How to Unhitch a Trailer: Step-by-Step Guide

Short answer: to unhitch a trailer, park on level ground, chock the trailer tires, unplug the wiring and unclip the breakaway cable, remove the safety chains, open the coupler latch, then crank the jack until the coupler lifts clear of the ball and pull the tow vehicle forward. The order matters: secure the trailer first so it can’t roll, and disconnect everything before you lift the coupler.

Unhitching looks like the easy half of towing, but it’s where a lot of trailers roll away, land on a foot, or drop off a jack. Here’s how to do it the same safe way every time.

Before You Start: Pick the Right Spot

• Level, firm ground. A trailer on a slope wants to roll the moment it comes off the ball. Soft dirt or hot asphalt can let the jack foot sink.
• Room to pull straight forward. You’ll drive the tow vehicle a few feet straight ahead once the coupler is clear.
• A jack pad or block under the tongue jack foot if the ground is soft. A piece of 2×8 or a purpose-made jack pad spreads the load.

If you have to drop a trailer on a slight grade, put the chocks on the downhill side of the tires before you do anything else. Our guide to how to park a trailer covers getting it into position in the first place.

How to Unhitch a Trailer: Step by Step

1. Park the tow vehicle and set the parking brake. Put it in Park (or in gear with a manual), set the parking brake and shut the engine off.
2. Chock the trailer tires. Put wheel chocks in front of and behind at least one trailer tire. On a tandem axle, chock between the tires or on both sides of one tire. Never skip this step: once the coupler leaves the ball, the chocks are the only thing holding the trailer.
3. Unplug the trailer wiring. Pull the 4-pin or 7-pin plug straight out of the vehicle socket and close the socket cover. Hang the plug up off the ground so it doesn’t fill with dirt or water. (Not sure which plug you have? See 4-pin vs 7-pin trailer plugs.)
4. Unclip the breakaway cable from the tow vehicle. Unclip the end of the cable from the hitch. Don’t pull the pin out of the breakaway switch on the trailer: that sets the trailer brakes and runs down the breakaway battery. More on how it works in our trailer breakaway switch guide.
5. Remove the safety chains. Unhook both chains from the hitch and lay them over the tongue so they won’t get run over or tangled.
6. Release weight distribution or sway control, if you have it. With the tongue jack, raise the tongue just enough to take tension off the spring bars, then unlatch and remove the bars. Remove any friction sway bar. (See our weight distribution hitch setup guide.)
7. Open the coupler latch. Pull the safety pin or clip out of the coupler latch and open the latch. Put the pin somewhere you’ll find it, like back in its hole on the coupler.
8. Lower the jack foot and crank the tongue up. If your jack has a swivel, turn it to the down position and lock it. Crank the jack until the coupler lifts completely clear of the ball, with an inch or two to spare. Watch the coupler as it rises; if the tow vehicle rises with it, the latch isn’t fully open.
9. Pull the tow vehicle forward. Drive slowly straight ahead a few feet and stop. Look back to make sure the coupler cleared the ball and nothing is still connected.
10. Level and secure the trailer. Adjust the jack to level the trailer, leave the chocks in place, and lock the coupler if you use a coupler lock.

Common Unhitching Mistakes

• Lifting before you chock. This is how trailers roll away. Chock first, every time.
• Forgetting the wiring or chains. Driving off with the plug still connected rips the cord, and driving off with a chain still hooked can drag the trailer off its jack.
• Cranking with the latch still closed. You’ll lift the back of the tow vehicle instead of the trailer. Stop and open the latch.
• Standing or reaching under the tongue. Keep your feet and hands out from under the coupler and tongue while the trailer is coming off the ball or sitting on the jack.
• Setting the jack on soft ground. A jack foot that sinks can drop the tongue. Use a pad.
• Pulling the breakaway pin by mistake. Unclip the cable at the vehicle end and leave the pin in the switch.

Unhitching a Heavy Trailer

The heavier the tongue, the more care this takes. A trailer with a lot of tongue weight puts real load on the jack, so make sure the jack is rated for it and sitting on a firm surface. If the trailer has a weight distribution hitch, always release the spring bars before you unlatch the coupler, never after.

Unhitching Checklist

1. Tow vehicle in Park, parking brake set, engine off
2. Trailer tires chocked
3. Wiring unplugged and stowed
4. Breakaway cable unclipped (pin left in the switch)
5. Safety chains off
6. Weight distribution or sway bars removed
7. Coupler latch open
8. Coupler cranked clear of the ball
9. Tow vehicle pulled forward
10. Trailer leveled, chocks left in place, coupler locked

Hitching back up is the same list in reverse. Our step-by-step guide to how to hitch a trailer and how to hook up safety chains walk through it, and the pre-trip towing checklist covers what to check before you drive away.

Learn the Whole Process

Hitching and unhitching are covered step by step in TowPro Academy’s online trailer towing course, built by Jeff McDonough, Founder of TowPro Academy, from 10+ years and 250,000+ miles of towing. Try the free lesson or see the full course.

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