytime you plan to use your towing hitch and trailer, you need to know a few variables and characteristics, no matter what type it is. Each trailer and the system attached to it will vary depending on the make and model of your trailer. For most U-Haul trailers, we make it easy for the user only to have to worry about a few things, such as weight distribution, wiring systems, and how your coupler works in tandem.
A trailer coupler is a device that allows you to connect the tongue of the trailer to the hitch system on your vehicle, with the central connection point being the ball mount jointed to the coupler. Your coupler is the primary connection between your vehicle and the trailer; without it you couldn't do anything to transport what you need. There are key points that every trailer and hitch have, such as what type of hitch class you have. Most common are class three and four hitches that, more often than not, are in every kind of trailer.
How To Properly Couple Your Trailer To Your Vehicle
To ensure that you are trailering safely, you have to confirm what kind of coupler and tongue from your trailer you have. There are many variations and types of trailers throughout the market, such as your basic utility trailer for miscellaneous items, boat trailer, and full-fledged enclosed auto transport trailer. There are so many variations and kinds of trailers on the market, you will need to know the basis of at least your coupler.
A trailer coupler is a device that allows you to connect the tongue of the trailer to the hitch system on your vehicle, with the central connection point being the ball mount jointed to the coupler. Your coupler is the primary connection between your vehicle and the trailer; you couldn't do anything to transport what you need. There are key points that every trailer and hitch have, such as what type of hitch class you have. Most common is a class three and four hitches that, more than not, is in every kind of trailer.
There are many variations in trailer couplers, but the concept and innovation are pretty much unchanged from trailer to trailer. Understanding your coupler's four main components allows you to couple your vehicle trailer hitch to the actual trailer. These components are the following:
- Lever: The actuator will enable you to lock and unlock the coupler latch to your tow ball and hitch.
- Ball Receptacle: This is where your tow ball and the mount line up with your trailer to the coupler.
- Safety Clip: Provides the complete coupler systems security that the latch or lever won't come apart during transport.
- Latch: The device locks the coupler to the tow ball to join the system to one cohesive unit.
The first thing to do once you have a trailer in mind you want to use is to get it hooked up with your trailer system on your vehicle. Next, you will want to ensure that the tow ball is correctly seated onto the coupler so that the latch can close appropriately on the tow ball. When you perform this, you should hear a click and then confirm below it is closed completely.
Anytime you plan to use a trailer with your tow hitch, you must double-check the coupler to see what class of tow ball and ball mount is needed to insert the correct type you will need for your trailer. Couplers are the most critical system in your trailer, so we highly recommend you completely understand how to use them and adequately hook them up to your towing ball mount.
Hooking Up Hitch Wiring Properly
With a tow hitch or trailer, ensuring you are appropriately prepared for trailer wiring is key to being legally compliant with road regulations and laws. In any trailer, you will see two types of wiring; these include what is known as a four flat connector and a seven-round connector. If you plan to rent any U-Haul trailer, it will come with a four-flat type of connector.
A four-flat connector is designed for the necessities of using a trailer while driving on public roads throughout the United States. First, it allows you to have braking, driving, and parking lights required to operate a trailer under safe driving conditions. Then a seven-round plug allows for more accessories for the higher-end trailer for things such as boats, toy haulers, and enclosed car trailers. To learn more about hitch connectors, Click Here!
Distributing Trailer Weight Correctly
No matter if you're a veteran or novice when it comes to towing with a trailer of any size, ensuring you have the proper weight distribution with your load on your trailer will aid in safety, stability, and drivability. Of course, every trailer will have different weight distribution properties, but the same concept will still apply regardless of your make and model of trailer.
You need to ensure the proper weight distribution is correct otherwise you will experience significant trailer sway. We recommend from our studies and experience that you load a heavier trailer in the front to reduce the chance of trailer sway, but it won't eliminate trailer sway. Check out the video below to learn how improper weight balance on your trailer will enact trailer sway.
Trailer sway happens when the side force on your trailer causes it to move from side to side behind your vehicle. Some call it "fishtailing." this often occurs due to improper balance of weight from front to rear weight distribution. If you are experiencing trailer sway, it could be due to bad weather and road conditions or improperly loading your cargo on your trailer. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you have a Pre-Departure checklist to ensure everything is hooked up for safety and security when loading your trailer and hooking it up.
To prevent trailer sway, here are some valuable tips:
- Do not overload your trailer or tow vehicle.
- Don't exceed your trailer's maximum gross weight.
- Only load your cargo inside your trailer; never load outside of it and allow cargo to extend the rear of the length of the trailer.