The weight should be generally specified by the manufacturer and listed in the owner’s manual. Look online if you’re missing the manual, or check at an auto shop. You need to find two numbers, the gross trailer weight (GTW), which is the combined weight of the trailer and the gear on it, and the maximum tongue weight for your vehicle to determine the class of hitch you’ll need to tow the load.
Class 1: 2000 pounds GTW/200 pounds tongue weight Class 2: 3500 pounds GTW/350 pounds tongue weight Class 3: 5000 pounds GTW/500 pounds tongue weight Class 4: 7500 pounds GTW/750 pounds tongue weight Class 5: 10,000 pounds GTW/1000 pounds tongue weight
1 7⁄8 inch (4. 8 cm) 2 inch (5. 1 cm) 2 5⁄16 inch (5. 9 cm)
Using the tongue jack, try to raise the tongue off of the ball. If you are able to do this, the ball and tongue sizes do not match, or the ball is not locked properly. In this case, replace the ball with the correct size, or lock it properly and try again. Once the tongue of the trailer is on the ball, you can lock it in place by placing a bolt or padlock through the ball lock mechanism to prevent it from accidentally opening.
After you’ve hooked up the lights, do a quick brake check to make sure everything is functioning properly. It’s critical to make sure that your turn signals and brakes work on the back of the trailer to ensure a safe trip (as well as no traffic tickets). [7] X Research source To keep the connection from corroding, you might consider spraying the contacts with a small amount of dielectric grease.
If the weight out-weighs your scale (which is likely for 4000 lb. and up trailers) place the scale farther up the trailer to get a smaller measurement. If you go a third of the way up, triple the weight on the scale to get the approximate weight. Depending on the weight of the trailer, you might consider using an equalizing bar to even out the pressure on the hitch. These are generally long metal brackets that transfer a bit of the weight more toward your vehicle’s front axle. If you’re hauling at the upper end of the specs, use an equalizer.
You can also take this opportunity to make sure the hitch height is set correctly,[10] X Research source your trailer’s tires are inflated to the appropriate specifications, and that you haven’t overloaded the trailer in such a way as to negate the careful checks you’ve already performed. [11] X Research source
If it’s your first time towing a trailer,[12] X Research source it’s best to practice some in a big empty parking lot before taking it out on the road. You want to be as familiar as possible with the vehicle’s response time and turning radius.
Changing lanes Merging Exiting the interstate Parking Stopping for gas Pulling over
Readjust your mirrors so that you can see the back of your trailer.
When you’ve got it lined up, turn your wheel opposite the direction of the parking spot. So, in other words, if you’ve pulled up perpendicular to a spot on your passenger side, enough ahead of the spot to back up, stop the car and jack the wheel to the left, or the driver’s side.
Go extremely slowly. If you’re in an automatic transmission, the idling speed should be plenty fast to make you nervous. Use gas only sparingly and don’t make unnecessary or fast changes. Avoid jackknifing. If, at any point, the angle of the truck to the trailer becomes smaller than a right angle, straight it back out and give it another go. Don’t try to force it, because it won’t work.
Your rear-view will be basically useless in the task. Use the help of a spotter and your side-mirrors to back up correctly.
