Backing up a trailer

[clemsonfor]

+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.

I dont remember the ways with out thinking about it now but that is how i learned had at the bottom of the wheel and move it the way i wanted the back of the trailer to go. now i just do it either looking in the mirror or turning back, or looking out the window and having a tire follow say a curb or the edge of the boat ramp, esp if the boat is big like a pontoon that all you see behind you is a boat.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

practice is the answer, as many have said. If you think about it, it makes it harder to do. :laughing: I find it easiest to just watch the trailer, and my hands just kind of does the rest.
Backing a 4 wheel wagon, now that is a lot harder.

 

[D7E]

I think any kind of trailer is easier the longer they are and a longer hitch helps too . Like our semi trailers on 5th wheel converters , the 40 footers are much better than 20-30ft and have 10ft hitches on them . A 2wd tractor is handier too, quicker to compensate and better lock .

 

[pitt_md]

Don't think you want to do that.

Practice, practice, makes ........

Then when you have that down, try a 4 wheel wagon.
Then after that, a four wheel wagon behind a two-wheel chopper or baler.

Then, this same rig 200 yards down a narrow fenced lane that has no gate at the end, with a JD G with hand clutch and no power steering. And it was a hot day too.

For some reason when I was a kid back on my parents farm I would get elected to back the hay wagons up to the barn/hay elevator. Best way I found was to back up till it started to go off course, go ahead a little get it straight and back up some more.

 

[flusher]

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.

Me too. I welded a pair of 3/4" bolts to the top of the FEL bucket to attach a 2" receiver. Makes it easy to move implements like my 11-ft wide grain drill on steel wheels when putting it in the shed.

 

[dstig1]

Key distance is a ratio: The shorter the tow vehicle, and the longer the trailer, the easier it is. And of course, vice versa. The key distances in this ratio are from the steering axle (front) of the tow vehicle to the hitch ball, and then from the hitch ball to the trailer axle (not sure how that translates for dual/triple axles...). I have wondered if there is some "magic ratio" that you really want to be beyond where it starts to become much easier, but I have not seen anything like that published.

 

[AHNC]

Put your hand at the bottom of the wheel and turn it the way you want to go....of course, then you have tomake a few minor corrections.

I have an 8x18' trailer I use at work. If I haven't driven it for a while, wherever I take it I park and go in and get everyone and tell them that if they want to see something funny they shoould come out and watch me try to put the trailer where it is supposed to go. If I've been driving it regular...then, Bob's you Uncle!

 

[milkman]

I have a 4 wheel wagon and getting it straight with where I want to back it makes it a lot easier. It's a lot easier to back with it hooked to the drawbar on the TPH than it is from the regular drawbar. Backing the old farm wagon with a short tongue using the old B JD with no power steering and the hand clutch was quite a chore.

 

[czechsonofagun]

My wife will take the trailer sometimes if she really needs something and I am overseas or what not. But she will only go forward with it

 

[lucky llama]

You can practice practice practice and it still ain't easy with the set up you discribed. FEL mounted hitch is much simplier.