tow a trailer

What do you need to tow a trailer?

Towing a trailer is a great way to move items and possessions from one place to another, so it’s great to have your truck set up and ready to tow. However, not all vehicles are equipped or even capable of towing a trailer. It’s important to understand what’s needed to tow and to make sure that your vehicle is set up to do so safely. So what do you need to tow a trailer? Let’s take a look!

Trailer Hitch Receiver

The first thing you need when preparing to tow a trailer is a trailer hitch receiver. This is the heavy-duty tube that mounts to the underside of your vehicle to house the ball mount. The trailer hitch receiver can be mounted under the rear of your with bolts. Generally, your receiver will have a 1-1/4″ x 1-1/4″ or 2″ x 2″ opening, depending on what your vehicle’s tow rating capacity is. For heavy-duty applications, you can also use a 2 ½” x 2 ½” receiver. 

Ball Mount

The ball mount, also known as the drawbar, is the metal ball that sticks off the back of a vehicle and attaches to the trailer. Ball mounts are available in several sizes, heights, and styles. For maximum efficiency, we recommend getting one of GEN-Y’s fully adjustable drop hitches. These hitches can be raised or lowered depending on your trailer, so you can achieve the perfect height every time. 

Pin and Clip

The pin and clip are small but important features. It holds your ball mount inside the receiver so it doesn’t move around or fall out while you’re towing your trailer. Furthermore, hitch locks are available to add an extra level of safety and security as they help prevent your ball mount from being removed or stolen. 

Trailer Hitch Ball

Trailer hitch balls sit inside the ball mount and are available in multiple sizes to match your trailer coupler. These can easily be swapped out depending on your trailer. Trailer hitch balls generally come in one of three sizes, 1-7/8″, 2″ and 2-5/16″. Be sure to check your trailer coupler ahead of time to make sure that the sizes match. Otherwise, your trailer may become disconnected during transit. 

Wiring Harness

The wiring harness provides power to the trailer and signals. Every trailer being used to tow required by law to have power and signals. Trailers will generally come with the necessary wiring harness, but always make sure to check your lights before hitting the road to make sure everything is working correctly. This will help prevent any unnecessary accidents on the road. 

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Gen-Y Hitch exists to better the lives of our customers, dealers, vendors, employees, and the automotive industry. We will always put our customers’ needs ahead of our own. Contact us today and let us help you!

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GEN-Y Hitch Limited Lifetime Warranty

This Limited Lifetime Warranty covers defects in the materials or workmanship of All GEN-Y manufactured products and is limited to the repair or replacement of the product by GEN-Y Hitch. The decision as to whether the solution is replacement or repair shall be at GEN-Y Hitch’s sole determination. This Limited Lifetime Warranty is provided only to the original purchaser and applies only to the original installation.

TORSION-FLEX Hitches

All rubber components for TORSION-FLEX Hitches are assured for 5 years from the date the unit was purchased.

Click HERE to purchase a TORSION-FLEX Lifetime Warranty  

This Limited Lifetime Warranty Warranty is expressly IN LIEU of any other express warranty and is further IN LIEU of any implied warranty, including, but not limited to, any implied WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE except as may otherwise be required by applicable Federal or State law at the time the hitch was manufactured.

This Limited Lifetime Warranty does not cover the following:

  • normal wear and tear 
  • the finish on the product  →  wear around the shank of the hitch, the ball mount & the pintle saddle is inevitable and should be expected with normal use of the hitch due to metal on metal contact from trailer couplers / lunette rings
  • replacement of the product by any person or entity other than GEN-Y Hitch
  • any consequential or incidental damages including, but not limited to: commercial loss, loss of time, loss or damage to personal property, lodging, meals or other related travel costs or any other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of the product, the inability to use the product or for any other reasonable delay in performance under this Lifetime Warranty
  • service or labor charges for:
    • installing the product 
    • removing the product
    • returning the product to GEN-Y Hitch or replacing the product by anyone other than GEN-Y Hitch
    • damages caused by abuse, neglect, misuse, misapplication, overloading or improper installation, improper maintenance, repair, negligence or acts of God
    • alteration of the product in any way other than by GEN-Y Hitch
    • failure to utilize the product in compliance with it’s User Manual
    • failure of any product to which the GEN-Y product was attached

GEN-Y Hitch shall not be held responsible for any or all “compatible parts or products” being used or being utilized for towing with or around a GEN-Y Hitch product. GEN-Y Hitch products shall never be altered in any circumstance or for any reason and will void any warranties if done so.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Limited Lifetime Warranty gives you specific legals right, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. The laws applicable to any litigation, dispute, mediation, arbitration, or any claim whatsoever arising from the sale, purchase, or use of the product shall be the laws of the State of Indiana, without regard to rules pertaining to conflicts of law. The exclusive jurisdiction for deciding any claims, demands or causes of action relating in any way, from the sale, purchase, or use of the product shall be with the courts of the Circuit or Superior Courts of Elkhart County, Indiana.

Changes in the Design of and/or Improvements to GEN-Y Hitch products and substitution of parts or components

GEN-Y Hitch reserves the unrestricted right at any time and from time to time to make changes in the design of and/or improvements upon GEN-Y Hitch products without thereby imposing any obligation upon itself to make corresponding changes or improvements in or upon GEN-Y Hitch products already manufactured. GEN-Y Hitch further reserves the right to substitute parts or components of substantially equal quality in any warranty service required by the operation of this Limited Warranty.

If your GEN-Y product was involved in an accident, do not continue to tow with it. There may be structural damage to the hitch that you cannot see that could result in product failure