Hitching up

[Lfoxmont]

Anyone used the two magnetic balls to line up the hitch to the truck/car? Saw them in a catalogue and thought it might be a help.

[glamourpets]

There are lots of gadgets. With a 13' trailer, do you need them? I just pick up the trailer tongue and put it on the hitch. A 13' trailer is light enough you can just manouver it by hand. If you need a gadget, I would recommend a trailer dolly. They make moving these trailer really easy.

[mary and bob]

I have a set, they're OK. They can help prevent putting the trailer tongue through the back of the car. The idea is to get them adjusted so they are the same height, and touch when the ball and coupler line up. As for Derek's comment, with 3 bad discs in my back I'm not lifting or pulling anything. I do move the trailer around the yard with a lawn tractor, but still have to back up to it to hook up. Our 650 lb teardrop I can roll around by hand, but only on level ground, and not far.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by glamourpets

There are lots of gadgets. With a 13' trailer, do you need them? I just pick up the trailer tongue and put it on the hitch. A 13' trailer is light enough you can just manouver it by hand. If you need a gadget, I would recommend a trailer dolly. They make moving these trailer really easy.

I can't pick up the tongue of my 13' trailer. If you can your tongue weight is probably too little. It should be 10% to 15% of trailer weight.
For my 13' trailer that between 170 lbs and 225 lbs.

The closest you can get with a "trailer dolly" is about 5' from the tow vehicle.

As for hitching aids, there's lots of methods out their costing lots of money. I use something like what you was described by the OP. I like thise
Bought a pair of those with the ball on top of a telescoping and found them not tall enough.

[Lfoxmont]

What's a trailer dolly?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Lfoxmont

What's a trailer dolly?

Here's one.

[Lfoxmont]

Byron.....that's one of my concerns is not being tall enough. I have a shell on my truck and wasn't sure if 50" telescoping would be enough. I'll be camping by myself and I don't want to be the comic relief for other campers when it's time to hitch up. I have a good sense of humor but I don't want to get frustrated.....

[Lfoxmont]

Interesting! Thanks Byron.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Lfoxmont

Byron.....that's one of my concerns is not being tall enough. I have a shell on my truck and wasn't sure if 50" telescoping would be enough. I'll be camping by myself and I don't want to be the comic relief for other campers when it's time to hitch up. I have a good sense of humor but I don't want to get frustrated.....

I too have a shell on my truck. I find the sticks without the ball work pretty good. They're bright and magnetic. One on the trailer at the hitch, one on truck on the ball. I can see through the shell and watch the sticks come together. The hitch actually knocks the one on the ball off when the hitch is in the correct position. My wife watches, but only to see that I have the trailer tongue high enough to clear the top of the ball. When I hitch up by myself I get close then check the hitch height.
Works for me.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Lfoxmont

Anyone used the two magnetic balls to line up the hitch to the truck/car? Saw them in a catalogue and thought it might be a help.

I have had a couple of sets of those things, they worked just fine but I see them as more like training wheels. After using them a couple of times, I payed them forward. In fact mine were given to me by someone who no longer needed them.(both sets)

[deryk]

Practice practice practice.... lol. I'm getting better at it...same with backing it into the driveway.

[Lfoxmont]

Geez, don't want to admit how poorly I did backing it up the driveway into the garage. Finally got within the walls then my adult son and I wiggled it around until we got it somewhat straight. I know I have to take it somewhere and practice but I'm gun shy.......will do it tho! Practice makes it permanent ...........

[Shirley LaMoine]

I have the Magnetic Hitchin' Rods that Byron mentioned and I love them. I hitch up alone and once the rods are lined up and the rod attached to the ball is knocked off I never, ever have to move my tow vehicle. They work for me first time and every time. I don't know how I ever got along without them.

[Lfoxmont]

Did you get the magnetic hitching rods on line or locally?

[Shirley LaMoine]

I bought them at my local Camping World.

[Cathy P.]

We are little more experienced but I bought one of these on a local radio auction and my husband loves it as does everyone that sees it: EZ-HITCH & EZ-WORKHORSE PRODUCTS - Home It works great to push everything into alignment.

[Lfoxmont]

That ez hitch looks cool. Maybe a combo of that and the mag rods would help until I get really comfortable. Thanks!

[rabbit]

The fixed length magnetic base rods will stand up to handling. The tinpot telescoping tennis ball things from Horrible Fright and ChinaMart will break about the first time you use them if not sooner. I like the convex mirror on telescoping magnetic stalk. These are all stainless but won't stand up to rough handling if not returned to the box after use. I think e-Trailer has them. Image of coupler and stinger is good in daylight but less useful at nite. I suppose they are training and familiarization devices as previously stated. After some practise, you can find points on the trailer and your rear window, deck or tailgate that are in approximate alignment when coupler and ball are also in line laterally. Getting the ball under the coupler is maybe a bot more difficult. Get out and look. Remember what you think is 2" of movement fore and aft is likely close to 6 or 8. Going out of gear to park on an automatic trans. can produce an irritating amount of movement on a slope.

jack

[Lfoxmont]

Thanks Jack. I noticed a mirror thing but it looked like it only hung onto the tailgate. Since I have a topper, I figured that wouldn't work. I'll have to research a telescoping mirror.

[SilverGhost]

Didn't someone post on here somewhere about a $40 wireless camera from the likes of PepBoys or Autozone? Maybe strap a magnet to the camera and stick in on the trailer tongue or tug just for hook up?

I used to mark a spot on the ground in front of the trailer where the back tyre of the tug was when I unhitched. Then when I went to hook up I would aim to get close to the mark. I hopped out and ran back for a quick check of the ball and trailer. That would confirm how close I was and any adjustment if needed.

Since then I got used (free) camera from a buddy's car and hooked it up to my stereo. It helps but the fish eye perspective still takes some getting used to.

Jason