Towing Instructions
Read before pickup. Your safety and the safety of others on the road depends on proper setup. This takes 5 minutes.
Watch our step-by-step video walkthrough before you arrive:
▶ Watch Towing Video
Video coming soon — check back before your rental
1. Before You Leave Home
- Confirm your tow vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) can handle at least 14,000 lbs — check your door jamb sticker or owner's manual
- Trailer empty weight is approx. 4,500 lbs. Max payload is ~10,000 lbs. Do not exceed this.
- You'll need a 2 5/16" ball hitch — standard for this size trailer
- Make sure your hitch receiver and ball mount are rated for 14,000 lbs
2. Hitching the Trailer
- Back your tow vehicle up to the trailer coupler — align the ball under the coupler
- Lower the coupler onto the ball using the tongue jack until fully seated
- Lock the coupler latch and test it: try to lift the coupler — it should not move
- Attach safety chains in a crisscross pattern underneath the coupler. Leave enough slack to turn but chains must not drag
- Connect the wiring harness to your vehicle's trailer plug
- Test all lights: brake lights, turn signals, running lights
- Raise the tongue jack fully so it clears the ground
Critical: Never tow without safety chains. They are your last line of defense if the coupler fails.
3. Driving with a Trailer
- Take wider turns — the trailer tracks inside your vehicle's path
- Brake early and gradually — stopping distance increases significantly with a loaded trailer
- Avoid sudden lane changes or sharp steering inputs
- Check mirrors frequently — watch the trailer's path in turns
- Speed: use judgment — reduce speed on curves, ramps, and in poor weather
- If the trailer starts to sway, do NOT brake hard — ease off the accelerator and hold the wheel steady
4. Operating the Hydraulic Dump
- Find level ground before dumping — never dump on a slope
- Open the rear barn doors and secure them open before raising the bed
- Make sure no one is standing behind or under the raised bed
- Use the hydraulic control to raise the bed slowly
- Never drive with the bed raised — lower it completely before moving
- If the bed doesn't lower fully, do not drive — call us at (385) 265-9926
Max payload: 10,000 lbs. Overloading can damage the hydraulic system and is your liability.
5. At the Dump Site
- Follow all dump site rules and attendant instructions
- Do not leave the trailer unattended while hitched and loaded
- Once unloaded, close and latch the barn doors before moving
6. Returning the Trailer
- Return the trailer empty — remove all debris before return
- Return to the same address you picked up from, by the agreed return time
- Close barn doors, lower tongue jack to stabilize the trailer
- Disconnect wiring harness and safety chains before unhitching
- Unhitch in reverse order of hitching — raise coupler, drive vehicle forward
7. Emergency / Breakdown
- If the coupler separates while driving: safety chains keep the trailer attached — pull over safely, do not panic-brake
- If a tire blows: hold the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, pull over safely
- Call us immediately: (385) 265-9926
- Do not attempt roadside repairs on the trailer without calling us first