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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Easy trailer rehitching--use a level to get hitch height right!


Folks who tow travel trailers and fifth wheels often struggle with hooking back up after setting up their trailer for livability. The problem is this: You unhitch and level the trailer; when it’s time to hitch up again, getting the front of the trailer to the right height to hitch up can be a pain in the neck.

Here’s an easy way to deal with this issue. Get yourself a simple bubble level like the one pictured. Mount it on the side of your trailer at the front of the rig. Fifth wheel folks will like this one, just mount it close to the switch that controls your "landing gear." Don’t use the double stick mounting tape included with the level, but rather, run a screw through the top center portion of the plastic above the level tube. Snug the screw down only far enough that you can push either end of the level up and down with some amount of force required.

Now when you unhitch, raise the front of the trailer high enough to unhitch--just off the ball in the case of a pull trailer, or just off the fifth wheel saddle plate. Now adjust the new level to where the bubble is showing level. You can now level up the trailer for livability--just don’t touch the "hitching level." When it’s time to hitch up again, raise or lower the trailer until the hitching level shows "level" again. Now your trailer is at just the right height roll right under and hitch up.

4 comments:

  1. Great idea, I'll try it with my Hensley Arrow hitch which is critical on matching the hitch assembly. Thanks.

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  2. Now everyone seeing this will say, "Why didn't I think of it?????"

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  3. I use a Hookup Memory level that I bought at Camping to mark the position of the 5er when I unhitch so I can raise or lower the 5er to that same height when I’m ready to re-hitch, without having to get in and out of the truck. (The level has a pointer that you slide to mark the position of the bubble.) I also use it as a regular level to level front to back.

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  4. Sorry, in my earlier post, I meant to say that I bought the Hookup Memory level at Camping World.

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