01
HOOK UP A TRAILER
NOVA SKILL MODULE M-01
Read: 6 min
Full rules: NU-FLT-310
A trailer that comes off a hitch at 55 mph is the worst day this company will ever have. The man who hooks it owns it — no matter who loaded it.
Do it in this order — every time
- Chock the wheels. First. Before you touch anything else.
- Back up square. Get out and look — as many times as it takes.
- Ball matches the coupler. The size is stamped on both. A 2" coupler sits on a 1-7/8" ball, looks fine, and comes off.
- Drop it all the way on. The coupler sits on the ball, not on the ball's neck.
- Latch closed. Pin in. TOUCH THE PIN with your hand. Looking at it is not the same as touching it.
- Crank the jack up till the truck squats. If the coupler lifts off, it isn't seated — start over.
- Chains CROSSED under the tongue. Crossed so they cradle it if the coupler drops. Slack to turn, not enough to drag.
- Breakaway cable on the TRUCK FRAME. Never on the chains — if the trailer goes, the chains go with it and the breakaway never pulls.
- 7-pin plugged in. Jack up and stowed.
- Tug test in low gear against the chocks. Pull the chocks last.
PINTLE: same order, plus — the eye is round, not egg-shaped (egg-shaped is scrap, not “watch it”). The eye seats IN the saddle, not on the lip. Set the height so the trailer tows level.
NEVER — THESE FOUR END IT
- Never tow with the pin out.
- Never clip the breakaway to the safety chains.
- Never move a trailer with an unstrapped machine — not even across the yard.
- Never let a man who isn't signed off tow loaded, alone.
Signed off when he can do all three — watched, not talked about
| Hooks a trailer start to finish, no coaching, no reminders. | |
| Says out loud why the chains cross and where the breakaway goes. | |
| Catches a planted mistake — pin left out or breakaway on the chains. | |
Trainee name / date
FIELD SUPERVISOR initials / date — only he signs