Selecting a trailer hitch can be daunting — especially if it’s your first time to do it. You probably have many questions, such as is there a way to be sure you’re choosing the right hitch model? How do you go about installing it?

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had the clarity and confidence in determining which trailer hitch type is an exact match without all the confusing mechanical jargon? Take the hiccups out of selecting a trailer hitch with this guide exploring hitch types, uses, capacities, installation tips and more.

Why Do I Need a Trailer Hitch?

Drivers attach trailer hitches onto their vehicles for a variety of reasons. Some need them for professional purposes, such as livestock towing or snow plowing. Others want hitches for personal or lifestyle reasons — because you have to get that fishing boat to the lake somehow.

Trailer hitches unlock the ability for autonomous long-distance towing and more. You will find many benefits to getting a trailer hitch for your vehicle.

Assisting With Any Future Hauling Needs

Even if you don’t expect to haul trailers of heavy cargo frequently, having a trailer hitch is incredibly useful. Hitches allow convenient carting and towing options for dozens of unique transportation situations. Often, a regular car or truck just won’t cut it when moving certain cargo. Use trailer hitches to easily and securely transport:

• Bicycles
• Motorcycles
• ATVs
• Camping gear
• Campers and RVs
• Boats
• Utility or landscaping trailers
• Livestock trailers
• Flatbed trailers
• Enclosed trailers
• Cargo carriers
• 5^th wheelers
• Other transportation vehicles
• Other equipment or heavy machinery

Buying Is More Cost-Effective Than Renting

Renting a vehicle with a pre-installed hitch and the capacity to haul trailers is expensive and cumbersome. Rental companies might also require specialty trailer registration and insurance, depending on your towing situation.

It’s far more cost-effective in the long run to invest in a trailer hitch that matches your current truck or car. Then, if situations arise where you need to transport heavy cargo or haul another vehicle, you’re ready.

The Different Types of Trailer Hitches

Today’s trailer hitches are categorized according to a class ranking system. There are five classes of rear hitches, with each managing a higher towing capacity as well as receiver opening sizes.

We’ve also included two other popular trailer hitch types on top of the five classes, providing a thorough benchmark to begin selecting the right trailer hitch for your vehicle.

1. Class 1 Hitch

Class 1 hitches are known as light-duty receiver-hitches and are the most basic hitch style available. These units work primarily to mount bikes or as small cargo carriers. They can also be a versatile option for towing small, enclosed utility trailers and vehicles.

Class 1 hitches support a maximum trailer weight of 2,000 pounds or less. When measuring for a trailer class 1 hitch, look for a 1 1/4 inch x 1 1/4 inch receiver and a tongue weight capacity of 200 pounds or less.

Class 1 hitches work with nearly any towing vehicle. This includes both compact and midsize cars whose light transmission coolers are in good condition.

2. Class 2 Hitch

Class 2, or regular-duty receiver hitches, are one of the most common trailer hitches in today’s market. New and pre-owned class 2 hitches are installed onto the frames of its towing vehicle, which range from midsize cars and SUVs to minivans and compact pickup trucks. These vehicle types contain regular-duty transmission coolers more than capable of managing up to 3,500 pounds of towing weight and tongue weights around 300 pounds.

Class 2 hitches work great for towing ATVs, motorcycles, small boats and trailers up to 12 feet in length.

3. Class 3 Hitch

Class 3 hitches are considered heavy-duty hitch types. This style of trailer hitch is also widely crowned the king of general towing, with a towing capacity of up to 10,000 pounds, a tongue weight capacity of 750-1,000 pounds and a 2-inch receiver measurement.

Class 3 heavy-duty hitches are attached via a drawbar to the frame of a towing vehicle. For that reason, some manufacturers and distributors categorize class 3 trailer hitches as under-car receiver hitches, given this placement. Consider a class 3 hitch if you drive a mid- or large-sized pick-up truck, SUV or van and need to tow campers, mid-sized boats, mid-sized trailers and cargo-carrying flatbeds.

4. Class 4 Hitch

When it comes to towing travel trailers longer than 12 feet, boats larger than 24 feet, heavy machinery and other sizeable vehicles, you’ll need a class 4 hitch.

Dubbed the super-duty receiving hitch, class 4 styles carry a towing capacity of 10,000-14,000 pounds and a tongue weight of 1,000-1,400 pounds. They’re ideal for hitching light campers and trailers to the rear of a full-sized pickup or SUV and require a complementary 2-inch or 2.5-inch receiver for complete attachment.

5. 5th-Wheel Hitches

Those who regularly haul heavy equipment, machinery or cargo and transportation vehicles often opt for the fifth and most advanced trailer class, the 5^th-wheel hitch.

This hitch type is built specifically for the beds of pickup and flatbed trucks. With a towing capacity between 12,000-20,000 pounds and a tongue weight capacity between 1,200-1,700 pounds, 5^th-wheel hitches are installed just over and above a truck’s rear axle. Each unit connects to its towed trailer via a central king pin that, once positioned, appears similar to the plate of a semi-tractor.

6. Gooseneck Hitch

Gooseneck hitches are a cousin to the 5th-wheel trailer hitch type.

Like 5th wheels, they are designed explicitly for pickup and flatbed trucks. Also like 5th wheels, gooseneck hitches are installed on the beds of a truck, near the rear axle, and carry a towing capacity around 30,000 pounds. They are a prime hitch choice for hauling both commercial and industrial trailers, including horse and livestock trailers.

Gooseneck hitches are also designed to be more spatially conscious than other trailer hitch types. More specifically, you can still make full use of your truck bed with an attached gooseneck hitch, which is difficult with the more obtrusive 5^th-wheel trailer hitch.

7. Front-Mount Hitch

As their name suggests, front-mount hitches are installed on the front of your vehicle. This hitch type allows for a range of attachments and new hauling applications, including:

• Snowplowing
• Scooping and dumping
• Small cargo carriers
• Winch insertions

Front-mount hitches come with a different class rating system than rear mounts. It is best to consult with an expert to match your vehicle type with an appropriate front mount hitch beforehand to ensure you install the proper style and unit.

Tips for Choosing a Trailer Hitch

Selecting a trailer hitch comes down to matching your towing needs with your vehicle’s safe, healthy towing capacities. Nearly every vehicle made today is hitch-specific, clarifying the hitch receiver selection and measuring process. However, pickup truck owners have a bit more flexibility, as they can select 5th wheel and gooseneck trailer hitches, among others.

Cut through the clutter of how to choose the right trailer hitch by keeping in mind these suggestions.

1. Do Your Research

The simplest way to start your trailer hitch search is to identify the class matching your vehicle’s make and model. Trailer hitches may not line up perfectly. Yet a little research using the year, make, model and even sub-model of your vehicle can provide a sound springboard assuring a damage-free, fully operational hitch unit that keeps working over the years.

Understanding what hitch class your vehicle can take provides a number of benefits, such as:

• Make measuring and installing the trailer hitch easier
• Maintain the integrity of its assigned towing capacity
• Preserve the health of your transmission
• Give you confidence in which hitch class and receiver size you pick for your car

2. Select the Right Look

Aesthetics aren’t the main priority of a good trailer hitch. However, trailer hitches do come in two forms you should consider beforehand, round tubing or square tubing.

Round tubing tends to provide a sleeker, more expensive-looking hitch. However, round-tubed hitches are less common than square-tube bodies and will likely cost more.

You may also need to consider your preference for an exposed or concealed hitch. The majority of concealed hitches are installed beneath the bed of your truck or vehicle, which is appealing if you don’t want to distract from the original appearance of your car.

3. Consider Additional Accessories

Additional trailer or towing accessories may be necessary depending on your towing needs. For example, cargo management accessories are common if your vehicle frequently transports heavy materials, and hitch-mounting accessories are popular when sourcing or replacing individual hitch gear necessary for a safe ride.

4. Doublecheck the Ball Mount and Ball Size

Ball mounts are pivotal when creating a safe couple between your trailer with your hitch. Some trailer hitch kits come with a matching unit ball mount. Others will not.

When sourcing a ball mount, doublecheck its towing capacity, or weight rating, ensuring any trailer being towed doesn’t exceed that figure. You’ll also want to review its shank and level connection heights, which stabilize those between your towing vehicle and the trailer.

5. Practice Assembly

It’s a good rule of thumb to loosely assemble your new trailer hitch prior to vehicle installation. During mock assembly, you can put together the central drawbar, the pin and the clip, then proceed to review the model in its intended position. This lets you see ahead of time any misalignment between the drawbar and the vehicle’s drill spots and can inform a quicker installation when the time comes.

Tips for Installing a Trailer Hitch

Once you’ve secured the proper hitch to tow your trailer, consider these important installation steps.

1. Loosen Up (If Necessary)

All five classes of trailer hitches come designed to fit a vehicle’s standard make and equipment. This means any modifications to vehicles may alter the positioning of a hitch, in some cases requiring you to temporarily loosen or reposition certain car components to accommodate the hitch adequately.

Exhaust systems, vehicle bumpers or the brackets that mount the bumper are three common examples of vehicle equipment that may require such temporary adjustments. When in doubt, consult a mechanic before making vehicle modifications.

2. Prepare Kit Parts

Inspect all the parts and components of your hitch prior to installation. While this seems intuitive, many forget these simple preparatory steps, which help maintain the integrity of your hitch and receiver over the years:

• Clean the bolt holes on your vehicle frame. Soaking these holes in WD-40 usually does the trick. After a minute or two, scrub the holes free of grime and dirt with a small wire brush before initiating the rest of the installation.
• Clean the bolts. Follow the same steps you did for the bolt holes on the bolts themselves, taking care not to scratch or cause surface damage.
• Ensure you have the correct bolts. Since hitch manufacturers create kits to match certain vehicle types, you should have properly sized bolts on hand. However, mix-ups can happen.

3. Compile Your Tools

Gather these tools you’ll need to install a hitch onto your vehicle safely and securely:

• Shop or work light
• Safety glasses
• Work gloves
• Torque wrench
• Racket
• Racket extension
• Socket set
• Swivel socket

If you don’t have access to these tools, consider taking your vehicle in for professional hitch installation. Other convenient tools and materials for installing trailer hitch include:

• Carjack stands
• Screwdriver
• Torx bits
• Box wrench set
• Power drill and carbide drill bits, which are only necessary if you must drill new bolt holes

4. Drill at Your Own Risk

Hitches should bolt relatively easily into pre-existing holes on the underside of your vehicle. If no such appropriate holes exist — or are misaligned due to vehicle alterations — then you must drill bolt holes into the frame yourself.

Follow the drilling instructions included in the guide accompanying your hitch kit. Center punch any new holes first. Follow center punching by drilling a small pilot hole before exchanging bits and creating the full-sized drill hole. This ensures as little damage to your underbed as possible, plus it helps protect vehicle equipment or components located near the drilling area. Never drill a hole larger than the size of your kit’s bolts.

Talk to an All Pro Trailer Superstore Expert About Trailer Hitches

Still not sure what type of trailer hitch is right for you? Consult the hitch experts at All Pro Trailer Superstore.

As the industry’s only full-service trailer outfit, we can take care of all your trailer hitch concerns. From financing trailers to vehicle inspections to picking the right hitch types for your car or fleet, we have an unmatched depth or breadth of services available in one place.

Reach out with your trailer hitch question today.

Loading a horse safely into a trailer can feel part art and part science.

On one hand, you must prioritize the comfort of your horse. Rushing or goading into a trailer bed is a sure way to excite hesitation, even fear, from your animal, resulting in serious accidents. Yet on the other, loading should take place quickly and efficiently — especially when you’re loading two or more horses plus stowing a fair amount of tack.

Enter the ongoing debate of ramp versus step-up horse trailers. Which configuration is right for your rig?

Different Types of Horse Trailers

There are dozens of horse trailer varieties available today. Each trailer type features differences in stall positioning, hitching systems, tack storage, climate control and transportation conveniences, among other trailer amenities for owners and horses alike.

1. Stock Trailers

Stock trailers are the most economical horse trailer type to transport your animals long distance. These units offer a basic, no-frills approach to loading, hauling and unloading your horses and gear, with the vast majority maintaining step-up entrances without a ramp.

Stock trailers are open-floor, meaning they do not contain any stalls or partitions. Horses are led forward into the trailer bed and can be tied frontwards or on an angle. Angling your horse can save space when transporting more than one animal, as well as leave room for additional tied-down cargo within the unit.

Among their other distinguishing traits, stock trailers are open air. Designed to transport cattle, this trailer type contains ample window cutouts along its trailer walls allowing fresh air and sunlight to pass through — a comfort for finicky traveling horses.

2. Bumper-Pulled or Tag-Along

Bumper-pulled horse trailers are a popular trailer type offering a range of fundamental transportation amenities.

As their name suggests, these trailer types attach to your main vehicles’ hitch, most often found beneath truck rear bumpers. A standard bumper-pull horse trailer can comfortably transport up to two mature horses. Larger, multi-horse bumper pull trailers are available as well, including premiere units that contain individual box stalls for each horse.

Because of their hitch-based design, bumper pull trailers can be a little more challenging to steer, especially while backing up. They will also be more susceptible to strong winds and uneven terrain.

Learn more about tag-along trailer units, including tips on how to safely hitch your bumper-pulled horse trailer.

3. Gooseneck Trailers

Gooseneck trailers are a spacious horse trailer type that connects to your towing vehicle via a unique overhang design.

Rather than attaching through a system beneath your truck’s rear bumper, a gooseneck’s overhang feature contains a ball hitch and coupler that slides over and attaches with your truck bed. The result is a maneuverable, sturdier connective unit and a smoother ride for your horses over long distances, in various weather conditions and across terrain types.

Goosenecks come in a range of sizes, from cozier models with a two-horse-capacity to units that can carry up to six horses. Most are designed with tack storage shelving, plus other amenities like saddle racks and front trailer doors for safer handler exits.

4. Living Quarter Trailers

Living quarter trailers are the largest and most lavish of all horse trailer types. Similar to a gooseneck trailer, these units consist of your horse’s main trailer body and an overhang attachment system. Unlike a gooseneck — or any other horse trailer type — these models also contain an attached living quarter, ideal for long-distance traveling or as your accommodation when staying at shows, fairs and events.

Common living quarter trailer amenities include a kitchenette, dinette, bathroom, bedroom and ample storage for horse tack. The size and scale of these amenities will vary depending on the overall price of the unit.

5. Slant or Straight Trailers

Slant and straight trailers are not horse trailer types themselves, but rather interior configurations that can be found in any of the above trailers. They’re one of the most important details to consider when picking your ideal horse trailer since they determine how your horses will stand across your road trip.

Straight trailers mean horses will be standing forward, with tails at the rear of the unit. Slant trailers, on the other hand, stagger horses to stand at 30- to 45-degree angles within the trailer body. Unlike with straight trailers, slant trailers are more forgiving on horses’ legs, particularly because a horse can better use its stronger haunches for support while the vehicle accelerates and brakes.

What Are Step-Up Horse Trailers?

Step-up horse trailers are models where a horse must step up into the trailer body by itself to enter. They do not contain any sort of incline or support while loading and are generally the default design in most standard trailers.

Properly sized step-up units shouldn’t sit much higher than the height of your horse’s knees. Any trailer requiring a horse to step up significantly above its knees will be far more challenging for your horse — and by proxy, you. Loading when these heights are off may even require additional training or coaxing to ensure your horse does not attempt to jump or hop into the trailer, preserving the safety of the load and the condition of your trailer.

The intuitive approach and simple design of step-up horse trailers contains several unique benefits:

• Slip-free: Today’s standard horse ramps are made from steel or aluminum bases. Both materials can be incredibly slippery when wet, making it difficult for a horse to have proper traction while climbing the incline. Even a horse whose recently walked through wet grass may experience problems moving up and down a ramp slip-free.
• Easy to find: Step-ups are the most common loading and unloading configuration in standard horse trailers.
• Lighter: Horse ramps can add significant weight to your trailer. Plus, they can be too heavy to lift and lock on your own, risking the ramp coming loose and hitting either yourself or your horse.
• No disruptive sounds: Horses are known to get spooked by the hollow clanking of their hooves on metallic ramps. They may also be uncomfortable with the feeling of a ramp’s give as they walk up. Step up units do not pose any of these risks.

Overall, step-up trailers provide a simple, instinctive way to load and unload horses. Potential downsides to consider for step-up trailers include:

• Above the knee stepping heights: Horses will be much less inclined to step up if the trailer height is above their knee. This is especially true if you’ve recently been trail riding and jumping, which tires and stiffens your horse.
• Horses’ age and health: Step-up trailers may prove difficult for foals, older horses and sick or injured horses. And while it might seem obvious, standard trailer body heights can be challenging to reach for most pony breeds that are 4 feet or less.
• More challenging horse backing: Training a horse to safely back out of a trailer will take longer with a step-up design than a ramp. This is a major concern if your trailer isn’t big enough to turn a horse around to unload face-first.

What Are Ramp Horse Trailers?

Ramp trailers are units that contain a rear ramp that allows horses to walk up and into the trailer on a gradual incline, rather than enter the trailer in one upward, unassisted step. They come in one of two forms, with the ramp either serving as a trailer’s rear door itself or as an attachment to the trailer rear.

Ramps can be included in the original design of the horse trailer or be added as a horse trailer customization. Custom add-on ramps let you pick the exact materials and makeup of your ramp and can be especially useful when outfitting a used or refurbished trailer. Bear in mind that most horse ramps are made from steel or aluminum grading frames containing reinforced fiberglass components. Aluminum is slightly lighter than steel but more expensive to repair.

Overall, horse ramps tend to match the materials of its accompanying trailer. A ramp’s hinges, locks, gears and springs need regular lubrication to prevent rust and wear. Many owners of horse ramps will also treat their units with a protective coating to add traction to their surface, helping horses load and unload in wet conditions without slips.

There are many ramp horse trailer benefits to consider:

• Gentle incline: Ramps allow you to ease horses into a trailer body. For pony breeds, young horses, aging horses or horses with foot or leg injuries, this gradual incline is gentler and more approachable than even a light step-up. What’s more, customized horse trailer ramps can even be installed at tailored low pivot points to ensure as smooth of an incline as possible and reduce slipping.
• Safer horse backing: Backing out a forward-facing horse can be a difficult, cumbersome process — especially with old, young or frightened horses. That process turns into even more of a headache with a basic step-up trailer bed that doesn’t contain enough interior room to turn the horse around before unloading. Sudden, unexpected drops are the quickest way to spook a horse into kicking and flailing, risking injuries for all parties involved.
• Stability: Ramps provide added weight, helping ground a parked horse trailer. This gives you a little more flexibility where you park, load and unload your animals and track. Horses themselves won’t have to contend with variable stepping heights triggering hesitation while loading and unloading.

Remember the following if you’re looking into ramps for your horse trailer:

• Proper ramp care: Certain ramp components will require occasional maintenance to upkeep properly. That means oiling and lubricating rust-prone metal bits like the locks, latches, hinges and more. Also ensure to inspect your entire ramp system, particularly the condition of the locks and latches. For additional security, some people even use heavy-duty carabiners or padlocks to lock horse trailer latches into place even further.
• Ramp weight: Older horse ramp types were notoriously heavy and cumbersome for a single person to lift. Today’s horse ramps, however, come with spring assistance, allowing one individual to lift and lock the ramp in place with one hand.
• Ramp spring: Springy ramps cause noticeable underfoot flexing, which can scare horses. Ensure inclines, ramp weight and latches are all harmoniously balanced to minimize spring and contribute to smooth horse loading and unloading.

Choosing a Step-Up or Ramp Horse Trailers

Deciding between a ramp or step-up trailer is far from a horse apiece. Feel confident in your decision using the following trailer characteristics to determine which loading style is right for you.

1. Trailer Body Size

Trailer bodies containing enough room to turn your horse around while still inside the unit have a bit more flexibility when it comes to loading type. That space means you can rotate the horse to unload face-first, meaning they can actually see where they’re stepping. Horses of all ages and sizes will feel innately more comfortable with this kind of maneuvering.

If turning your horse within the trailer body isn’t an option, a ramp may be right for you. Ramps eliminate any blind step-downs or sudden drop-offs spooking your horse.

2. Tack Space and Other Loading Conveniences

It’s not just a horse you’re loading and unloading. Trailers must also transport a wide range of accessories, riding materials and general horse care items, including saddles, pads, headgear, reins, bits, breastplates, martingales and half a dozen other riding items.

Loading, organizing and unloading these materials is no small task. Many trailers designed specifically for horse transportation will come with various storage spaces dedicated to tack. Storage areas help prevent crowding your horses as well as ensure you don’t need to load or unload in a confined space within a horse’s kicking radius, creating a safer environment for all.

3. Horse Age and Health

Older, less mobile horses will benefit from the gentle incline of loading and unloading via a ramp. The same logic applies for horses with injuries or physical impairments preventing their full range of natural motions, or for younger horses still in training and development phases.

Having a customized horse ramp on-hand is ideal if any of these situations are pertinent. Even brand-new horse trailers with all the latest design details and features can benefit from a custom ramp when you’re preparing for the natural aging of your horse.

4. Weather and Road Conditions

You can’t control the weather while you’re on the road. Horses loading or backing out via a ramp will be more susceptible to slips if the ramp’s surface is wet or dusty. While certain ramp treatments can help increase surface friction as well as maintain the quality and integrity of this trailer accessory, you may simply not want the slip risk.

Do note, however, that step-up trailers involve a bit more strategic parking. Ensure you’re stationing your trailer on as flat, even of a surface as possible. You’ll also need to note the total height between the ground and your trailer bed floor. Any height difference greater than the length of your horse’s knee will be difficult, even uncomfortable, for them to step up to without incline assistance.

5. Budget

In general, ramp horse trailers will be more expensive than step-up trailers.

This cost differentiation is often a significant reason handlers opt for the standard step-up horse model. However, bear in mind that investing in a top-tier ramp will save you time and frustration as a handler in specific situations, as well as preemptively allow easier handling of sick, young or aging animals. These high-quality horse ramps carry high-friction surfaces, strong materials, easy support and latch systems and minimal — if any — hollow metallic clanking as your horse moves across. The result is a simple inclined system that will last through the years.

Go With the Pro

Only one trailer company in the nation provides:

• A stock of 1,000+ new and pre-owned trailers
• Trailer accessories
• Repairs
• Customizations
• Financing options
• Inspections
• To-your-door trailer delivery

All Pro Trailer Superstore does this — and more. We mean it when we say we’re a full-service trailer dealership ready to partner with you on your lifelong horse trailer needs.

See for yourself what a full-service trailer partner can take off your shoulders. Then chat with one of our Trailer Superstore experts on our stock of horse trailers, including premiere step-up and ramp models.

Properly functioning trailer brakes should never be an afterthought. Every trailer owner should grow familiar with the process of checking and installing new braking systems — both for the integrity of your rig and the safety of others on the road.

Follow the steps to learn the basics on how to remove and replace your trailer’s brakes, plus warning signs it’s time to get those trailer brake replacements in the first place.

When Should You Replace Trailer Brakes?

There is no single, definitive point where you must install new brakes in your trailer.

Instead, mechanics and brake manufacturers alike suggest keeping track of certain variables to help inform the general condition of your brakes. These variables, such as your trailer’s weight, towing frequency, distances traveled, towing terrain and even driving style will all affect trailer brake replacement schedules.

However, there are a few milestones to consider when maintaining the quality and integrity of your trailer’s brakes — as well as recommendations straight from your brake’s manual — and ensuring the safety of your tow.

1. At 200 Miles for Manually Adjusted Brakes

It’s recommended that brand new, fresh-out-the-dealership trailers see their brakes inspected and adjusted near the 200-mile mark.

Around 200 miles is the time when brake shoes and drums, two central components of the brake’s inner assembly, will have “seated.” Properly seated shoes and drums interact with your braking system’s electromagnet and core brake controller. Together, these pieces ultimately trigger the friction that stops your trailer every time you press down on the brake in the driver’s seat.

Without properly seated shoes and drums, the braking process will be slow, inefficient or — worst-case scenario — even dangerous.

After a 200-mile brake inspection, trailer brakes can generally be reviewed roughly once a year, during annual licensing inspections or as much as your trailer towing frequency requires.

2. At 12,000 Miles

In addition to annual brake system inspections, wheel bearings should be lubricated roughly every 12,000 miles. For regularly towed heavy-duty travel trailers and fifth-wheel RVs that see many miles on the road, those schedules could be more often.

Note, though, that greasing or “packing” bearings is not the same as replacing bearings. However, the two are similar processes in that accessing the inner and outer bearings will require comparable steps to all-out installing new brakes.

3. When Your Manual Recommends

Check the brake recommendations stated in your trailer owner’s manual or produced by your axle manufacturer. That manual should also explain the generalized, step-by-step instructions for how to install and replace your model’s specific brake components, adjust shoe seating and properly pack your bearings.

4. When Brake Performance Generally Suffers

Apply common sense when it comes to maintaining and replacing your trailer brakes. If you notice noisy wheel bearings, odd brake lags or differences in braking pressures, it’s time to inspect components. If adjusting brake shoes still doesn’t cut it, you could be due for a system replacement.

What Do You Need to Replace Trailer Brakes?

Replacing trailer brake systems will require a handful of tools to conduct the installation safely and efficiently. Ensure you own or have access to the following before removing any trailer wheel parts.

1. Proper Tools

These basic mechanical tools will make up the toolkit when replacing trailer brakes:

• Tire iron: To safely remove trailer wheels.
• Grooved pliers: Ideal for gripping a trailer brake system’s disparately sized parts.
• Flathead screwdriver: For a variety of necessary plying and screwing steps.
• Mallet: For the quickest, most functional way to remove the initial grease and dust trap.
• Wire cutters: Essential to cut and remove your brake’s old magnet wires and crimp its new ones.
• Torque wrench: To tighten the trailer’s wheel and various brake pieces into place, following manual limits.
• Hammer: Making sure various smaller seals and washers you’ll be installing sit flush around edges.

2. General Equipment

In addition to the tools above, make sure to have the following items on hand:

• Hydraulic car jack: To prop the vehicle up, then support the trailer while it’s mounted off-ground.
• Work gloves: Work gloves are especially important if you’re packing grease into your own replacement bearings, a process explained more in-depth below.
• Appropriate grease lubricant: Ideally a type approved by the axle manufacturer, to pack inner and outer brake bearings.

How to Replace Trailer Brakes

Interested in the process of replacing your trailer brakes? Professional mechanics follow these step-by-step instructions to assure a smooth, safe and, hopefully, head-ache-free electric trailer brake installation.

1. Perform a Brake Controller Inspection

Before getting your hands dirty, you must first inspect the mechanical heart of the entire trailer’s braking system — the brake controller.

Brake controllers connect and communicate with your brake drum’s magnet. Most drivers will place their controllers near or beneath their dashboards, making it easy to access and check when braking issues arise.

To run an initial brake controller inspection, review the following:

• Wire conditions: Controller wires should look smooth and intact, without visible fraying, bumps, tears or scoring
• Schematic included: Make sure your brake controller still contains its schematic — that is, its general wiring diagram signaling how to wire the trailer according to its specs properly.
• Proper power readings and outputs: Controllers should be sending appropriate outputs to your trailer brakes, which you can check using a voltmeter or similar device.

2. Expose the Inner Brake Drum

Brake drum deconstruction begins by removing the outer dust or grease cap, then removing a handful of components around the central spindle or axle.

1. Remove the dust/grease cap: Use large grooved pliers, a screwdriver or — when caps are older and worn — a mallet to pop off the cap. If using a mallet, apply forcible but controlled outward-facing hits while spinning the drum to loosen it gradually.
2. Pry off the nut retainer: Next, use a large flathead screwdriver to push off the nut retainer and then the securing cotter pin, if there is one.
3. Spin off the spindle nut: Use your hands to remove the retaining spindle nut from the central axle.
4. Remove the outer bearing: At this point, the outer wheel bearing should slip off relatively smoothly. It’s generally recommended to discard outer bearings, as these components tend to get rusty with age.

3. Inspect the Brake Drum Assembly

With your brake drum interior assembly exposed, you can now inspect its interior assembly components, including the magnet. Check the overall brake drum assembly for:

• Cracks, scores or loose springs across the drum assembly’s surface
• Proper drum thickness, not worn down away from suggested spec sizes

Mechanics will then turn their attention to the assembly’s central magnet, which is what receives outputs from the controller to engage the trailer brakes. They’ll check to see if the magnet:

• Wiggles around a bit when pushed. This is good — you don’t want stiff or congealed magnets.
• Contains four surface dots. Trailer brake magnets should contain four dots on its face-side surface. When a magnet wears down, these dots disappear.

This is also a great point to check your star wheel. Star wheels are a small adjustment spring located at the bottom of your magnet. Like the magnet itself, it should also wiggle when pressed but shouldn’t feel loose.

4. Remove the Brake Drum’s Inner Wheel Bearing and Seal Components

First, use wire cutters to snip your magnet’s wires just behind the drum’s backplate. This can be a daunting step, often one best left to professionals.

• Important note: Perform this step only when reinstalling an entirely new brake assembly kit. Otherwise, you’ll permanently cut off your magnet-controller connection.

Begin unscrewing the nuts and washers holding the interior brake assembly to its central axle. You may also have to unscrew the wheel bearing seal, which many manufacturers mark with arrows. Once unscrewed, the rest of the drum assembly should slide right off, leaving you with a naked axle.

5. Clean the Removed Drum and Axle Spindle

Use appropriate solvents to spray and clean your axle, removing any dirt, grime or residual lubricant that’s accumulated. Do the same with your interior brake drum you’ve just removed.

This is also a great time to clean and grease your unit’s zerk filling, dumping out any residual grease and refilling it with fresh lubricant. Inspect the bearing races you exposed in Steps 2 and 4. If any are scarred or chipped, find replacements immediately. Finally, add a light layer of fresh lubricant back onto your spindle.

6. Replace the Inner Brake Assembly

Your new inner drum assembly likely comes in a kit containing all the components and pieces you’ll need for the new drum. These kits tend to include but aren’t limited to any of the following:

• Left- and right-side shoes
• Fresh bolts, usually around 3/8-inch
• Magnet unit
• Inner bearings, sometimes pre-grease packed, other times not

Once removed from its packaging, carefully place the new inner brake assembly on the freshly lubricated spindle. Take care you position the assembly’s right and left shoes in their appropriate sides. You may also now coil-crimp your assembly magnet’s two wires back where you cut the old ones, just behind the drum plate. Trailer brake magnets are not polarized, so the positive and negative sides can be interchanged here.

Keep in mind the following situations that often strike while replacing an inner brake drum assembly:

• The drum won’t fit over the left and right shoe: Expand the shoes by turning the tension adjuster, or star wheel, located at the base of the brake assembly’s magnet. The drum should eventually slide between the two tabs.
• Overall shoe tension isn’t right: There should be a tiny gap left between the drum and the left and right shoes. Too much or too little room left between these components, and you’ll have a hard time applying enough pressure to your trailer brakes. While drums and shoes actually do self-adjust for proper pressurization over time, they must start off on a semi-appropriate spatial ratio to ensure you’re driving a stoppable vehicle.

7. Add New Wheel Bearings and Races, If Needed

Grease your inner bearings before applying them back into the outer brake drum hub, which should also be lubricated. However, do note that greasing bearings is a dirty job. These ridged pieces need to be “packed” with grease, either by using a professional bearing packer tool or by placing a blob in your palm and packing it the old-fashioned way.

Don’t be stingy when grease packing. You want each bearing to be slicked, even slightly oozing, with lubricant, able to slide easily back into the drum hub and onto the axle. Double-check you’re using only high-temperature wheel bearing grease as well.

8. Reinstall the New Outer Brake Bearing Components

At this point, you’re ready to attach the outer brake bearings and assembly components back over the cleaned and lubricated axle. This will connect it with your inner brake assembly components, including your newly wired magnet.

After positioning the drum hub, you can begin reinstalling the other outer drum and bearing components you removed in Step 2, now in reverse order. That means reinstalling first the hub with its packed grease bearings, then the wider drum, then the outer wheel bearing, the bearing washers, the retaining spindle nut, the cotter pin and — last but not least — the grease cap.

If your grease cap is worn or damaged and no longer seats squarely over a hub, find a replacement. Grease caps are generally inexpensive but it’s critical they seal tightly.

9. Return the Tire

With all of your new trailer brake pieces in place, you may now reinstall your trailer’s tires. Use a torque wrench or similar tool to torque the lug nuts back to their designated factory specs.

10. Test Actuation

Last but not least, grab your brake controller to run a final actuation test. This test checks to see if the electric side of your trailer brake system has been configured correctly, namely the crimping system wires back in Step 6.

Maximum voltage outputs during your actuation will vary depending on your trailer type and brake kit. However, if the voltmeter or similar testing device doesn’t register a maximum voltage output in less than five seconds, or if readings don’t match manufacturer schematics, there may be a lingering problem with the trailer brake. Wiring problems like these are rare when all installation steps and details have been performed by a professional.

When to Have Trailer Brakes Replaced Professionally

Having a professional mechanic inspect or install your electronic trailer brakes can be a relief. For many people, the technicality and gravity of properly replacing trailer brakes is too big a task to take on themselves.

Always err on the side of caution when it comes to working on your trailer, including tackling even “minor” brake concerns. If any of the following situations apply to you, consider scheduling a trailer brake inspection or repair.

1. You’re Unsure About Drum Conditions

Brake drums are reusable. Yet as one of the central components of the entire braking system, you may find yourself wanting a second opinion on the true nature of its condition.

Local auto shops can inspect your drums beyond surface rust. Some even have special machines which can put drums through a rejuvenation process called turning, which is more cost-conscious than buying new drum kits altogether.

2. You Want a Second Opinion on Shoe-Drum Tension

Properly seating shoes is essential to creating and maintaining good levels of friction for braking. It can also take a little finesse, particularly to find that initial balance between drum-shoe gaps and wiggle room before they self-adjust over time.

Professional mechanics can set that Goldilocks-level amount of tension within your new brake system. This may alleviate any worry your brakes aren’t seated properly or aren’t self-adjusting at healthy rates.

3. You Just Want the Expert’s Touch

There are nearly a dozen pieces of equipment that go into installing a brand new trailer brake kit. What’s more, installing trailer brakes almost always involves electrical actuation tests and precise wire cutting in addition to the physical mechanics, adding another daunting layer of work.

Having a professional install your trailer brakes ensures it’s done quickly and done well. That pledge is powerful, putting your mind at ease while you haul thousands of pounds down the open road.

Find a Trailer Brake Inspection and Service Provider Near You

Reach out to the trailer experts at All Pro Trailer Superstore with any questions you have regarding your trailer’s electric brake systems. No concern is too small — and no reason justifies leaving the safety of your brakes to chance.