🛒 Popular on Amazon
Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control
Levels the tow vehicle and trailer while reducing sway — a must for heavier travel trailers.
Curt Trailer Hitch Ball Mount
Heavy-duty ball mount available in multiple drop heights to get your trailer riding level.
Trailer Hitch Lock & Coupler Lock Set
Deters theft of your trailer or tow vehicle hitch when parked at a campground or rest stop.
Wireless Brake Controller for Trailer Brakes
Proportional brake controller that syncs trailer braking with your tow vehicle for smoother stops.
Reese Sway Control Bar
Friction-style sway control that adds an extra layer of stability against crosswinds and passing trucks.
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🔧 RV Hitches and Towing Guide
Weight Ratings and Towing Capacity
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The maximum total weight your vehicle can safely weigh on its own. This includes the vehicle's own curb weight, fuel, passengers, cargo, and the tongue weight of the trailer.
- Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): The maximum allowable combined weight of your tow vehicle, its contents, and the fully loaded trailer. Exceeding this strains the engine, transmission, and brakes.
- Maximum Towing Capacity: The maximum weight a vehicle can pull as determined by the manufacturer. This number drops as you add passengers and cargo into the tow vehicle.
- Tongue Weight (TW): The downward force exerted by the trailer coupler onto the hitch ball. It must be 10% to 15% of the total loaded trailer weight for stable handling.
- The Weakest Link Rule: Your towing system is only as strong as its lowest-rated part. If your truck can tow 10,000 pounds but your hitch ball is only rated for 5,000 pounds, your safe limit is 5,000 pounds.
Essential Towing Supplies
- Hitch Classes: Receiver hitches are categorized from Class I (up to 2,000 lbs) to Class V (up to 20,000 lbs). You must choose a class that matches or exceeds your load requirements.
- Ball Mounts (Drop/Rise): Removable metal bars that slide into the hitch receiver. They come with varying amounts of "drop" or "rise" to ensure the trailer frame sits perfectly parallel to the ground.
- Hitch Balls: The steel ball that the trailer coupler locks onto. They come in three standard diameters (1-7/8 inch, 2 inch, and 2-5/16 inch) and must match the trailer coupler size exactly.
- Wiring Harnesses (4-Way vs. 7-Way): A 4-way plug controls basic tail, brake, and turn lights. A 7-way plug adds power for electric brakes, a 12V auxiliary power line, and backup lights.
- Brake Controllers: Electronic devices mounted inside the cab that activate the trailer's electric brakes when you press the truck's brake pedal. They can be proportional (matching your braking force) or time-delayed.
- Safety Chains: Heavy-duty steel chains that link the trailer frame to the tow vehicle hitch. Crossing them under the tongue creates a safety net to catch the coupler if it pops off the ball.
- Weight Distribution Hitches (WDH): Systems using spring bars to shift a portion of the tongue weight away from the rear axle and onto the front axle of the tow vehicle and the trailer axles.
- Sway Control Devices: Friction bars or integrated hitch mechanisms that resist the side-to-side pivoting of the trailer, keeping it locked straight behind the tow vehicle.
- Towing Mirrors: Extensions or replacements for factory mirrors that widen your field of view. They are crucial for seeing past wide trailers and monitoring blind spots when changing lanes.
Weight Distribution and Packing
- The 60/40 Rule: Load roughly 60% of the cargo weight in the front half of the trailer (closest to the tow vehicle) and 40% in the rear.
- Low Center of Gravity: Place the heaviest items directly over or slightly ahead of the trailer axles. Keep heavy items low to the floor to prevent the trailer from tipping during sharp turns.
- Securing the Load: Use heavy-duty ratchet straps, tie-downs, or cargo nets to immobilize everything. Shifting cargo mid-trip can instantly ruin your weight distribution and cause severe trailer sway.
- The Danger of Light Tongue Weight: If too much weight is placed in the rear of the trailer, the tongue weight drops below 10%. This causes the trailer to act like a pendulum, resulting in uncontrollable fishtailing at high speeds.
Pre-Trip Walk-Around Checklist
- Coupler and Latch: Verify the coupler is completely seated on the hitch ball and the locking latch is pinned shut with a safety clip.
- Chains and Cables: Ensure safety chains are crossed, securely hooked, and have enough slack for turns without dragging on the pavement. Connect the emergency breakaway brake cable to the truck frame.
- Electrical Check: Turn on your hazard lights and headlights, then walk to the back to confirm the trailer's running lights, brake lights, and turn signals are working perfectly.
- Tire Pressure and Lug Nuts: Check tire inflation on both vehicles using a pressure gauge. Trailer tires are prone to blowouts if underinflated. Ensure lug nuts are torqued to spec.
- The 20-Mile Stop: Pull over after the first 15 to 20 miles of highway driving. Touch the trailer wheel hubs to ensure they aren't dangerously hot (which indicates bearing failure), re-check your straps, and confirm the hitch connection remains tight.
Driving Adjustments
- The 4-Second Rule: Double your standard following distance. A combined truck and trailer rig requires significantly more time and distance to come to a complete stop.
- Cornering Wide: Trailer wheels track inside the path of your tow vehicle's wheels. Take corners much wider than usual to prevent the trailer from clipping curbs, signs, or other vehicles.
- Managing Speed: Wind resistance and trailer sway increase exponentially with speed. Keep your speed at or below 60–65 mph, even if the posted speed limit is higher.
- Engine Braking Downhills: When driving down steep grades, shift your transmission into a lower gear to let the engine control your speed. Continuous braking will overheat and destroy your brakes.
- Backing Up Strategy: Place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel (the 6 o'clock position). To make the trailer go right, move your hand to the right; to make it go left, move your hand to the left. Take it slow and use a spotter.
🔗 RV Hitches & Towing Products
If you know of any RV suppliers or parts distributors who sell towing products not listed here, please submit them and we will get them listed in the directory.
Trailer Mate Hitch
The latest technology in fifth wheel hitch design with a self-contained air cell system. Lifetime warranty with a money-back guarantee.
Pro Plug Products
Surface mount 7-way RV electrical connector system — sales, service, and installation, based in Bend, OR.
Puller's Direct
Your direct source for RV, truck, and ATV towing supplies and accessories in Sidney, NE. Complete line of Convert-A-Ball products including quick change balls, cushioned ball mounts, 5th wheel adapters, pintle hitches, and specialty hitches.
Reese Products
Founded in 1952, Reese has become a household name in heavy-duty towing. Best known for the Titan Fifth Wheel series, the Sidewinder, and the Goosebox, paired with weight distribution systems to control sway.
Hitch-Web
Your online source for all kinds of trailer hitches and camper levelers.
Hensley Mfg Inc
The state-of-the-art trailer sway elimination system. The Hensley hitch is the only towing system on the market that guarantees total elimination of trailer sway, backed by 25 years of performance.