By Russ and Tiña De Maris
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. Well, here’s just the thing to make trailer re-hitching easy!
Simple level is the key
Get yourself a simple bubble level from the RV supply or hardware store. Or stay home and buy some on Amazon. The one pictured above is a bit more complex than needed. You only need a level to show “left-right,” but when we went looking for one, this is all that was on hand. 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. 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. The trick is this: When adjusted, your “trailer re-hitching easy” level will stay set where you move it to.
Here’s how to use it
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 re-hitching 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. In the photo, the front of the trailer is to the left of the level. So, to re-hitch, the trailer would need to be raised. Now your trailer is at just the right height to roll right under, hitch up, and go.
##RVDT2493
or save money and just jot down the number of links on your safety chain where it touches the ground.
Or put a carabiner on the link and when it leaves the ground, voila.
It isn’t this complicated . . .
Agreed.
Neither is proper syntax, but here we are.
I use a piece of small link chain connected to a magnet and cut to the proper length. Stick it to the coupler and raise the trailer until the chain leaves the ground. Since I have a toy hauler, I have another one set to let me know how high to raise the tongue to get the ramp at the proper angle to load my bike.
One problem with using a level is if your trailer is not level to begin with, the side level will not be accurate.
Interesting idea. But on a TT either have to bore a hole in the tongue A-frame or mount out of sight on the side wall. I have a T-level on the A-frame (Gorilla mounting tape – higher temp than 3M). I can just remember the bubble position in the raised position – – but easier, I also have a LevelMate Pro. It can save last unhitch height in the app. Just look at my phone.
We have problems hitching and unhitching our 5th wheel if the truck and the trailer aren’t level with each other (twisted). This would be a great idea, however I can’t lower or raise my left and right landing gear individually, so I don’t know how it would work.
5th wheel, I measure the height at pin box with a tape ruler after raising to unhook, note it, then level. To re hitch just raise the hitch to that measurement and back in.
I must have a unique talent that allows me to eyeball it.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Have a great weekend and safe travels!