Trailer-Tug Accessories Explained: Stabilizer, Handle Extension and Hitch Ball

The Trailer-Tug 3.0 arrives ready to move a trailer once you add a hitch ball. Everything else is optional. The accessories we sell each fix a specific problem: a hitch that tips, a handle that feels short on a big trailer, or a coupler that needs a particular ball size. If none of those problems sounds familiar, you probably don't need them. If one does, here is what each part does and how to tell whether it belongs in your setup.

Start here: the hitch ball

This is the one add-on almost every owner needs. The Trailer-Tug 3.0 and the Monster-Tug ship without a ball so you can match it to your trailer's coupler. Both accept any ball with a 1-inch diameter shank.

Check the size stamped on your coupler, then pick a ball to match. Our 2" Hitch Ball has a 1-inch shank with a 2-3/4" shank length, which fits the dolly's mount. If your coupler takes a different size, any ball with a 1-inch shank will work.

Stabilizer: for hitches that want to tip

No two trailer couplers sit quite the same on a ball. On some setups, the dolly can lean or rock as you start, stop and turn. The Stabilizer sits between the hitch ball and the ball mount and adjusts to your particular setup to stop tipping.

Signs you may want one

• The dolly leans to one side once the coupler is latched on the ball.
• You feel the hitch rock as you change direction.
• You move more than one trailer and the fit feels different on each.

If your coupler sits square and steady on the ball, you may never need it. Setup steps are in the Stabilizer user guide on our Instructions / Specifications page.

12" Handle Extension: more reach on larger trailers

The 12" Handle Extension adds a foot of length to the Trailer-Tug handle. A longer handle gives you more leverage when steering, and it puts a little more distance between you and the trailer tongue.

Installation takes no tools. You remove the current handle, put the extension's pin through the frame, then bolt your original handle on top of the extension.

It is worth considering if you move a long camper, toy hauler or boat, or if you are taller and find the stock handle low. More leverage helps with steering, but it doesn't change the job itself. Larger and tandem-axle trailers still take real effort, and a helper is still a good idea for big turns.

The listing describes the extension for the Trailer-Tug. If you own a Monster-Tug, contact us before ordering to confirm fit.

Use any setup the right way

Accessories improve fit and comfort. They don't change what a manual dolly is designed for. A few rules apply no matter what you add:

• Level ground only. Don't use a manual dolly on inclines or declines.
• Know what the brakes do. The hold brakes keep a stopped trailer in place. They are not designed to stop a trailer that is already rolling.
• Back up with the bumper. When pushing back into a trailer, use the rear rubber bumper to keep weight on the rear wheels. Don't pull the handle toward you while pushing back.
• Stay within the rating. The Trailer-Tug 3.0 is rated for up to 3,500 lbs of tongue weight on hard surfaces; the Monster-Tug for up to 1,200 lbs on gravel, dirt and grass. A rating is a limit, not a promise that one person can move every trailer.
• Chock the wheels once the trailer is parked.

Quick reference

• Need a ball? Any ball with a 1-inch shank, sized to your coupler, such as the 2" Hitch Ball.
• Hitch tips or rocks? The Stabilizer.
• Want more reach and leverage? The 12" Handle Extension.

Not sure which dolly fits your trailer in the first place? Our guide to choosing a trailer dolly by surface walks through it. Questions about a specific setup? Get in touch and tell us your trailer type and coupler size.