3 Common RV Mistakes: Correcting The Misinformation On Travel Trailer Hook Up

✨ *PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO* ✨

*OTHER VIDEOS YOU MAY LIKE*

If you want to see a lot of great videos on different hitch comparisons, check out my friend Cory @WanderingWeekends

*You're INCORRECTLY Connecting Your Travel Trailer: The Correct RV Hook Up Process Explained* Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation on correctly hooking up or connecting a travel trailer to a truck or tow vehicle. In this video, I will show you the safe and correct way to hitch up.

Chapters in this video:
0:00 Intro
0:19 Before Connecting
1:09 Positioning & Chaining
3:17 Mechanical Connections
5:21 Common Practice VS Physics
6:10 Big Thanks to RV Snappads
6:53 Chain Load Test
7:17 Brakes & Power
10:00 Bloopers

#rv #rvlife #rvliving #rvlifestyle #rvtips #rvtravel #rvtipsandtravels

*RV ESSENTIALS:*

*MAINTENANCE:*

*INTERIOR:*
*EXTERIOR:*

*OUTDOOR GEAR:*

👇 *DISCOUNT & COUPON CODES*

Use discount code: rvtips

💻 *We have a store on eBay!*

*If you want to support the work I do to help others, you can:*
2) If you cannot donate, the easiest way to support our channel is to SUBSCRIBE, turn on ALL NOTIFICATIONS, click the LIKE BUTTON, leave a COMMENT & SHARE the videos with your friends.

✨⭐ *MORE RV ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON* ⭐✨

💥 *NEW TO OUR CHANNEL?* Check out our catalog:

*Follow Us on Social Media*

If you find a dead link, *PLEASE* let us know.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU when purchasing from our links. AI imagery & audio may be used in this video. We may also receive products or payment to create videos, however our feedback is strictly based on our experiences, regardless of compensation.

trailer hookup travel trailer hookup to truck hitching up travel trailer hitch up tow vehicle hook up connect travel trailer rv hook up trailer connection rv brake cable rv safety chains rv coupler rv hitch up how to hook up a travel trailer how to connect an rv tow

[RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

✨ *PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO* ✨

*OTHER VIDEOS YOU MAY LIKE*

If you want to see a lot of great videos on different hitch comparisons, check out my friend Cory @WanderingWeekends

*You're INCORRECTLY Connecting Your Travel Trailer: The Correct RV Hook Up Process Explained* Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation on correctly hooking up or connecting a travel trailer to a truck or tow vehicle. In this video, I will show you the safe and correct way to hitch up.

Chapters in this video:
0:00 Intro
0:19 Before Connecting
1:09 Positioning & Chaining
3:17 Mechanical Connections
5:21 Common Practice VS Physics
6:10 Big Thanks to RV Snappads
6:53 Chain Load Test
7:17 Brakes & Power
10:00 Bloopers

#rv #rvlife #rvliving #rvlifestyle #rvtips #rvtravel #rvtipsandtravels

*RV ESSENTIALS:*

*MAINTENANCE:*

*INTERIOR:*

*EXTERIOR:*

*OUTDOOR GEAR:*

👇 *DISCOUNT & COUPON CODES*

Use discount code: rvtips


💻 *We have a store on eBay!*

*If you want to support the work I do to help others, you can:*
2) If you cannot donate, the easiest way to support our channel is to SUBSCRIBE, turn on ALL NOTIFICATIONS, click the LIKE BUTTON, leave a COMMENT & SHARE the videos with your friends.

✨⭐ *MORE RV ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON* ⭐✨

💥 *NEW TO OUR CHANNEL?* Check out our catalog:

*Follow Us on Social Media*

If you find a dead link, *PLEASE* let us know.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU when purchasing from our links. AI imagery & audio may be used in this video. We may also receive products or payment to create videos, however our feedback is strictly based on our experiences, regardless of compensation.


rv tips rv modifications rv mods rv life rv how to rv maintenance camping rv travel rv living travel trailer tips rv tips and tricks rv lifestyle rv hacks rv essentials travel trailer hookup travel trailer hookup to truck hitching up travel trailer hitch up tow vehicle hook up connect travel trailer rv hook up trailer connection rv brake cable rv safety chains rv coupler rv hitch up how to hook up a travel trailer how to connect an rv tow

[jamessajack]

Been towing bumper pulls for 25 years, watched this video to see how many things you did wrong, and it is SPOT ON! I’m glad someone finally addressed twisting chains. He is right about cutting off links to get the right length. Very well done, Ross!

[jimcross]

Ive Towed for years buts this is a great refresher.
I would like to add one tip.
If after you back up and BEFORE you put the truck in park, engage your parking brake, and then put it in park this should eliminate that annoying 1 inch extra roll that often takes the truck out of position. 😊

[floydffrogfloydffrog]

I'm reminded of the time I hooked up the camper and had gotten about a block when it suddenly came to me that I'd neglected to close the hitch. It was on our checklist but the wife and myself had missed it due to a completely unanticipated sequence of innocuous events. So now it's on the checklist twice.

Another informative, no-nonsense video. Thank you!

[rvgearandfar]

Another fantastic process video Ross! For the breakaway safety cable - I swapped out one of my license place bolts for an eye bolt and nyloc nut behind the fender - makes it super convenient to clip on and is independent of the hitch receiver

[CharlesinGA]

Dont cut the chains, you may wish you had more chain should you change tow vehicles or hitches. Just move the hook down to the desired link and leave the unusued links dangling. If needed, fold them back on the chain and tie them to it with wire ties. Alternaively you can used rated H links to shorten the chains, leaving a loop of chain below the H link.

[websitesbylou]

Good job, Ross! I had a travel trailer from 2021 to 2023, and I made over 30 trips with this trailer. After watching your video, I see that I could have made a few changes to my procedure that would have made the whole travel process a lot safer. Twisting chains? Guilty! Thank you. Lou from Georgia.

[karenpolansky]

Good to know that I’ve been doing things correctly, so thanks for that. Two things stuck out for me though as a 5 ft solo traveller. 1) I usually raise my hitch higher to make it easier to engage the clamps on my bars. 2) As a solo traveller I usually have to run back and forth several times to ensure all of my lights are working. With your hint to just engage the hazards, this will save me the extra steps. So thanks!

[be-swimdad]

Great video! I've been in the towing game a minute or two as well. I am so glad you pointed out to hook up the chains before lowering the tongue. While it was not during the hitching process, I witnessed a run away camper during the un hitching process because they un hooked the chains, and then un hitched the camper. I've always been a hook chains up first and unhook chains last guy...glad see more of us out there!

[Piper]

Great video and spot on advice. I’m a recently retired MTO officer in Ontario, Canada. DOT for my American friends. I’m also an avid RVer. It’s all about getting to where we are going safely.

[chriscutress]

Regarding the power between the truck and the trailer. After having the cable pinched and damaged between the anti-sway bar and the hitch assembly (which took a day of repair and the replacement of a number of fuses both in the trailer and in the tow vehicle) I got into the habit of attaching a bungee chord from the propane cover and the mid-point of the power cable. This allowed flexible movement of the cable but ensured that it didn't drop down where it could be pinched by the anti-sway bars and the hitch assembly. When they saw what I was doing a number of trailering friends started doing the same thing with positive results. No more pinched power cables.

[hailster]

Thanks for this video, I thought I was doing it the right way but I now know that I have a couple of things to change on my hook up process. I can't believe I never thought to hook up the chains right away to the tow vehicle, that makes so much sense.

[lovinglife]

Oh my! I just bought a travel trailer in June from the dealership. We have went on 6 trips so far. Anywhere from 2hrs to 4hrs away from home.
We are 1st time owners, so I wanted the dealership to do a walkthrough with us.
I had *a lot* of questions. Of course, I will search YouTube for answers also, but I never take just one person's word for it to be *_fact_*
I will do a lot of research.
Our dealership showed us how to hitch up and told us to *twist the chains*
Ughhh! So, I am going to have to cut a couple of links out. He also told us to clip the chain downward on the hitch. *_WRONG_*
Makes me nervous now. Thank you so much for all your videos. I have learned a lot from you!

[brandoncarpenter]

Thanks for the great video. I happen to be one of those individuals who twists one of my chains because it is longer than the other. It was good to see why I should shorten that chain. I also like the tip about clipping the breakaway cable to the vehicle frame rather than the hitch receiver. I'll have to see if my van has a good attachment point.

One point I disagree with is the length of the breakaway cable. That's an issue I questioned before and did some research on. The RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) recommends that the trailer break away cable be slightly longer than the safety chains rather than shorter. The reasoning is that if the trailer becomes uncoupled and held by the chains, the driver will still have full control over the brakes rather than them being fully applied and potentially making an unsafe situation worse.

Keep making the great content.

[pineychristian]

Ross great points. Also the safety chains being installed from bottom up is also stronger from what I was told. The way the hooks pitch when safety chains are needed prevents them possibly snapping off tip of hook

[rvtech]

Excellent video! I’ve been installing and demonstrating for customers hitches for decades. This is almost word for word the walk-through I give my customers. The more educated they are the less chances of something going wrong. I might just save myself some time and just play this video for new customers!

[CarlosHerrera-difz]

I always place my vehicle in neutral first, then apply the emergency brake, then place it in park. Fully agree 100% with the tips on your video. Great information.

[rdgerdes]

Such good tips! I usually hook up the chains last...no more! Thanks, Ross.

[ashleyfinnegan]

Out-freaking-standing! I saw a camping world video where they hooked the brake cable to the chain hook!😮😮😮

[ConservativeVet]

I painted my tongue bright yellow. My backup camera picks it up because it’s much brighter