How to Hitch and Unhitch Your Travel Trailer

Travel trailers require a tow vehicle to move from one place to another. This means they need to be safely coupled before traveling! The hitching and unhitching process can be intimidating, but with practice and the right information, you’ll be able to hit the road in no time at all. 

Hitching 

There are a few things you’ll need to prepare before you hook up your trailer. First, make sure the hitch lock has been removed if you have one. Next, position the receiver into an open vertical position. You may need to raise the travel trailer slightly with jacks at this point. 

In order to correctly couple the tow vehicle and the trailer, you will need to align them so the hitch can smoothly pair with the receiver. It’s helpful to have someone else guide you as you back toward the travel trailer, but some vehicles have backup cameras that can be useful, too. Remember that your vehicle will shift slightly after it’s put in park!

Once you’re aligned, you can lock the trailer into place. Be sure to replace the lockpin and attach all cables and chains. You may also want to utilize sway bars, depending on the size of your travel trailer. 

When the coupling has been completed, you’ll remove the jacks and any wheel chocks. You should check that the coupling is secure by moving the tow vehicle forward a few feet. Check your trailer brakes and lighting before you begin traveling. 

Disconnecting the Trailer

When you arrive at your campsite or back home from a fun trip, you’ll need to safely disconnect your trailer from your vehicle. First, find an even surface to park your trailer; this will make the process much easier. Once you’re parked, place wheel chocks behind the wheels and use a jack to lift the trailer slightly. 

Unhitching the trailer is essentially the hitching process in reverse! You will start by disconnecting the safety chains and cables then move on to unpairing the trailer and vehicle. However, when you prepare to remove the trailer, you will need to release the jack so there is some weight being put on the vehicle. Release the ball receiver and add tension to the jack again to lift the trailer away from the hitch. This step can be tricky; you don’t want to lift the trailer too high or cause the tension between the vehicles to lift the trailer without it disconnecting from the tow vehicle. 

Once the trailer is free, drive forward and use the jacks to level your trailer. It’s now safely parked and ready for the next adventure!

Being able to safely and efficiently hitch and unhitch a travel trailer is a big part of ownership. Our team at MIG RV would love to help you navigate the aspects of RV ownership! Visit us in Bellefontaine, OH, where we proudly serve the Columbus and Mansfield areas.