Coastal 101: Hooking Up a Trailer
Hooking up a trailer, whether it’s a camper or something to haul dirt and rock, isn’t tough once you know what to do. John Kelly and the Coastal crew have some advice that may help you perfect your own trailer hook-up technique.
John shows you how to hook up a trailer, whether it’s a camper or something a lot smaller.
You’ll Find What You Need at Coastal
Before you hitch up the trailer, come to your Northwest owned and operated Coastal for camping food, gear, and other essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to hook up trailer lights?
Simply plug your trailer wiring into your vehicle’s trailer hookup and check that all of signals work. Test the brake lights, running lights, hazards, and turn signals.
How to hook up trailer hitch?
First, make sure the ball of your hitch is the right size for your trailer. This is a safety issue, so be certain you have the exact size. Also, be sure the ball mount is tightly screwed into the receiver and the receiver is secure in the receiver tube of your vehicle. It should be locked in place with a pin or lock.
If the hitch is ready, start up your truck and line up the back of your rig with the trailer tongue. Once you’re lined up, move the ball of your hitch within a foot of the trailer tongue. Now, raise the trailer height so you can move the ball under the tongue.
Back up your vehicle a bit more until the ball and tongue line up vertically. Put your vehicle in park and activate the parking brake. Make sure the trailer latch is upright. Then, lower the trailer until the ball is firmly in the coupler. Close the trailer latch and secure it with a coupler lock or pin.
To test the connection, jack up the trailer a bit. If the ball does not come out of the coupler, you have a solid connection. Now, attach the safety chains from the trailer to your vehicle in a crisscross pattern. Attach the safety brake if your trailer has one.
Finally, plug your trailer wiring into your vehicle and check that all of signals work. Test the brake lights, running lights, hazards, and turn signals. Add a locking pin or bolt to lock everything in place.
How to hook up trailer brakes?
If your trailer has electric brakes and your vehicle is properly equipped, simply plugging your trailer wiring into your vehicle’s trailer hookup will enable the trailer’s brakes.
