Backing up a Gen Trailer

[Michda]

Why not make an extension bar to be placed between tractor and generator.

 

[Paul McILwain]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

 

[Paul McILwain]

Put a trailer ball on front of the tractor or loader! Much easier going forward

 

[bdhsfz6]

I put a 12" caster wheel on the trailer tongue of my 12.5KW Baumalight generator. I just un hitch it from the tractor and push it back into it's storage position by hand. The genny isn't that heavy so it's easy to do. I reverse the process when hooking it up. No backing with the tractor required.

 

[jdmeth]

I would think the only difference to having the pivot point in front as opposed to the rear is that you can see when it goes crooked. Either way it is a matter of making it go in the correct direction.
I think workinonit has the best advice, practice till you can do it easily. You cannot just swap ends every time you want to back it up. If you can pull it out of a slot you can put it back in the slot the same way.

The difference is you can swing the front quickly when you steer the front tires.

 

[Eebbee]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

Had a similar issue. I simply rigged an extension (piece of 2x4 steel tube) that slid over the pull bar of the generator and secured with a pin which made for easy removal. When I reached the trailer position I would remove the extension and back up to the trailer and connect it.
Other possibility depending on your barn layout could be to pass the electric wire to a location where you can drive along the building.

 

[Rockbadchild]

electric trailer dolly

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

Got forks?

RbhAuto Clamp On Forklift Trailer Hitch Attachment 2" Receiver Trailer Towing Adapter with Chain https://a.co/d/1Fxid9J

 

[FHTM_JK]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

!) Practice until you get the hang of it. Short trailers and short tractors are difficult, but not impossible, to back up. Just takes practice, like anything else.
2) That being said, I have a receiver hitch on the front of my tractor because it's many magnitudes easier to spot a trailer when it's out in front of you and the steer wheels are at the attachment end of the trailer.

 

[bcp]

I think it was on TBN years ago, someone placed their pto generator in the front corner of their garage. When needed, a little door was opened to admit the PTO shaft. Generator stayed inside. Tractor stayed outside, and the generator never had to be backed into storage.

Bruce

 

[Alan46]

I learned how to backup my brides lawn tractor and small utility trailer by doing it.
If you can do that, you can back up anything!
Just sayin. Just practice!

 

[charlessenf]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

Have you tried mounting a ball on your FEL bucket and pushing it (GEN) into the barn?

 

[charlessenf]

garage. Generator stayed inside.

See Oh One in the house?

 

[Shady oak]

There is no such thing as a trailer that can’t be backed up. Like the posts above practice practice practice, plus very gentle hands!

 

[Flogger]

I have ball mounts on my loader tractor and both SxS's. Pushing a trailer into storage allows a much better option and I can squeeze them in tight when they are fully visible in front of me.

 

[Teachu2]

I use one of these https://www.amazon.com/7BLACKSMITHS...efix=tractor+bucket+ball+mount,aps,198&sr=8-5

I have a Miller Bobcat welder/generator mounted on a very small HF trailer 1090 lb. Capacity 40-1/2 in x 48 in Utility Trailer that I park in a single bay garage space. I clamp the hitch offset so I can see the trailer easier, makes it very easy to push it in where it needs to be. Mounted a 1000 lb. Swing-Away Trailer Jack on it, so it's easy to hand push into final spot, once it's into the garage. I store the welder and my log splitter side by side.

 

[bdhsfz6]

The neighboring farm has an 18KW trailer mounted PTO generator. They use an adapter to put forks on the 3pt hitch. They just pick up the trailer with the forks and set it wherever they want. It's rigged with a PTO driveshaft so the genny can be used while its on the forks. Makes a great portable power supply.

 

[WinterDeere]

I spend all summer backing my boat trailers down ramps, and then all winter backing a steerable two-axle wagon (eg. small hay wagon) around a tight 90 bend onto a patio. The boat trailers are like any other, you simply reverse steer in your mind to push the trailer the way you want, pretty simple. The wagon adds a second pivot point, so that you must reverse the "reverse" again, which is somehow even more confusing.



Whereas I was previously to the point where I could do a slalom course in reverse with any regular boat or landscape trailer, so many hundreds of times backing up this little hay wagon with "double-reversed" steering, has me looking at least a little less expert each spring at the boat ramp.
That said, after once or twice with each trailer type, your muscle memory recovers, your brain re-recognizes the patterns it once knew.

One thing I haven't seen pointed out is that, when working with a steerable trailer like my wagon above, or even a very short trailer, it can help to have a very long drawbar on the back of the tractor. I mounted a ball hitch receiver on the back of my ballast box this reason, getting that ball far enough aft of the rear axle to have some swing. It's the same theory mentioned by a few others above, with putting the ball out front, you need some swing between your pivot (axle) and the ball to effect a satisfactory change in direction with a small movement of your front wheels.

 

[bcp]

I think it was on TBN years ago, someone placed their pto generator in the front corner of their garage. When needed, a little door was opened to admit the PTO shaft. Generator stayed inside. Tractor stayed outside, and the generator never had to be backed into storage.

Bruce

Found it.

PTO generator


Missing photos:


Bruce

 

[just_Dave]

Can you see it? if you can't see the trailer you will never succeed. My boat trailer with no boat is hard to back up with the truck as I can't see it.
You just need to slow down... When your backing up. Don't be afraid to pull forward to straighten everything out at the slightest point of going wrong... there will be times you CAN'T save it. With a short trailer you need to correct almost immediately and sometimes even before hand, I went L 5 feet so I need R for 5 feet, to keep it going correctly. A lot depends on the thing backing it up and it's wheelbase as well.
Also watch how the tractor moves when you spin the steering wheel Even that movement might impact the way the trailer is going to move the next few feet causing you issues. I know some steering setups push the machine the opposite direction to start with.