Do You Block The Trailer Rear End Before Loading?

s219 · Apr 14, 2015

I always blocked the back of my trailer when I was towing behind my old SUV, which was fairly light. Carried a couple chunks of 6x6 around for that and general rigging work. With my truck, which is a heck of a lot heavier, it's not so much of an issue and I don't block. But I would do it it if loading a heavier tractor. With a long trailer, it doesn't take a whole lot of dip in the rear to raise the tongue up. Probably about a 2:1 or 3:1 seesaw there.

And don't forget the parking brake of most all vehicles is on the back end. I remember reading a story here about someone who lifted the back end of their truck off the ground when driving a tractor onto their trailer, which in turn caused the truck and trailer to start rolling forward. Bet that was a eye opener! Good reminder to chock the trailer tires.

PILOON · Apr 14, 2015

All I can say is that if your PU rear end is in the air you are doing something wrong.
OK, if the loading area is perfectly flat you'll get away with it.
So simple to add a few blocks under the trailer rear and avoid troubles.
In a perfect world you would have 2 tongue jacks at each rear corner or some other device to to prop that trailer while loading.

grsthegreat · Apr 14, 2015

on my old trailer i added 2 swivel jacks to rear of trailer. beats the heck out of blocks. made a big difference. My new trailer is a tilt bed, so no longer any issues.

GManBart · Apr 15, 2015

Utopia Texas said:
Am I being a girly man about this?

Pretty sure that's just being smart! It may not be necessary for lighter loads, but it's sure not going to hurt anything. The big thing I see is people forgetting to set the parking brake on automatics when they load their trailers. That can put quite a load on a pretty small piece of metal in an automatic transmission.

Diamondpilot · Apr 15, 2015

One other thing I have learned messing with boats for the last 30 years is if you have 4x4 use it! By doing so when you shift into Park (P) it now locks up not only the rear axle but the front also.

I bet I have seen 15 4x4 trucks and SUV's end up in the drink launching, not retrieving, boats. When I ask why did you use the 4x4 they all say the same thing, "don't need it to put the boat in".

Chris

ozob2k · Apr 16, 2015

I put the truck in four wheel low. Put on the parking brake. And I have a toggle switch to power the trailer brakes independent of the controller. Don't usually put a block under the back since it usually gets stuck and I don't like driving the trailer off the block. Have a soft suspension.