Backing up a trailer

[sandman2234]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know short trailers are harder to back up, but those 53 footers can be a chore sometimes, going forward or backwards. Like the man said, practice...
David from jax

 

[George2615]

If you could mount a ball on your 3pt instead of the drawbar you would be able to back up a little easier. Better yet would be to extend the trailer tongue. The longer the trailer tongue on your 4x6 the easier it would be to back up.

 

[beenthere]

+1 on this idea, and go twice as slow as you think you should.

I have also laid a 6' rod across the back of the trailer so I could see the ends in the truck mirrors.
....QUOTE]

This technique is a good one to learn...backing up looking in the mirror. With practice, it is fairly easy to do. Just needing to look back for any obstructions, like buildings that need to be missed or aligned with. That right hand mirror (objects are closer than you think) is a pain.
I don't "memorize" righty/lefty motion on the steering wheel. Just look and go, as it is soon apparent which way is the wrong way. But whatever works. I think practice makes backing up intuitive, and not mechanical.

 

[charlz]

Use this old trick: Steer from the bottom of your steering wheel. IE, you want the trailer to go left, move the bottom of the steering wheel to the left. Our brains don't work well having to reverse think!!

Weedpharma

I will have to try that. I kind have the bad habit of looking back instead of using the mirrors... looking back is fine until you have a big enough trailer or load that you have to use the mirrors and then everything seems backwards

The worst trailers I ever tried to back up were the Ground Support Equipment we used on the planes in the Corps. Short, axles at each end like a wagon, the front one swiveled... but we had pintle hitches so those turned as well. Trying to back up something with a double swivel points took some serious practice :confused2:

 

[buck12]

I use the ultimate cheat. I have a receiver hitch on my FEL and move my trailers all over with it. Easy to control the 18' and 10' trailer.

 

[doall]

If you do jack knife it just don't start forward too fast and let the trailer end up on top of you.(catch on tire treads)

 

[cycle_gator]

If you do jack knife it just don't start forward too fast and let the trailer end up on top of you.(catch on tire treads)

Duh-ohhh!:ashamed:So that is what happened to me. I wondered how it attached itself to the ROPS.

 

[doall]

Duh-ohhh!:ashamed:So that is what happened to me. I wondered how it attached itself to the ROPS.

ha ha it has happened

 

[Wooddust]

I use the ultimate cheat. I have a receiver hitch on my FEL and move my trailers all over with it. Easy to control the 18' and 10' trailer.

Bingo, we have a winner. Makes a 4 wheel trailer a lot simpler as well

 

[3BPercherons]

But if you're determined to bring your 3 pt hitch into play, why not just rig it to lift the trailer wheels off the ground and carry the trailer like an implement?