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Old 09-30-2017, 08:40 PM   #1
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Seeking advice from those who haul car trailers

Would like to hear from those who have hauled cars in enclosed trailers as far as how to best hook up the trailer with a Class A motorhome. How do you align the hitch ball with the receiver? How do you move a heavy trailer to do so? Just curious.
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Old 09-30-2017, 10:15 PM   #2
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You have to line it up when you're backing up.
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Old 09-30-2017, 11:55 PM   #3
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Back up camera or helper with walkie talkie or cell phone.
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Old 10-01-2017, 09:47 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by macraekw View Post
Would like to hear from those who have hauled cars in enclosed trailers as far as how to best hook up the trailer with a Class A motorhome. How do you align the hitch ball with the receiver? How do you move a heavy trailer to do so? Just curious.
You hook up an enclosed car-hauler trailer the same way you would hook up any other trailer. The normal way is you don't move the trailer, you back up the tow vehicle to place the ball of the hitch directly under the coupler of the trailer. To do that you need either a good back-up camera that shows the ball of the hitch, or a helper who stands at the back of the motorhome and communicates with hand signals or cell phone or walki-talkie or maybe by simply screaming and hollering.

Without a helper or backup camera, then you have to get close using your mirrors, then get out of the tow vehicle and look where you're at and estimate how much further and whether you must move to the right or left or straight back. I've hooked up that way often, and it sometimes requires several trips from the driver's seat to look at the hitch and estimate distances and angles. Even with the backup camera on my tow vehicle, I still have to get out and check to get the ball directly under the coupler. A "good" backup camera designed for hooking up a trailer would reduce the number of trips from the driver's seat to the back of the tow vehicle.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Another way is to install a trailer tongue jack that is designed to help you move the trailer. Then you would back up the tow vehicle to get close to the tongue, then get out and move the trailer to position the coupler directly over the ball of the hitch. Here's a link that includes a video that shows one brand, the Trailer Valet:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../STC-V211.html

Or if you're strong as an ox, then maybe after you get close with just the mirrors, you could move the tongue of the trailer enough with an ordinary tongue jack that includes a removeable caster wheel, to position the coupler directly over the ball. If you waited to load the car into the trailer until after you had the trailer coupler on the ball, then maybe you would have to be only as strong as a grumpy old man. Here's a common tongue jack with removeable caster:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../BD165211.html
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Old 10-17-2017, 10:55 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmokeyWren View Post
You hook up an enclosed car-hauler trailer the same way you would hook up any other trailer. The normal way is you don't move the trailer, you back up the tow vehicle to place the ball of the hitch directly under the coupler of the trailer. To do that you need either a good back-up camera that shows the ball of the hitch, or a helper who stands at the back of the motorhome and communicates with hand signals or cell phone or walki-talkie or maybe by simply screaming and hollering.

Without a helper or backup camera, then you have to get close using your mirrors, then get out of the tow vehicle and look where you're at and estimate how much further and whether you must move to the right or left or straight back. I've hooked up that way often, and it sometimes requires several trips from the driver's seat to look at the hitch and estimate distances and angles. Even with the backup camera on my tow vehicle, I still have to get out and check to get the ball directly under the coupler. A "good" backup camera designed for hooking up a trailer would reduce the number of trips from the driver's seat to the back of the tow vehicle.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Another way is to install a trailer tongue jack that is designed to help you move the trailer. Then you would back up the tow vehicle to get close to the tongue, then get out and move the trailer to position the coupler directly over the ball of the hitch. Here's a link that includes a video that shows one brand, the Trailer Valet:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../STC-V211.html

Or if you're strong as an ox, then maybe after you get close with just the mirrors, you could move the tongue of the trailer enough with an ordinary tongue jack that includes a removeable caster wheel, to position the coupler directly over the ball. If you waited to load the car into the trailer until after you had the trailer coupler on the ball, then maybe you would have to be only as strong as a grumpy old man. Here's a common tongue jack with removeable caster:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../BD165211.html
Thanks SmokeyWren. That's exactly the information I was looking for. Most of it is self evident but not having hauled an enclosed car trailer behind a motor home, I had to ask. I like that Trailer Valet but my driveway is all crusher fine and I'm not sure how well that would work on that surface. I imagine that there are similar products that work off 12 volt battery power as well which would be handy.
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Old 10-30-2017, 09:41 PM   #6
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I never seen a gizmo like the first one. Looks like it could be really useful.
To the OP I have a 20" flat top trailer I haul cars on but I haven't had a back up camera in any of my TV so I use the mirrors then get out 3-10 times to close in the last 5-7 inches. I use to haul RV trailers part time so got A LOT of practice with that approach. If it is the same trailer and TV after awhile you will develop check points in the mirror that help you get closer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SmokeyWren View Post
You hook up an enclosed car-hauler trailer the same way you would hook up any other trailer. The normal way is you don't move the trailer, you back up the tow vehicle to place the ball of the hitch directly under the coupler of the trailer. To do that you need either a good back-up camera that shows the ball of the hitch, or a helper who stands at the back of the motorhome and communicates with hand signals or cell phone or walki-talkie or maybe by simply screaming and hollering.

Without a helper or backup camera, then you have to get close using your mirrors, then get out of the tow vehicle and look where you're at and estimate how much further and whether you must move to the right or left or straight back. I've hooked up that way often, and it sometimes requires several trips from the driver's seat to look at the hitch and estimate distances and angles. Even with the backup camera on my tow vehicle, I still have to get out and check to get the ball directly under the coupler. A "good" backup camera designed for hooking up a trailer would reduce the number of trips from the driver's seat to the back of the tow vehicle.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Another way is to install a trailer tongue jack that is designed to help you move the trailer. Then you would back up the tow vehicle to get close to the tongue, then get out and move the trailer to position the coupler directly over the ball of the hitch. Here's a link that includes a video that shows one brand, the Trailer Valet:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../STC-V211.html

Or if you're strong as an ox, then maybe after you get close with just the mirrors, you could move the tongue of the trailer enough with an ordinary tongue jack that includes a removeable caster wheel, to position the coupler directly over the ball. If you waited to load the car into the trailer until after you had the trailer coupler on the ball, then maybe you would have to be only as strong as a grumpy old man. Here's a common tongue jack with removeable caster:
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jac.../BD165211.html
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