Using PT to turn tandem trailer in place

[tracdoc]

Perhaps I should be posting this in a more general area, but since I will be using my PT for this chore, I thought I would start off by soliciting input from fellow PTers.

I will soon be needing to turn my 22’ enclosed tandem axle trailer in place. Basically, I will be going forward down a l-o-n-g, narrow driveway. At the garage end, I can un-hitch the tow truck. Then I will need to turn the trailer around, so I can re-hitch later and head out again. There is enough room so I can pass the trailer with the tow vehicle after it’s turned around in order to re-hitch it.

Since it’s a tandem, it will not pivot easily like a single axle trailer. I did find one method {HERE} I was wondering what other have done. Someone told me to remove one wheel on the inside radius. That seems like it would work, but somewhat of a “PIA” as I need to do this not infrequently. Someone else had suggested (without any actual experience) that I roll the trailer wheels onto plywood sheets, and then turn the trailer in place with the wheels on the sheets. The reasoning was that there would be less friction on the plywood than on the asphalt driveway. I may need something like a so-called “lazy susan” with ball bearings between layers, so I can roll on, turn and roll off.

Help! Any suggestions and practical experience welcome.

 

[Spiffy]

The lazy susan concept [instead of one side how about the whole trailer......just like a roundhouse!] would be really neat, but probably spendy; especially if you did turn the whole thing.

Simplest is, like they say in your link 'eat an elephant one bite at a time'. I've turned my trailer pretty tight with the PT, but never had to do 180 so can't really tell you how tight.

A bit more work up front, but instead of removing a wheel, I wonder if you could put a cylinder somehow in the axle to transfer all the weight to one wheel? No advice on whether it'd be safe, cheap, or even effective, but just brainstorming...

 

[Gravy]

One possibility, but a bit pricey: (hope I get the link thing right) <http://www.gojaks.com/store.htm>

But first, I think I'd try different techniques in a nice open space. I suspect the PT's articulation might allow you to "nibble" the trailer around in small steps without putting too much stress on anything.

Gravy

 

[Spiffy]

Perhaps I missed something, but if not effective at least worth a laugh:

How about a couple wide mirrors and some practice backing it in? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KentT]

I'm assuming you'll be using the PT's front trailer spotting attachment. If so, lift the front of the trailer as high as you can without the back of the trailer dragging the ground. This may take enough weight off the front axle to where the trailer will pivot on the rear tires, scooting the front tires sideways...

 

[ClintBlake]

I use my PT-422 to move and turn-around a 7700# gross Wells Cargo Utility trailer and it works great.

If the trailer is unloaded/lightly loaded, I raise the tongue to transfer the weight to the rear wheels or lower the tongue to transfer the weight to the front wheels when turning. With all or the majority of the weight on one axle, the tires on the other axle produce no or very little scuffing during the turn. Transferring the weight to the front axle allows the trailer to turn in less space because it effectively shortens the wheel base, but it puts my tongue jack close to the ground which means I have to be careful not to drag it.

If the trailer is heavily loaded and has too much tongue weight for the PT-422 to lift the front wheels off the ground (remembe the PT-pucker), then I raise my tongue jack all the way and lower the tongue to transfer the weight to the front axle. This has the side benefit of reducing tongue weight because it effectively moves the weight bearing point forward on the trailer.

Using the lift arm on the PT allows you to raise and lower the hitch height easily and quickly, unlike a conventional tow vehicle. The PT can also pivot greater than 90 degrees with respect to the trailer, so you can pretty much turn the trailer around in just a little more than its' own length.

Having said all this, I generally find it quicker to use Spiffy's method and just back the trailer into where ever I want it to be.

Gotta love these PT's

 

[KentT]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Having said all this, I generally find it quicker to use Spiffy's method and just back the trailer into where ever I want it to be.
)</font>

Or, if you can't back a trailer any better than I can, you could use my approach. Drop the trailer at the road/street, then use a tractor to move it down the driveway and park it ready to hitch up with the truck the next time...

I have to turn a sharp 90-degree turn to park my trailer -- it's sooooooo much easier to do that with the tractor... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bbabineau]

Trackdoc - Clint probably beat me to an answer but I have had the same experience as he. I do have a 1430 so have more lifting capability but I can turn my tandem wheel car carrier almost on a dime. I transfer the weight to the rear wheels with the back of the trailer almost on the ground and it will spin like a top.

 

[bbabineau]

Another thought - before I got the PT I would pull the trailer up in front of the house - unhitch from the back and reattach to a front mounted hitch on the pickup. It is so easy to park a trailer when attached to the front of the truck and when you again want to use it, it is already facing the correct way to reattach to the rear. I did this because the drive is a narrow 300 footer with a down slope, a bridge and an upslope which is so much easier to navigate on a front hitch. Now with the PT I drive the trailer onto the bridge, unhook, attach to the PT, back the PT up the hill. At the top I spin the trailer around and park next to the garage with ease.

 

[ClintBlake]

The front mounted hitch is also a great way to "back" a 4-wheel wagon. We used a tractor with a hitch on the front to maneuver hay wagons into the barn on my Uncle's farm.