How to choose and install a trailer to your vehicle?

You want to move, go on vacation with your family or carry bulky equipment? So the idea of installing a trailer to your vehicle seems to be the best! And the advantage is that there is no need to be a mechanical expert to install a trailer and hitch to his car. The CaptainDrive editorial team has prepared an article on this subject to guide you in the choice of your equipment, and the installation of your trailer. But first, here are some points to know:

To start, a few rules

First of all, and especially before you start buying equipment, we strongly advise you to have a look at the vehicle registration card to learn about the rules of your car. In any case, when the trailer has a GVW (total permissible gross weight) of more than 500 kg, the latter needs its own registration, and therefore its own registration certificate. This is not the case for a trailer whose GVW does not exceed 500 kg: the number plate of your car can be fixed on the equipment.

As for the license to drive, the regulation also concerns the question of the PTAC of the trailer: if it does not exceed 750 kg, a simple license B is required to tow your trailer with any vehicle since this load is quite light. On the other hand, if your trailer's GVWR exceeds 750 kg, there are three scenarios:

A license B is sufficient if the combined GVWR of the car and trailer is less than 3500 kg.
A B96 training is required if the car and trailer's GVW is between 3501 and 4250 kg.
A BE driving license is mandatory if the PTAC car and trailer is between 4251 and 7000 kg.

The trailer hitch

Choosing your trailer hitch

Before you go to the trailer Blindly on auto accessory sites, be sure to choose the right trailer hitch for your car. The site rameder.fr, specialized in the coupling, helps you to find the hitch adapted to your vehicle. A section invites you to indicate the license plate of your car, or its make, its model and its engine, or its mine type to guide the user to the type of hitch that will suit him. Between the fixed hitch, removable or pivoting, know that there is a different hitch for each model of car, so get the good! Once the product chosen, you can order it on the same online store as a complete set or separately without cable harness.

Install a car hitch kit

For this which is fitting, it is possible for you to do it without the help of a mechanic or a mechanic. To do this, take the assembly instructions supplied with the hitch itself and take care to comply with the manufacturer's instructions. Keep in mind that a poorly mounted hitch can be a source of accidents. To guide you in this process, the tutorials site Montremoicomment.com has reserved an article on the assembly of hitch as well as the wiring harness coupling with explanatory videos: you will find it here.

How to choose the trailer itself and its equipment?

To choose the right trailer, one must first ask the question of its usefulness: what do you have to transport? Between the traditional luggage trailer, the horse trailer and the bike trailers, motorcycle carriers, boat carriers, the range of products is rather wide and will depend on your specific needs.This equipment, sometimes optional, can be quickly essential, so think about it during any purchase!

If you think to get a trailer for a potential departure on vacation, think that it It will also be necessary to carry out a certain number of checks on the trailer itself, as on the vehicle. Tires, brake pads, levels ... as we are never too careful, find all our tips to replace your wipers in this article.

If you also need a roof box, do not hesitate to consult our comparison.