In this module we'll review how to disconnect and reconnect a trailer.
Now that we’ve successfully mastered backing the trailer straight for more than 100 yards, we’re going to shift our attention to learning how to remove a trailer. To do this, we’ll first need to remove the cotter pin from the hitch to open the pintle. With the pintle open, we’ll want to lower the two trailer jacks located on the front side of the trailer.
This can be done by pulling out the locking pins on the bottom of each jack, allowing them to fall to the ground. Once both jacks have been successfully lowered, we’ll need to resecure the locking pins and crank the handle on the top of the jack. We’ll do this by turning the crank clockwise until the trailer is lifted just high enough to clear the pintle.
Lastly, we’ll need to unhook the safety chains, brake cable, and electrical plug. Once disconnected, toss them over the front of the trailer. This will keep them from getting dirty and keep the equipment working properly when you reconnect later.
When it’s time to reconnect the trailer, we’ll need to follow our unhooking procedure in reverse. If we notice the chains are dragging when reconnecting, we’ll need to twist them together to help gather up any additional slack. We’ll also want to make sure our chains are crisscrossed. Crisscrossing creates a cradle to catch the trailer tongue should the hitch ever fail while in transport.