Benefits of Renting Trailers

1. Duration of Use

If you only need a trailer for a short duration or one-time use, then it makes sense to rent it. You have the convenience of getting in and out fast. You don’t have the hassle of arranging for financing, and you don’t have all the licensing, registration, and insurance paperwork to fill out. With short-term renting, you also don’t have upkeep responsibilities that you do as an owner.

2. Financial

Renting a trailer is a good idea if you have financing issues. Most financial institutes require a substantial down payment, and that dips into your cash reserves. You might also have a significant existing debt-to-income ratio which makes financing a challenge. You don’t have those problems with rental trailers.

3. Storage

Where you store your trailer when not in use might be a challenge if you own it and have the trailer around permanently. Trailers take up parking room. That could be a premium, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. If you rent a trailer, you can pick it up and drop it off at the rental company rather than trying to store it where you have little or no room.

4. Maintenance

Rental companies have the responsibility to maintain their inventory. Reputable rental companies keep their fleet well-maintained because it makes good business sense. Regular maintenance costs money, and you can be sure it’s built into your rental agreement. There’s some peace of mind here.

What do I need to Tow a Trailer?

Five components are needed for towing a trailer:

• Trailer Hitch Receiver

• Ball Mount

• Pin and Clip

• Trailer Hitch Ball

• Wiring Harness

1. Trailer Hitch Receiver

Trailer hitch adapters attach to the underside of the vehicle and have a 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" or 2" x 2" receiver opening. The trailer hitch attachment points align with existing holes in the vehicle frame whenever possible.

2. Ball Mount

Also called a "drawbar," this is the piece that slides into the trailer hitch opening and provides a platform for mounting the ball. Ball mounts are available in different heights, sizes and styles. Make sure you get the ball mount that will fit your hitch opening and allows your trailer to stay level during towing.

3. Pin and Clip

A pin and clip device is used to hold the ball mount inside the trailer hitch receiver opening.

Hitch locks are also available and provide additional security by preventing theft of your ball mount or other hitch accessories.

4. Trailer Hitch Ball

Hitch balls are available in three different sizes, 1-7/8", 2" and 2-5/16". This is a measurement of the ball's diameter and should be the same as the coupler of the trailer you plan to tow.

The ball sits on the ball mount and provides the attachment point for the trailer. If you plan to tow several trailers with different size couplers, you will need either a different hitch ball for each of them or an interchangeable ball system.

5. Wiring Harness

A wiring harness provides power and signals to the lights of a trailer. All vehicles that tow trailers are required by law to have a wiring harness to power the trailer's lights.

Please refer to our "How It Works" page for more information!

How it works 

Video: How to Hook Up a Bumper Pull Trailer 

How to Hook Up a Trailer Step-by-Step

Step 1: Find a friend to help

The first step in trailer hook up is to find a friend to help you. Having someone else outside the vehicle to give guidance will make the process much easier.

Before starting, agree on a set of signals for turning directions, when to back up and when to brake. Have your helper stand on the driver's side of the trailer, even with the trailer tongue, and make sure you can see him or her clearly before backing up.

Step 2: Line up your vehicle

Position your vehicle so that it is in a straight line with the trailer set up. Having a straight shot when backing up to the coupler will make it much easier than trying to zigzag your way into the correct position.

Have your helper stand off to the side and give you signals of which direction to go.

Step 3: Raise the coupler

When your vehicle is about a foot away from the trailer tongue, stop and adjust the trailer coupler height.

Make sure the coupler will clear the trailer ball as you back the vehicle up the rest of the way. If it is raised too much, lower it until it is only a few inches higher than the ball.

Step 4: Align the ball and coupler

Back your vehicle up the rest of the way to the coupler, going very slowly and using extreme caution. The coupler should line up perfectly with the trailer ball.

It is important that you go slowly during this step and that you rely on your helper to tell you which way the vehicle needs to go. If things are not lining up on the first try, pull forward and try again.

Step 5: Lower the coupler onto the ball

With the vehicle in park and the emergency brake engaged, use the trailer jack to lower the coupler until it is resting on the ball. You should also make sure the coupler latch is in the upright, unlocked position before lowering.

If you find that the coupler is offset from the ball, raise the jack again and repeat the previous step.

Step 6: Latch the coupler

With the coupler fully seated on the ball, engage the latch and secure it with a safety pin or coupler lock.

Next, jack up the trailer tongue slightly to test the connection. If it comes off the ball, it means that the coupler was not properly seated before being latched. Unlatch it and try again. You can try shifting the tongue forward and backward to get it fully seated.

Step 7: Attach the chains in a crisscross pattern

Safety chains are required by law. They should be attached in a crisscross pattern underneath the coupler to provide a sort of cradle. If the coupler ever becomes disconnected from the ball, the crisscrossed chains are intended to catch the coupler.

Each safety chain should be rated to meet or exceed the gross trailer weight, and they should not touch the ground when attached.

Step 8: Retract the trailer jack

When the coupler is secure, fully retract the trailer jack. The trailer jack will need to be up and out of the way for towing.

Some jacks feature a swivel bracket that allows them to swing up parallel with the ground. Others simply have a leg that retracts into the jack post.

Step 9: Plug in the trailer wiring

Plug your vehicle wiring harness into this trailer. You can limit the amount of excess wire between the vehicle and trailer by wrapping the harness around the trailer tongue. The harness should not touch the ground, but it should have enough length to make turns without tension.

With an adequate amount of wire length, press the trailer-side plug firmly into the vehicle-side socket.

Step 10: Check the trailer lights

With your helper standing in view of the trailer lights, turn them on one at a time to make sure they are working. You should check your right turn signal, left turn signal, hazards, running lights and brake lights.

Have your helper call out each lighting function as he or she sees it. If one of your lights is not working, use an electrical tester to make sure there is an active signal at the vehicle-to-trailer wiring connection.

General Tips

• Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual regarding the ideal way to secure your car onto a trailer.

• Check your car trailer’s maximum weight capacity and make sure you are well within the limits.

• If adding additional cargo to your towed vehicle, distribute the weight evenly and be sure to not load too much additional weight into the back of your vehicle.

• You want most of the weight to be on the front of your trailer to avoid fishtailing. For this reason, always load your car forwards onto the trailer. Most of a car’s weight is from the engine which is usually in the front of the vehicle.

Step 1: Station and secure your equipment

Hook the trailer to the tow vehicle and station the tow vehicle, car trailer and car on a level surface. You will need a minimum of 50 – 60 ft. of level space. If you ever find yourself on the side of the road, make sure you are out of the way of traffic and if you have a cone, put it behind the car to be towed to mark it from traffic. Double check the car trailer’s coupler and chains to ensure they are securely fastened. Then put the towing vehicle in park with the parking brake engaged.

Step 2: Prepare for loading your car

Car haulers often come with tie downs or D-rings on the floor of the trailer. Make sure to inspect them for any wear and tear, and then prepare and inspect the straps or chains that you will be using to secure the vehicle. Lower the vehicle ramp on the car trailer making sure it is resting on firm ground.

Step 3: Load the vehicle 

Line up the car evenly with the ramp. Make sure to have a spotter that can ensure you are in line with the ramp. Drive up the ramp slowly and carefully with your windows down so your spotter can communicate with you. Position the vehicle to where the wheels are in line with the tie downs or D-rings on the trailer. Once properly positioned, put your car in park and secure the parking brake.

Step 4: Secure the vehicle onto the trailer

Secure the straps or chains to the wheels of your vehicle. Ensure to properly ratchet the straps so there is a significant amount of tension on them. Raise the ramp and secure it for transit. Put the driver side fender back in position and make sure it’s secure. 

Step 5: Double-check the load and prepare for transit

Once you have your vehicle fully secured onto the trailer, do a final walkthrough. Ensure that the trailer chains and electrical are hooked to your towing vehicle. Make sure there is lots of tension on the wheel straps between the towed car and the towing trailer. Make sure the ramp is properly stowed. 

You are now ready to hit the road. While driving, remember that you need to make wide turns and will likely require a larger height clearance. Drive cautiously, especially at first as you are getting used to driving with the trailer behind you.

Video: How to tie down a car 

How to Tie Down a Car Step-by-Step

Step 1: Center the Car on the Trailer

Make sure your car is centered side to side and front to back on the trailer. Having the car off-center on the trailer can put different amounts of pressure on the tires leading to greater wear on one side.

Step 2: Attach Strap to Axle

Take the end of the strap and wrap it around the axle on the right side of the rear differential. Make sure the strap ends come together above the rear sway bar. Attach the strap hook to the ends wrapped around the axle. Then, secure the strap hook. Repeat this process for the other side of the axle.

Step 3: Tighten Down the Strap

Connect the rear end of the strap to the opposite attachment point on the trailer, so the straps form an X shape. Pull the excess slack back through the strap, towards the car until it’s slightly snug. Once the strap is tight, use the ratchet to crank down the tightness until it’s firm. Repeat this process for the strap on the other side.

Pro Tip:A good gauge to tell when the strap is tight enough is to pull on the ratchet until you need to use two hands to tighten it further.

Step 4: Tie Down the Excess Strap Length

Take the end of the excess strap length and slide it through the center of the ratchet to secure it. Feed the end down through the metal loop at the end of the strap hook. Use the remaining slack to tie a knot around the bottom section of the strap.

Step 5: Attach Straps to Front Control Arm/Axle/Wheel

Head to the front of the car and wrap the straps around the front control arm, near the base of the wheel. Attach the hook to the two front ends of the strap.

Step 6: Tighten Down Front Straps

Attach the other end of the strap either to the connection point on the trailer, or to the trailer frame. Tighten down the ratchet and repeat step 4 to tie off the remaining slack. Use the same process for the strap on the other side.

Please visit our "Home" page to see the selection of trailers and prices. 

Remember: "Good service is not cheap and cheap service is not good."

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