Posted by Petra S. on 12/19/2013 to
Boat Trailer Parts
Installing a trailer hitch after you finally decide on one can be a difficult and confusing process if you don't understand what you're doing. The truth of the matter is that many people can install the hitch on their own without having to hire a professional, but it takes a little bit of know-how.
The first thing that professionals agree on is loosely securing all of the parts before you start any of the actual installation takes place. Loosening the bumper of the truck, the exhaust system and all of the parts of the trailer helps greatly. Only after you have lifted the truck to a reasonable level and can provide yourself enough clearance should you begin.
Next, you’ll have to drill into the truck’s frame appropriately. There may already be existing holes inside of the frame, but in most cases you’ll have to drill new ones. They should never be more than 1/16th of an inch larger than the bolts that you are going to be using and make sure that you don’t drill through any important parts of your truck’s undercarriage.
After that, the installation of the electrical wiring can be problematic. you should have received an installation guide along with your parts when you purchased it, which can guide you easily through the process. This is intimidating if you don’t know what you’re doing, but it is usually easier than you think.
All that remains is tightening everything up as it is assembled, albeit loosely. The one thing that you shouldn't do is try to modify the hitch in any way. Drilling extra holes or changing anything will weaken the welds and weakening the metal, nothing productive.
Installing a hitch properly makes sure that it is safe, secure, and doesn’t pose any problems to you while you are carrying all of your equipment.