A weight sensor can be located either on the trailer side or the vehicle side. An electric actuator slide moves forward to raise a load sensor sandwiched between an actuator block and a contact block, through an opening in the bottom of a tube and into contact with a force transfer bar, to load the sensor for determining the weight loaded on it.

A weight sensor can be located either on the trailer side or the vehicle side. An electric actuator slide moves forward to raise a load sensor sandwiched between an actuator block and a contact block, through an opening in the bottom of a tube and into contact with a force transfer bar, to load the sensor for determining the weight loaded on it.

A trailer retainer assembly having a riser section extending above a ball mount area and a retainer member arranged to move along the riser section from an upper position to a lower position; wherein when the retainer member is placed in a lower position it at least partially covers the ball mount area such that a trailer coupler secured to the ball mount area is retained by the retainer member.

A trailer retainer assembly having a riser section extending above a ball mount area and a retainer member arranged to move along the riser section from an upper position to a lower position; wherein when the retainer member is placed in a lower position it at least partially covers the ball mount area such that a trailer coupler secured to the ball mount area is retained by the retainer member.

A silencer assembly for trailer hitches and a method of use thereof. The silencer assembly includes a sheet of material that is durable, abrasion-resistant, wear-resistant, ultra-violet light resistant, and sound dampening. An adhesive is applied to a bottom surface of the sheet which is then placed on a portion of the drawbar that is selectively receivable in a bore of receiver tube of the trailer hitch. The adhesive fixedly secures the sheet to the drawbar. The drawbar is inserted into the receiver bore. The sheet occupies part of a gap defined between an exterior surface of the drawbar and an interior surface of the receiver tube reducing relative movement between the drawbar and the receiver tube, and thereby reducing rattling noises. An additional sheet of material and one or more shims may be used to further reduce the gap between the drawbar and receiver tube, and thereby further reduce rattling.

A silencer assembly for trailer hitches and a method of use thereof. The silencer assembly includes a sheet of material that is durable, abrasion-resistant, wear-resistant, ultra-violet light resistant, and sound dampening. An adhesive is applied to a bottom surface of the sheet which is then placed on a portion of the drawbar that is selectively receivable in a bore of receiver tube of the trailer hitch. The adhesive fixedly secures the sheet to the drawbar. The drawbar is inserted into the receiver bore. The sheet occupies part of a gap defined between an exterior surface of the drawbar and an interior surface of the receiver tube reducing relative movement between the drawbar and the receiver tube, and thereby reducing rattling noises. An additional sheet of material and one or more shims may be used to further reduce the gap between the drawbar and receiver tube, and thereby further reduce rattling.

A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can include a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer. The ball mount can also include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. In addition, the ball mount can include a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball. The load measurement device can include a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir. The hitch ball can be configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.

A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can include a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer. The ball mount can also include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. In addition, the ball mount can include a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball. The load measurement device can include a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir. The hitch ball can be configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.

To improve a trailer device for a motor vehicle, comprising a holding unit for a crossmember mountable on a vehicle body on the rear-end side thereof and a ball neck receiving body having a ball neck receptacle, into which an insertion portion of a ball neck carrying a coupling ball is insertable and fixable, wherein the ball neck receiving body is arranged mounted on the holding unit so as to be pivotable at least between a working position, in which a ball neck is insertable by means of its insertion portion into the ball neck receptacle, and a rest position, it is proposed that the trailer device comprises a drive, which is coupled to the ball neck receiving body by means of a coupling unit which has a freewheel and which in particular comprises a plurality of coupling elements.

A vehicular trailering assist system includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle. With a trailer hitched to the vehicle at a hitch ball of the vehicle, the camera views at least a portion of the trailer. An electronic control unit includes an image processor operable to process frames of image data captured by the camera. With the trailer hitched to the vehicle at the hitch ball of the vehicle, the vehicular trailering assist system determines trailer feature points via image processing of image data captured by the camera, and determines respective perpendicular bisectors of respective line segments extending between the determined trailer feature points in respective frames of captured image data while the vehicle tows the trailer and turns. The vehicular trailering assist system determines a location of the hitch ball based at least in part on an intersection point of the determined perpendicular bisectors.