The trailer towing thread...

[dbhost]

Okay guys and gals. I have started a new thread to try to not hijack the movin on up thread...

On the issue of backing a trailer. I totally agree. For me at least, if I can see the trailer, it is WAY easier to back up. One of the trailers I have towed was the boat trailer for a friend's boat, and the thing, empty couldn't be seen over the tailgate, and by the time you could see it in the mirrors it was almost sideways. He had the pins on the corners for the PVC pipes but he never used them. So when I would haul the boat to the launch, (he had the boat, but a puny little Nissan so called truck, I had the truck that actually had a chance of moving the boat...), I insisted on carrying the poles with us, and dropping them onto the pins when I backed the trailer up. They are 6' poles and make it MUCH easier to see exactly where the trailer is both from backing the truck perspective, as well as driving the boat onto it...

[Pappy]

For a number of years I drove 5,000 gal tanker trucks on the airfields that doubled as nurse trucks at a crash scene and runway foamers. Part of my responsibility was to train the younger troops to drive them and always claimed I could teach anyone to handle them well. Then I met SSgt Maxey. He wanteed his TT license even though he didn't need it. After over 20 hours on the tarmac and multiple jack knifed attempts, I told him to forget it. His brain just wasn't wired right to grasp the concept.

I'll reemphasize the need to be able to see the rear of the trailer. The verticle poles on the rear corners of a low trailer is a great idea.

A couple of pointers on backing.

First the longer the trailer, the easier it is to back because it reacts slower to changes in direction. To learn, borrow or rent a small trailer for a day of dedicated practice.

Second, learn to back with your outside mirrors. With a camper or a high load you can't see both sides, or sometimes either side, of the trailer by turning around and looking over your shoulder. Ignore the inside rearview mirror when you are practicing. If you have to, cover the mirror or the rear window to force yourself to use the outside mirrors.

Third, back slow and keep all corrections as minimal as possible. Over steering will cause the trailer to turn too quickly and make it difficult to staighten back out.

My forth, and most important tip is hand position on the wheel. To move the trailer to the left, the steering wheel is turned to the right. Too eliminate having to think about which way to steer, put your hand at the 6 o'clock position. If you want the trailer to turn left, move your hand to the left. To go right, move your hand to the right. If you are making a sharp turn, use your free hand to steady the wheel and keep sliding your steering hand back to 6 o'clock.

Last, in tight spaces, use a back up assistant but NEVER trust them totally. Keep checking your mirrors. Tell them to point the direction you need to move the rear of the trailer to clear obstacles, not to not to circle their hand to tell you which way to turn. They can also indicate remaining clearance, or stopping point by holding their hands palms in and closing them together as you approach the obstacle or stopping point. The proper way to signal a full stop is with the forearms vertical and crossed with both hands in a fist.

[cork58]

Allot of people up here have a tow hitch on the front of their trucks so they can see what is going on. I never see them around lakes, just the rivers. Never had one myself and no longer fish the rivers since they got so crowded. I use my Escape to haul/tow it around and if I need to I open the hatch. You could probably drop the tailgate for more visibility too but the PVC pipe is allot easier.

[JimD]

I can see my utility trailer in the side mirrors but only when it is angled a little. Seems like I tried poles on it and it didn't help a lot but maybe I need to try that again.

Thanks Pappy for the "use the mirrors" tips. I'll try putting my hand at the bottom of the wheel - 6 o'clock position - next time. Maybe it will help. I think it is mostly just getting myself to do it. I normally get frustrated and turn around. The utility trailer is light enough sometimes I just pick it up and put it where it needs to go. I need to stop doing that too, I'm not getting any younger and it is still way over my 100lb "limit".

Jim

[sweensdv]

When backing up a small boat or utility trailer with a pick-up truck, it makes it much easier to see if you lower the tailgate. Raising the rear door on an SUV accomplishes the same thing.

[gsmittle]

The proper way to signal a full stop is with the forearms vertical and crossed with both hands in a fist.

My family and I called this the "Aiee!!" position, as in "You're gonna hit something if you don't stop NOW!"

I find the little convex "spot" mirrors help, too. That and lots and lots and lots of practice. If you think you're real good, try parallel parking your rig.

g.

[Tom Slick]

Great advise posted!

Never trust anyone else to hook up the trailer correctly. Always give it a double check.

I once towed a B-1b bomber's jet engine on a trailer out of the shop, across the street and down a hill with an open pintle hitch. The gate guard noticed the open hitch. I was driving the tug another guy hitched the engine trailer. After that I double check my own work every time.

[LCHIEN]

i backed up the empty trailer today onto the boat ramp to get my friend's boat out.
The ramp was short and steep, when the trailer is empty there's not much to see, and unloaded trailers tend to jacknife real easy as they turn very quickly. Further the SUV was on the flat while the trailer disappeared down the slope makeing it even harder to see.
When faced with this problem, I open the rear hatch door so i can see the trailer. When I back up his SUV to hook up another friend's trailer, I open the hatch in the back and I can actually see the ball and the trailer hitch so I can line them up pretty much without getting out or relying on a 3rd person whose idea of indicating distance is to hold his hands way apart for the first three feet, then suddenly drop them to an inch apart when its too late.

Being able to back up a trailer reliably to the garage or the boat ramp makes one a better fishing partner! You get invited more often!

[gerti]

As a kid I worked for a few years on the farm. Backing of the single-axle trailers became second nature. Backing of the two-axle A-frame trailers where the front axle steers was a lot trickier, but doable. Backing of two of those at the same time however was almost impossible.

[cabinetman]

For a number of years I drove 5,0000 gal tanker trucks on the airfields that doubled as nurse trucks at a crash scene and runway foamers.

How many gallons?

.

[cabinetman]

I find the little convex "spot" mirrors help, too. That and lots and lots and lots of practice. If you think you're real good, try parallel parking your rig.

g.

Those convex mirrors can make the distance perspective difficult to judge. I also don't like the passenger mirror that has the optics of "objects may be closer than they appear". The outside mirrors I put on my tow vehicle were just mirrors without all the hoopla. I like seeing things as they are.

.

[iceman61]

Thanks Pappy for the pointers.
I have a 16ft dual axle utility trailer that I can back into place with pin point accuracy, looking over the seat straight out my back window. Now I also have a 16ft dual axle enclose "workshop" trailer that I quickly learned I have to use my mirrors for. I still haven't gotten the hang of it but I'll use your pointers to help me out. Until lately it's always been just as easy to get one of my workers to back it up but has been getting to be kinda embarrasing...lol

[Pappy]

How many gallons?

.

OOPS! 5,000 gal. Took out the extra '0'.

[JimD]

One of my main backing chores is getting the boat or utility trailer down my extra driveway towards my shop garage. My boat stays adjacent to the shop under the screened porch. Because the shop garage is in the basement, it is downhill. So when I back the trailer onto the driveway it has to go up the curb, becoming hard to see because it is so high, then it is OK, then the SUV goes up over the curb and I can't see squat again, then the SUV is on the driveway and I am OK. Throughout this process, the view is better using the side mirrors. This is one of several reasons I WILL learn to back that way.

Jim

[iceman61]

Jim, I couldn't agree with you more about using the mirrors. I wished that I had started out using them instead of throwing my arm over the seat and turning around to watch the trailer. I am now exclusively using the side mirrors. My "surrogate trailer-backer-upper has been bannished to giving directions from the back of the trailer...and laughing at me while I make backing attempts.