System and method for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle

A trailer hitch system for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle, said trailer hitch system comprising:

• a shank attachable to said trailer, said shank having a nose at a terminal end of the shank and a mid-shank extending in a substantially horizontal direction immediately adjacent to the nose, said nose and mid-shank being configured to be received in a receiver attachable to said tow vehicle, and a vertical adjustment extending in a substantially vertical direction;
• a depth stop adjustably connected to the mid-shank and configured to abut said receiver, to limit a depth said shank extends within said receiver, wherein said depth stop is a collar that is adjustably coupled to the mid-shank enabling the depth stop to change position with respect to the mid-shank;
• and
• wherein said mid-shank includes a step reduction having a corner which decreases a cross-sectional area of the mid-shank immediately adjacent to the nose and wherein the mid-shank includes at least two alignment indicators provided on at least two respective external surfaces of the mid-shank, each of the at least two alignment indicators extending along the mid-shank in a substantially horizontal direction, and wherein at least one of the alignment indicators is a color that is different than a color of the mid-shank.

A trailer hitch system for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle, said trailer hitch system comprising:

• a shank attachable to said trailer, said shank having a nose at a terminal end of the shank and a mid-shank extending in a substantially horizontal direction immediately adjacent to the nose, said nose and mid-shank being configured to be received in a receiver attachable to said tow vehicle;
• a depth stop connected to the shank and configured to abut said receiver to limit a depth said shank extends within said receiver;
• wherein said mid-shank includes a step reduction having a corner which decreases a cross-sectional area of the mid-shank immediately adjacent to the nose and an alignment indicator on an external surface of the shank configured to provide a visual indicator of the orientation of the shank to a back-up camera of the tow vehicle;
• wherein the nose is configured to reduce in cross-sectional area toward the terminal end of the shank, and wherein the alignment indicator is a color that is different than a color of the nose.

A trailer hitch system for attaching a trailer to a tow vehicle, said trailer hitch system comprising:

• a shank attachable to said trailer, said shank having a nose at a terminal end of the shank and a mid-shank having a length and extending in a substantially horizontal direction immediately adjacent to the nose, said nose and mid-shank being configured to be received in a receiver attachable to said tow vehicle, wherein the mid-shank includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces;
• and
• at least two alignment indicators, including a first alignment indicator extending along at least a portion of a top external-facing surface and at least a second alignment indicator extending along at least a portion of a side external surface of the mid-shank, each of the at least two alignment indicators extending in a substantially horizontal direction to provide a visual indicator of the orientation of the shank to a back-up camera of the tow vehicle;
• wherein the at least two alignment indicators are a color that is different than a color of the nose.