If you often transport landscaping materials, machinery, and other bulky cargo, having a trailer can come in handy. If the trailer isn’t properly hitched to your car, the pin-and-ball assembly could come apart when you’re on the road. Successfully install this tool by using the following guidelines when securing it to your vehicle.   

How Do I Attach a Trailer to My Car?

1. Back the Car Up 

When you put the car in reverse, back it up so it’s directly in front of the trailer. Stop when there is about a foot in between the car and trailer. Using the jack, adjust the coupler so it sits a few inches above the hitch ball mount on the car. Reverse the vehicle the rest of the way so the coupler can be attached to the hitch ball. 

2. Connect the Coupler to the Hitch Ball

Hitch ball covers should be removed and the coupler latch unlocked and in an upright position before you connect the two components. When the car is in park and the emergency brake is engaged, lower the coupler onto the hitch ball.

Use the jack to complete the process. Secure the coupler to the hitch ball with a coupler lock. The assembly shouldn’t move when you raise the trailer tongue.

3. Attach the Safety Chains

If the coupler becomes detached from the hitch ball, safety chains will prevent the coupler from drifting and the trailer from rolling away. The chains should be secured under the coupler in a crisscross pattern so it won’t move.

4. Wire the Lights

Trailers have stop and tail lights as well as reflectors and turn signals. To ensure these lights work when you’re on the road, you will need to connect the wiring beforehand. Find the wiring socket inside the trunk and push the trailer wire into it.

For a durable trailer to suit your hauling needs, look at the selection Rumley Trailers in Browns Summit, NC, offers. The inventory includes flatbed, utility, dump, and enclosed trailers. The skilled technicians can also repair your investment and perform routine upkeep. Shop the collection online or call (336) 669-0709 to inquire about trailer sales. See equipment photos and videos on Facebook.