How to Connect a Trailer to Vehicle

If you don’t have a lot of experience hooking up and towing a trailer, you may find yourself intimidated by the act. There’s no need to be. Towing trailers – no matter what their size – doesn’t have to be hard. The key is to know what you are doing, and that requires understanding the basics.

The first thing you have to remember when hitching your trailer to your tow vehicle is: Safety First! That means that your tow vehicle and trailer must have compatible hitching, braking and wiring systems.

The Lowdown on Hitching Systems The hitching system you use to attach your trailer to your vehickle is essential to towing trailers safely. There are three common types of hitches used for towing trailers:

1. The weight-carrying hitch – these are designed to carry all of a trailer’s tongue weight.
   
   
2. The weight-distributing hitch – otherwise known as a load equalizer, this type of hitch is sued in conjunction with a receiver to distribute the trailer’s tongue weight among all tow vehicle and trailer axles.
   
   
3. The fifth-wheel hitch – offering a unique design, this type of hitch is used to mount a trailer onto a truck bed.

To ensure that you are installing the proper style hitch to your tow vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacture’s directions; choosing one that fits not only your vehicle size, but the weight and length of your trailer.

Understanding Braking Systems

It is important to know your states individual rules and regulations regarding braking systems when towing utility trailers. Braking system laws differ across the country. Many require a separate system and breakaway switch when towing more than 1500 pounds. One thing you may be surprised to learn when shopping for a braking system is that your choices are limited to two main designs:

1. 1. Electronically Controlled Brakes – allow for both automatic and manual braking control, and require a special device be installed on your tow vehicle to enable the driver to control both the towing vehicle brakes as well as those on the trailer.
   
   
2. Surge Brakes – independent brakes that do not rely on the tow vehicle’s braking system, surge brakes are controlled by a master cylinder at the junction switch and trailer tongue.

About Wiring Systems

Towing trailers at night requires working lights, and running those lights requires power. Federal law requires that all trailers have working taillights, brake lights, side marker lights, turn signals and side and rear reflectors. Powering these lights requires a four or seven-way connector to be hooked up to the tow vehicle’s electrical system. When choosing a connector, be sure that both the tow vehicle and the trailer connectors match. You may also need a taillight converter to combine the wires to your trailer’s lighting system, unless you are using a manufacture’s towing package. These usually provide a wire harness that puts everything together for you.

Once you have these three main elements of your trailer hooked up, the job of connecting your trailer to your vehicle is complete. You can start your pressure washing or car wash business. See, that wasn’t hard, now was it?

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