Many families purchase new trailers in the spring to haul ATVs, boats, and equipment. It can be nerve-wracking to hook up your trailer for the first time, but it’ll become easier with a few tries. Here is a guide to making the first hook-up easy and stress-free. 

5 Tips for Hooking up a New Trailer

1. Borrow a Friend

Enlist a friend or family member as a spotter to provide directions as you back up. Decide on some hand signals, such as when to keep backing up and when you should brake. Some people ask that their spotter hold their hands apart to indicate how much space they have left to back up. The spotter should stand on the driver's side of the vehicle so you can see them in both the driverside and rearview mirror.

2. Line the Car Up with the Trailer

Drive the vehicle, so the hitch is directly ahead of the new trailer with a few feet of space. This forethought prevents you from having to try and turn the car while in reverse, so you’ll only need to back up slowly.

3. Raise the Trailer 

Most trailer models feature a windup jack to raise the trailer a few inches to fit a variety of vehicle heights. Crank the jack to lift the trailer until it’s a few inches above the height of the ball mount on the car.

4. Back Under the Hitch

Follow the spotter’s directions to reverse the vehicle until the ball mount is directly below the new trailer coupler. When it’s in place, stop the vehicle and shift it into park. Engage the emergency brake to further prevent the vehicle from moving as the trailer weight shifts onto the hitch. Lower the coupler onto the ball mount by lowering the jack.

5. Lock the Coupler and Attach the Lights

Trailers feature safety pins or locks on the coupler to attach the vehicle and trailer. Attach the criss-cross chains connected to the trailer frame to the loop under the car hitch. These devices will hold the two units together if the hitch comes undone.

Lower the jack under the trailer and use the swivel bracket to move it out of the way. Attach the new trailer wiring by connecting the plugs and testing both the car and trailer brake lights and turn signals while having the spotter friend say whether they can see both sets of lights turn on. Now that you’re all hooked up, head to a parking lot to practice driving and parking in the open before hitting the road.

For those interested in purchasing a new trailer, contact Jackssons Trailers in Bernalillo County, NM. The family-owned company has been open since 1992, providing affordable rates for a variety of hauling equipment. Visit the website or call the Albuquerque-area company at (505) 884-0891 for information on their inventory of Lamar®, Sundown®, PJ®, Cargo Express®, and Look Trailers®.