Rigid Hitch Blog

Whether you've been towing camper trailers for years or taking your first family vacation pulling a small travel trailer, towing isn't something to be taken lightly. To successfully tow a trailer behind your F-150, you need to develop a new set of driving skills. Even hitching and unhitching a trailer requires know-how.

Skipping over just one crucial piece of the process could compromise your traveling safety. Let’s face it, safety is job one when you’re traveling with your family.

Are you ready to head out on the highway with a trailer in tow?

Here’s a short checklist of important items you may have overlooked:

• Check your tires on your trailer.
• Make sure your F-150 maintenance is up to date.
• Use trailer safety chains. All trailers should have safety chains that hook up to the hitch.
• Check trailer lights.
• Consider getting tow mirrors.
• Use wheel chocks when unhooking the trailer.
• Practice driving

Struggling to find what size hub you have? There's two super easy ways to find an accurate measurement. 
1. Download our printable guide and match it up to your hub
2. Measure the distance between the center of the bolt and the center of the hub

Coupler - The part of the trailer tongue that secures to the tow vehicle hitch ball.

Gross Towing Weight (GTW) - The weight of the trailer plus all the cargo in it. This is measured by putting a fully loaded trailer on a scale.

Hitch Application - In the industry, hitches are commonly called "hitch applications". This would refer to the specific hitch that would fit your specific vehicle.

Hitch Ball - The part that the trailer coupler attaches to. It is usually attached to a ball mount, which is inserted into the receiver

Holding tank treatment, slide-out lube, vent covers, and more -- check out our top 10 RV Essentials! Not sure these options are suitable for your application - contact us for additional RV product assistance.

There are five classes of Hitches for towing trailers, each designed for a specific trailer weight range. The class of hitch you choose is determined by your vehicle and its towing capacity.

• Smaller Cars and SUVs can only handle smaller loads and likely will use a Class I Hitch
• Large Trucks and Vans are built for largers loads and can use a Class III, IV, or V Hitch

For safe and comfortable towing, the trailer should always be set up to tow level. Sometimes a trailer's tongue is higher or lower than the ball mount on the vehicle. In this situation, a ball mount with a "Rise" or a "Drop" is required to level the trailer. Ball Mounts come in different lengths and are used in drop and rise positions. When selecting a ball mount make sure to look at the weight rating, it should be equal to or larger than the hitch being used

What are those numbers and letters on your trailer tire? Why does it seem so confusing?! We have broken it down below in this blog post to make it easier for you to read your trailer tire information. If you can any additional questions please contact us.

Our 4-Flat wiring diagram will help you wire your trailer. The diagram depicts the placement of the white, brown, yellow, and green wires. We have also noted the added blue wire color for a 5-Way Flat Connector.