Hey fellow road warriors! Today, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of RV life. Specifically, the essential skill of how to hook up your travel trailer to your tow vehicle or truck. Whether you’re a seasoned nomad or a newbie hitting the open road, let’s break down the process step by step so you can hitch up and roll out with confidence.
Towing an RV can be difficult at first, and it is important to have your hitch set up correctly to you can tow safely. These steps to hook your travel trailer to your tow vehicle are simple, but crucial! If you are new to RV towing I recommend reviewing these steps and checking them each time you hook up. Before you hit the road, let’s chat about the essentials of getting your trailer hitched up. – Trust me, nailing this is key to a smooth journey.
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Step 1: Prepping your vehicle and travel trailer
Before you begin the process of hooking your travel trailer to your tow vehicle you make sure to prep both! This includes making sure you have the right hitch parts for your particular vehicle and travel trailer. It’s like finding the peanut butter to your jelly – compatibility is everything. This is the longest step but you’ll only have to figure out your hitch set up once!
If you purchased your Travel Trailer from a dealer they should be able to tell you the proper hitch and ball set up. If you’ve purchased from a private party you may need to do a little math and research to find the right hitch and ball set up.
Now, let’s talk hitch lingo. The first part is called the receiver tube – basically a square tube that becomes best friends with your tow vehicle. It comes in different sizes, typically between 1” and 2½”. This is likely already installed on your tow vehicle, especially if your vehicle has a tow package or is rated for towing.
You’ll need to get a ball mount that fits snugly into this tube. These ball mounts have their own classifications, from Class I to Class V, each handling different weights. You’ll also need to consider the drop height that will let you tow your tailer leveled. You want to tow your trailer high enough that it won’t easily hit things on the road, but also level so that it is well aligned.
Curt Manufacturing has a great help section to help you figure out the right hitch set up for your vehicle.
When should you use a weight distribution hitch?
If you are going to be towing over half your vehicle’s weight you should use a weight distribution hitch. This will allow the weight of your travel trailer to be more even distributed. It will make for a much smoother and safer tow.
Our Rpod travel trailer is just about 5,000 lbs empty and we tow with a Ford Ranger so this is a necessity for us! We have never had an issue with this Camco Weight Distribution Hitch which also comes with a sway bar (more on that later). Make sure to purchase one rated high enough for what your loaded tongue weight will be.
Ok so now that we’re done with all the tow math, make sure your truck and trailer are on level ground. Now you are ready to begin hooking up your travel trailer to your tow vehicle!
Step 2: Open your coupler
Typically when we aren’t using our RV we secure the coupler. This prevents our travel trailer from being easily stolen. To do this we use this Master Lock to fill the entire ball space. We also use a standard key lock for our latch. This is another layer of protection because without being able to open the latch you can’t hitch up the trailer!
When you’re ready to hook your travel trailer to your tow vehicle simply remove both of these locks. Keep the standard key lock handy because we will use that again!
Once the locks are off open up the latch so that the coupler can receive the ball. Now is also a good time to spray your ball with lubricant so that it slides on and off easily.
Step 3: Position your tow vehicle
The next step in how to hook your travel trailer up to your tow vehicle is aligning the two. Make sure your hitch and ball set up are securely fastened to your tow vehicle before starting this step. I recommend getting a locking hitch pin like this one so you’ll be sure the hitch isn’t going anywhere! This is also a great security measure to avoid anybody stealing part of your hitch set up at a truck stop.
Back your truck up to the front of the travel trailer. Align the hitch ball directly under the coupler, ensuring they are on the same plane. You need to be sure that your trailer is high enough that the tow vehicle’s ball can easily slip under it.
Do this slowly, and with two people if possible! Your hitch set up may block part of the back up camera on your tow vehicle. If you have somebody standing between your tow vehicle and travel trailer they can help direct you so that you can align correctly!
Step 4: Lower your travel trailer
Once you have the hitch ball aligned under the coupler you’ll want to lower your travel trailer back down. Using the trailer jack, lower the trailer coupler onto the hitch ball. Make sure it’s in securely by checking that the coupler latch is open and ready to receive the hitch ball.
It is okay if you need to try this a few times! If as you’re lowering the trailer you don’t think the ball is well aligned just raise the trailer and start over.
Once your trailer is fully lowered onto the ball you’ll want to close the latch to secure the connection. You’ll want to use your standard key lock to re-lock the latch at this point. This will prevent it from accidentally opening and potentially releasing the ball from the coupler.
Your truck is now fully supporting the weight of your trailer. You can use your jack to fully retract your travel trailer’s front jack. You’ll want to make sure this is fully retracted so that it does not hit any bumps in the road while you tow!
Step 5: Securing your chains
You’ll notice that there are two heavy chains at the front of your travel trailer. These are specifically made as an additional way to hook your travel trailer to your tow vehicle for extra security. Cross the safety chains and attach them to the hitch on your truck. This step is crucial for added security in case the coupler and hitch ball connection ever fails. Not crossing the chains may make them too long and they will drag on the ground!
If you’re using a Weight Distribution Hitch follow this step too!
If you’re using a Weight Distribution Hitch to hook your travel trailer to your tow vehicle you’ll need to complete this extra step. There will be two long “arms” that come with your hitch. These will follow the shape of your travel trailer’s tongue and be an additional point of support between the hitch and your RV.
Insert each arm into the provided hole in the hitch. Make sure each side is even, and parallel to your travel trailer’s tongue. Then, attach the chain at the end of the arm to the hooks provided on the tongue of your travel trailer. Use a chain link that keeps the arm parallel to the ground, not too low or too high!
Then close the hook to bring the chain a bit higher and secure it with the provided pins. These arms will provide stability for your tow and make sure the weight is evenly distributed.
Your weight distribution hitch will likely also come with a sway bar. Affix this to the provided ball on the side of your main hitch. Adjust it so that the length just fits between the ball on your hitch and ball on your travel trailer’s tongue. You can also tighten it once you have it placed.
This will help avoid a lot of swaying while you are towing. This is especially important for those new to towing because feeling your trailer sway on the highway can be scary! This won’t prevent it entirely, especially in situations or high wind or if you’re speeding, but it will definitely help mitigate the average sway.
Step 6: Connect your electronics
Connect the trailer’s electrical plug to your truck’s receiver. This ensures that your trailer lights, brake lights, and turn signals sync up with your tow vehicle. This will keep you road-safe and legal!
If your tow vehicle does not have a built in trailer brake hook up you will need an alternative method. Even though our Ford Ranger came with a tow package it surprisingly did not have trailer brakes!
We ended up using this Curt Brake Controller and love it. It plugs right into our truck’s receiver, then the RV plug gets plugged into the attachment. There is an app to check the brake controller’s connectivity and you can adjust the sensitivity settings.
Step 7: Connect your breakaway cable
The theme here is obviously safety when hooking your travel trailer to your tow vehicle. Any travel trailer should come standard with a breakaway cable. Think of this as an emergency brake. In the worst case scenario that all your other connections between the travel trailer and tow vehicle come loose this is a last ditch safety mechanism.
Essentially, this cable gets connected from your travel trailer to your tow vehicle. If at any point in your drive the cable is pulled out and loses connection with your tow vehicle it will activate your travel trailer’s brakes. This will stop the travel trailer from becoming a projectile missile and crashing right into your vehicle or somebody else’s.
Simply thread the cable through your hitch so it is secure and not dragging on the ground, then to your tow vehicle as seen below.
Step 8: Connect your tow mirrors
This is something we didn’t think of when we first bought our RV but it super important. The standard car mirrors are not adequate to safely monitor towing a travel trailer. You’ll have an extra 10-35 feet behind your tow vehicle and need to be able to see behind you to safely drive and tow.
There are after market tow mirrors that easily clip on to your existing car mirrors. They extend your range of vision so you can see behind your travel trailer. I definitely recommend getting one of these for each side of your tow vehicle!
Step 9: Testing Lights and Brakes
Even if you’ve hooked your travel trailer to your tow vehicle 100 times you cannot skip this step! Once you are all hooked up you need to test your brakes and lights to be sure everything is working. This is crucial to stay safe while towing!
If possible, have a friend stand behind the travel trailer. Alternate between each blinker and stepping on the brakes. Have your friend shout out to confirm that what you’re doing in the tow vehicle reflects correctly on the back trailer lights!
Next, take a little test drive forward just a few feet. Make sure all parts of the hitch stay secure and that there is nothing dragging on the ground. Then test your brakes, making sure your travel trailer stops with you. We usually have somebody stand by the travel trailer wheels to make sure they hear the trailer brakes clicking into action!
And there you have it – you’re officially hooked up and ready to roll. Whether you’re a first time RV camper or a seasoned professional, it never hurts to double check your process. Now that you know how to hook your travel trailer to your tow vehicle you can build your own routine.
If I could give one word of advice it would be this. Never let anyone interrupt your process! Go as slow as you need to, and double, triple check. If you get distracted from your process you could miss a crucial step that ends up in towing unsafely. This article is meant to be a guide, and may not fully cover all travel trailer set ups. Please be sure to consult the manufacturer’s instructions of all your travel trailer and hitch components.
If you want to make sure you have everything you need before embarking on your first adventure make sure to check out our checklist for first time RVers for all the essentials!
Safe travels, adventurers! May the open road lead you to new horizons and unforgettable experiences.
