Proper maintenance provides a long life to your cargo trailer and ensures hassle free towing

 Users’ Instructions & General Maintenance
Instructions for attaching the tow vehicle
Instructions for trailer body maintenance

User's Instructions & General Maintenance

Attaching your trailer to the tow vehicle

After you buy a trailer, the next important step is to select a proper hitch suitable to your enclosed utility trailer model.

Selecting the hitch

Trailer hitches are rated according to capacity of the load weight and tongue weight. Tongue weight is the downward force exerted on the hitch ball. This is usually calculated at 10-15 percent of the maximum rated GTW, which is the weight of fully loaded trailer and so depends upon the trailer you have bought/maximum weight that you would be towing.

A Class III hitch is the most popular class of hitch. Some of the tow vehicles already have this class of hitch attached to it. Mostly the hitches can be bolted to the vehicle but sometimes they are also welded.

You can choose Class IV hitch (for towing more than 7,500 pounds)or a class II hitch (for towing up to 5,00 lbs). Some car haulers or tag along models may require a weight distributing hitch with sway controls.

The trailer is attached to the receiver hitch through the coupler. When a trailer is attached to the hitch of the tow vehicle, it should always in a level position.

Compute the difference between the Hitch Height and the Coupler Height. If the Hitch Height is greater than the Coupler Height, the difference is the drop that is required. If the Coupler Height is greater, the difference is the rise that is required. This adjustment in the height is done with the use of a Ball mount which is chosen with the rise or drop closest to the difference in height.

It is also important to match the coupler size with the ball size. Always make sure the ball's weight rating is greater than the gross trailer weight rating. As for the hole diameter, it must be less than 1/16" greater than the ball shank diameter.

When tightening, always use the lock washer and make sure a portion of the ball shank extends past the bottom the nut.

Also read:

 Instructions for attaching the tow vehicle
 Instructions for trailer body maintenance