I Can't Figure Out How

[Mightydog]

Thanks for the reminder!

Every spring, before the first gathering or camping trip, I usually take the trailer down to the local mega-church's parking lot and relearn how to back. It usually takes a few attempts to get it back in my head.

The last time I did that, the bible study group was over and everyone was coming in to the parking lot. Of course, I ended up giving them a tour of the trailer...

[doug hodder]

One pointer given to me about reversing trailers was not to over correct. Turn the wheel no more than you would to move the car the same amount, rather than spinning it around wildly.

Bingo! Over correcting will only get you into more trouble. Doug

[Miriam C.]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/hitch-extensio ... ilterid=j1

This might actually help but nothing takes the place of practice.

[the other side]

I hooked the tear up. I didn't go to a parking lot cuz I wanted to push myself to back in a "real" situation. It only took me about 15-20 min. to get it backed down the driveway (it's about a 75 ft or more driveway). I tried a lot of different ideas while I was out there. I did OK on the straight stretch (which is not very much of the driveway). It took me about 10 straighten ups to get the tear so I wouldn't hit the wall (I never went near the cliff). But the VERY HARDEST part was the curve the driveway takes at the end to put it in the parking spot. It probably wouldn't have been as hard if the parking spot wasn't on the edge of the cliffs retaining wall. I didn't want the SUV to start slipping down the cliff. Atleast I got the tear in the spot, even though it took me quite a while and alot of forward/backward corrections. Tomorrow I'm going back out there and I'm going to try to push the tear by myself. It is a gravel driveway so I don't know how well that is going to go.
I went to get a spare tire put on my tears tongue today also. The new guy at "The Hitchman" was worse than me at backing my tear out of their garage!!! I felt sorry for him cuz the rest of the guys were really razzing him. Kind of made me feel good to know SOMEONE is WORSE than me at backing up!

[the other side]

I think I'm going to try to get that hitch extention too! It would be worth a few buck to eliminate this backing problem!

[Wimperdink]

I think I'm going to try to get that hitch extention too! It would be worth a few buck to eliminate this backing problem!

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I'm thinking that easy to use hitch extension will make the problem worse. It extends the hitch instead of the trailer tounge. The distance between the ball and the trailer axle remains the same but the distance between the ball and the TV axle is longer. I'm guessing its going to make it even more touchy to over correction. Someone else jump in here if Im wrong please.

[doug hodder]

For the 50$+ shipped to your house....save the dough and just learn how to do it, you're gonna have to anyway....Just my opinion. Doug

[Kevin A]

Skip the hitch extension, get one of these for about the same price. Drive the TV & trailer up the driveway, unhitch and use the dolly to maneuver the trailer to it's destination.

http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty ... 37510.html

[pete42]

you backed a TD 75 feet down and up a drive with a retaining wall and a cliff?

you said down like in down hill?
if so it's 75 feet uphill with a turn at the end, right?

you need to quit asking how to back a trailer and start teaching how to back a trailer.

I don't thing I have ever backed a trailer 75 feet, well unless you count back-up, pull-forward, back-up, pull-forward until I got trailer where I wanted it.

now stop showing off and enjoy your TD

Pete

[the other side]

I guess I could keep a trailer dolly in my garage at home and use it for the driveway. At like 29 lbs (as long as it isn't too bulky) I guess I could take it with me camping. I do drive a Toyota Sequoia (and just got my spare tire out of the car yesterday).
I know I honestly must learn to back it up with my car though. That would be the most efficient (and cheapest) plan. I also know that most people can't back their car (without a trailer) down my driveway without a lot of corrections. I still have a bit of a problem in the dark, but I have no problem when it is light out.
It is probably going to be way harder to make a turn off of a road into a "slot/site". My biggest fear is hitting my own tear with the bumper of my car.

[bobhenry]

Has anyone attempted to put a simple steering tongue ( think little red wagon) on a wheeled tongue jack. It might be a good way to steer it into place with the help of a couple of pushers when needed.

[proformance]

I'm thinking that easy to use hitch extension will make the problem worse. It extends the hitch instead of the trailer tounge. The distance between the ball and the trailer axle remains the same but the distance between the ball and the TV axle is longer. I'm guessing its going to make it even more touchy to over correction. Someone else jump in here if Im wrong please.

You are correct.

The difficulty experienced in backing up lies in the short length between the tow ball and the trailer axle. Adding the receiver extension will only make the situation more difficult as it increases the distance the ball moves with relationship to the tow vehicle movement.

If you wish to extend something to aid in backing-up, it will have to be the tongue of the trailer. Increase the distance between the tow ball and the trailer axle.

[Aaron Coffee]

Somewhere I have seen an ad for a powered dolly, never looked them up, but would guess they are spendy. Have thought of picking a friends brain, he built a little electric parade car powered by a 41 Chevy starter, and a 12 volt battery. The worst problem I have is getting my TD into the lean-to, I store it in. It sits on a little bit of a knob, so I have to back up, uphill, then make a turn, usually get the rear wheels in the lean to then put it on the caster wheel and push it in the rest of the way, my tongue jack is also bent so the caster wheel doesn't always work right. At a campground I usually get backed in most of the way, then jsut push it in the rest of the way.

[Wimperdink]

I've seen a cool mod for someone else having trouble putting trailers away at home... A ball mounted to the front of their lawn mower.

They just hooked up the the lawn mower, backed up to near the shop then just pushed it in. I suppose you could do it to a truck too if you were so inclined. I've also seen forklifts set up like this for moving trailers around a construction yard. No jacking them up... just move the fork into position, lift, and move it.

Overkill I know but if it was that big of a deal....

[Gage]

I haven't read this whole thread BUT just learn to follow it sooner. Don't get in a hurry to put it where you want it. Treat it like a 5th wheel. Works for me.