How to back up a pivoting axle trailer

[Eebbee]

First, stop using the 3 pt drawbar for pulling trailers, there is mo down pressure on the 3ph other than the tongue weight. It is a good way to get into trouble. Use the fixed drawbar attached to the under belly of the transaxle—this can not raise up.
Second find an opened area and get some flags—the ones on a thin wire. Then practice practice practice. Then practice some more. You must think in a different way from backing up a trailer when backing up a wagon.

Hi,
Not using the 3-point...using the draw bar. I was asking if I should use the 3-point arms to keep the tongue perpendicular to the tractor, making the wagon pivot the only pivoting point.

 

[MossRoad]

Hi,
Not using the 3-point...using the draw bar. I was asking if I should use the 3-point arms to keep the tongue perpendicular to the tractor, making the wagon pivot the only pivoting point.

Ahhh, like locking the tow bar so it can't pivot at the draw bar pin?

 

[Eebbee]

Hello Eebbee. Look on youtube: Truck and trailer reversing in a straight line training video.
Ignore the right hand drive. the principals shown are what matter.
NOTE the small(1/2 turn of steering wheel) corrections. Also, NOTE how he lined up FIRST, then started to reverse.
This driver is very good, he makes it look way easier than it is.
Make sure you are straight BEFORE you start reversing, setup very important.

If your tractor does not have mirrors, then think about getting a pair. Set them wide so you can see the sides of the load. If you are reversing into dark sheds, I reccomend you mount a spot light above the mirror to illuminate the mirrors feild of vision like the trucks do.
Lastly, your wagon has a drawbar that is a similar length as the wheel-base. This is a difficult combination to reverse as the body can out turn the drawbar. Best combination is for the wheel-base to be 1.5(or greater) X length of wagon drawbar See post 31 to see a good reversing wagon. The wheel-base is approx 2 X the drawbar length.
Be patient, as it takes practice.
Good Luck

Thank you
Very useful information

 

[Eebbee]

Ahhh, like locking the tow bar so it can't pivot at the draw bar pin?

Yes Exactly

 

[aircommuter]

It’s just like a transfer truck TRAILER. Just as those guys who do it everyday, a good driver can invert the trailer so the truck and trailer are side by side. That’s for areas without enough turn around space.

 

[Gord Baker]

On the farm we used to back a Wagon (what you have) full of hay or sheaves of wheat sometimes up a Barn Bridge. Do NOT mess with the tongue. It is an Operator problem. Get a big area to play in and move s l o w l y. Thing about what happens when you angle the tongue. If using a pickup, turn the steering wheel quickly. Playing with a kids wagon may help understand the physics of it.

 

[copierguy710]

I just got an utility trailer with two axles. The front axle pivots.
The tongue is A-Frame. It looks just like the photo attached.
While I am normally pretty good at backing up trailers -without pivoting axles- I find this one is just about impossible to back up. I don't know if it's because the tongue is too short or if it is the double pivot point that screws me up.

So for those of you whom own one of these how do you back them up?
Do I need to lengthen the tongue?DO I need to rig it so I can tie the 3-points lower arms to the tongue or do I need to fit something to lock the tongue at the 0 degree position when backing up?

Thanks in advance.


View attachment 849621

Just steer like you are going forward, kind of an acquired taste…

 

[QRTRHRS]

I set myself up for a backup by my approach so that my wagon and tow vehicle are straight as I can get it prior to reversing. For me, it's easier to use a tow vehicle with mirrors than the drawbar on a tractor where I have to twist my body around to see where I am going. Like others have suggested, I learned to clamp a drawbar onto my loader bucket.

This thread reminded me about back when I was pulling doubles. There are times when you have to "manhandle" a dolly or "jiffster" by hand. With dual wheels, they are heavy. Then one day there was one with super singles that I thought that I would try. It moved so fast it liked to run me over. I thought wow, this is great. That was until I went to back up. Not being able to see the dolly tires made backing just that much more of a challenge.

 

[kent5757]

When I was a young lad, the annual 4H fair had a competition for backing a wagon into a spot. It was always a very long afternoon.

 

[Kevin Underwood]

I just got an utility trailer with two axles. The front axle pivots.
The tongue is A-Frame. It looks just like the photo attached.
While I am normally pretty good at backing up trailers -without pivoting axles- I find this one is just about impossible to back up. I don't know if it's because the tongue is too short or if it is the double pivot point that screws me up.

So for those of you whom own one of these how do you back them up?
Do I need to lengthen the tongue?DO I need to rig it so I can tie the 3-points lower arms to the tongue or do I need to fit something to lock the tongue at the 0 degree position when backing up?

Thanks in advance.


View attachment 849621

I always had much better luck pushing the trailer with the front of the tractor either with a tab welded to the brush guard or a ball mount. Providing fast response with steering axle to steering axle. Much more maneuverable.