backing up a wagon

[qwerty123]

I'm clueless on how to backup a wagon. I'm referring to the 4 wheel type that uses a front steering mechanism similar to a hay wagon. What's the secret? I cannot seem to back up straight without the front wheels turning. Once the front wheels turn, no correction seems to help. Backing up a wagon is nothing like backing up a trailer. Any suggestions?

 

[vsteel]

It takes a lot of practice and you don't turn the wheels very much when trying to back up. I can't do it really far but I can do ok, but I have watched my father back up the hay wagon lots of times and that is the advice he told me. He is very good at it.

 

[Bird]

Backing one 4-wheeled wagon is easy; two or more in a train gets tough for most of us. I can remember being fascinated by a couple of the mail handlers in the Dallas Post Office in the early 60s who could back a train of 3 and I could never figure out how they could do it.

As with many things, I guess the best advice is practice, practice, practice. When you start to back a wagon, go very, very slowly at first, and mentally think about which way you would move the tongue if you had it in your hand; i.e., if is were light enough to do manually. Then steer your tractor or truck to move the wagon tongue in that direction.

 

[zionview]

When I was young, Dad told me to follow the wagon and don't oversteer. Then he had me back an 18' load of hay into a stall in the hay barn that was 9' wide during a thunderstorm! Begin by turning the tractor wheels the direction you want the wagon to go. As soon as the wagon starts to turn that way, turn the tractor wheels the other way and begin to follow the wagon, making slight adjustments to steer the wagon where you want it to go. Practice, practice, practice. And preferably, in dry weather!

 

[mjarrels]

Thats why I have a hitch on the front bumper of the ford tractor... much easier to push than to backup.

mark

 

[atgreene]

You need to turn the wheel the way you want the wagon to go, not the oposite like with a conventional trailer, and follow it through, don't over steer. It takes some practice, you essentially need to re-learn backing a trailer as everything is done in reverse.

Good luck!

 

[zzvyb6]

Easier if you have separate left and right brakes to correct the tractor position. Backing a baler with a hay wagon on it is the best challenge I've ever had. Going VERY slow is the bast advice.

Also practice makes perfect. Practice before you really need to do it, then impress your friends.....

 

[RollTideRam]

I watched my wifes Grandpaw do it with a front hitch on his MF. JC

 

[AlanB]

I had to do it with the front hitch, one wagon at a time.

My FIL and BIL's all thought it was the most hilarious thing to watch me try and put the farm trailers in the barn one at a time.

My FIL would stand on the steps of the big tractor with me driving (he stuck his hand in a running thresher so had 4 badly mangled fingers) holding his broke hand in the air tell me "ruckverts langsam" (backwards slow) and steer the trailers into the barn. Train of three at a time.

I never did get it, but I think it came from doing it since the 40's or early 50's. or My BIL's since they were about 7 or 8 (stand in the seat, another brother would clutch and shift)

 

[Egon]

It's much easier with a pair of horses hitched to the wagon.