Is it okay to leave trailer attached to car?

ashmanbrian · 12-03-2015, 06:59 AM

- Is it bad for the vehicle to leave a travel trailer hooked up to the tow vehicle, for instance, overnight (parked on the street)?
- how long is too long?

The reason I ask is that in my city you are not allowed to leave a TT on the street when it is not attached to a TV.

Thanks for replies.

SMS1115 · 12-03-2015, 07:23 AM

My only concern is that if you are running the refrigerator, that the trailer has to be level. If not running it, I would not be concerned.

mike837go · 12-03-2015, 07:29 AM

Leaving the trailer's tongue weight on your tow is generally considered not good.

However a day or two won't be a problem.

A week or month? That could cause the rubber and springs to take a set that you may find objectionable until things loosen up again.

X2 on making sure the TT is level if you are running the fridge.

SmokerBill · 12-03-2015, 07:39 AM

If you're worried about the weight on the rear of the tow vehicle, you can drop the tongue jack to the ground to support some of the weight. Just be darned sure to raise it before you move again. I would need to leave a sticky note reminder on the steering wheel, for my feeble mind.

Jagiven · 12-03-2015, 08:07 AM

Our City last year (Jan 1st 2015) implemented the same rule. I used to leave mine parked on the street in front of my place all summer. Never had an issue, never a complaint from the neighbors. Luckily we move 6 months before the rule went into effect so it is not quite as big of deal.

I leave mine hooked up overnight many times and so do many others. Long term, not sure if it will hurt the suspension. However if the weight is within the suspension’s capacity it should not be an issue. I see lots of trucks with loads in them all the time. Good example is plumber’s trucks, railroad repair vehicles, and so forth. Lots of tools and equipment left in those vehicles with lots of weight left in them. So personally, I would expect it would be fine.

You could contact the manufacture of your vehicle (have vin ready) and ask them the question. Then post back.

SouthCo · 12-03-2015, 08:10 AM

We usually leave for our trips early in the morning so my trailer is hooked up to my truck overnight the night before each trip.

Like Bill said if worried about the weight drop the tongue jack and take a little weight off the tow vehicle.

DocBrown · 12-03-2015, 08:14 AM

We've taken a couple of long trips with our old 17ft hybrid where we over nighted. We did not disconnect. We simply dropped the back bed for my daughter, lowered the tongue jack enough to stabilized the front, and dropped the rear stabilizers.

We did the same in Sept with our X20E. We had to leave Gatlinburg at 5:00 AM so the night before we packed up, hooked up the trailer and slept on the back bed.

RedHorse1 · 12-03-2015, 09:31 AM

I have left both TT's hitched for 24-48 hrs. Prep for departure being the most common reason. When in front of the house I need to level if the fridge is on and I use the orange legos. We've stayed hitched for overnight stops as well. I wouldn't worry unless I was planning to stay hitched for a week or more.

Scoutr2 · 12-03-2015, 01:45 PM

If your suspension is capable of handling the tongue weight, you should be OK to leave the rig connected on the street in front of your house for a day or two, as long as your local ordinances allow it. I usually get my trailer the night before or the morning of an afternoon departure trip and leave it there for loading, and so I am ready to just hop in and go when the time comes. If the street is fairly level, the fridge can run just fine on propane.

On a number of long trips, I have reserved long, level pull-throughs at KOAs for overnight stays. I never disconnected the truck and trailer (hitch), but simply disconnected the electrical connector to the truck, lowered the tongue jack until the trailer was level, put the stabilizers down, then hooked up the electric/water/sewer and that was that. Reversed the process in the morning in just a few minutes and we were back on the road again. We drove three days from central Illinois to the Black Hills, in SD. Stayed two nights that way and didn't disconnect until we set up at the Custer KOA, in Custer, SD. (A really nice KOA, BTW).

Tunce the traveler · 12-03-2015, 03:22 PM

I'm hooked up and level all the way around for this 3 day stay at a resort with shuttle service. On short stays I just toss the mattress on the floor at bed time, use the sleeping bags and were set. If it's going to rain the day before we leave I put the beds up and travel dry.

sirrealone · 12-04-2015, 11:25 AM

I have a Buick Rainier, and I've left it hooked up overnight without lowering the tounge, and have found that it drops overnight to where I have to disconnect it and reconnect it so the air bags can properly re-inflate.

bucko · 12-11-2015, 05:06 AM

Depending on the trailer weight/size, and the tow vehicle used to tow, I don't see an issue with leaving it hooked up for a day or two. Longer term, it makes sense to disconnect.

Ranger354 · 05-23-2021, 03:31 PM

I have a 15,000 lb. 5'ver parked on a 2 degree incline overnight. Taking it to the shop in the morning. I unplugged the connection to my tow vehicle electrical system to prevent draining the tow vehicle battery. Also have the battery disconnect on the camper disconnected. Camper is still connected to my one ton truck and wheels are chocked. Does anyone see any red flags here?

**JFlightRisk** · 05-23-2021, 03:40 PM

None at all. Maybe set the parking brake on the truck too, just for insurance.

Ranger354 · 05-23-2021, 03:44 PM

Yes. Thanks, FlightRisk. I did do that but forgot to mention.

Marcm157 · 05-23-2021, 04:50 PM

I do drop my tongue jack just enough to take the weight off the truck. I do baby my truck more than most though. I agree with others its probably not necessary short term. I do tape a note to my steering wheel reminding me to raise the jack again.

RogerR · 05-23-2021, 05:07 PM

I drop the tongue jack to stabilize the Rv for a better nights sleep. Static load is nothing compared to the bouncing down the road.

Check that you are not using the car/truck battery to service the camper. I woke up to a dead car battery years ago and was not happy camper.

16WhiteColly · 05-23-2021, 06:58 PM

The only time I have left the trailer hooked to the truck, is if I get to the site and cannot unhook because of the weather, or know it will be bad weather the day I have to leave, but I do put the tongue jack down and I do unhook the 7 way plug. If not, you will blow some truck fuses when hooking up to shore power from the back feed.

You may also like: