pvb
Well-Known Member
Interesting. I don't do that in the car, but I do find it's helpful when I have the little trailer on the back of the garden tractor (which has about 20cm overhang!)
Reversing a trailer - how to practise?
- Thread starter peter2407
- Start date
Interesting. I don't do that in the car, but I do find it's helpful when I have the little trailer on the back of the garden tractor (which has about 20cm overhang!)
rob2
Well-Known Member
I have a small garden rubbish trailer which I cannot see at all when towing. I accept that at the local dump I make a sort of flourish of reversing in the general direction of the skip, ten hop out and unhitch to manhandle it into position (usually just as it appears in the wing mirrors, meaning it is beyond recovery).
I used to tow a caravan and found that much easier - I could look along the side in my mirrors and really see how it was aligned. Arriving at one festival campsite, I chose a spot and rather casually reversed it into roughly the place I wanted it. As I got out to unhitch, the other campers were lined up with cards showing my "score" for the manouvre!
More difficult is my new occupation as a bus driver. With the long wheelbase, I finally found I could visualize how to handle it by imagining I was running around the boatyard with a dinghy on a trailer - an axle that had to ne dragged to where it needed to be and and overhang that could do much damage to the surroundings (and bystanders).
Rob.
I used to tow a caravan and found that much easier - I could look along the side in my mirrors and really see how it was aligned. Arriving at one festival campsite, I chose a spot and rather casually reversed it into roughly the place I wanted it. As I got out to unhitch, the other campers were lined up with cards showing my "score" for the manouvre!
More difficult is my new occupation as a bus driver. With the long wheelbase, I finally found I could visualize how to handle it by imagining I was running around the boatyard with a dinghy on a trailer - an axle that had to ne dragged to where it needed to be and and overhang that could do much damage to the surroundings (and bystanders).
Rob.
KREW2
Well-Known Member
Hand for me not hands, unless doing a sharp turn.
If I have to reverse 70 to100 meters or so between two rows of dinghies with bits sticking out from them turning it into a bit of an obstacle course, I turn round as far as my body will allow, look backwards, and steer with one hand on the bottom of the wheel.
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alan_d
Well-Known Member
Just to emphasise what others have said; seeing where the trailer is going makes all the difference, so don't practise with an empty boat trailer.
fisherman
Well-Known Member
Tow a trailer all the time, plus narrow lanes and some visitors who can't reverse (one lady even claimed her car wasn't fitted with reverse). The best is, as said, to be able to see it, and having the trailer axle the same distance from the hitch as the car axle gives it a logic, and also means the trailer wheels follow the car wheels. Reversing a four wheeled, steering trailer, now that really messes with your brain!
Lon nan Gruagach
Well-Known Member
If you cant see the trailer, make sure you can see it, whack a couple of flag poles on it, either straight up, or sideyways if you prefer to use wing mirrors.
VicS
Well-Known Member
Last time I brought the boat home and had to reverse from a narrowish road onto a narrow drive, ending up with the trailer parked to one side of the drive to allow normal access to the garage, I chalked a curved line on the road that the RH trailer wheels ( which I could see ) had to follow.
Worked a treat. It ensured that the outfit went between the walls either side of the entrance and that I ended up exactly where I wanted to be.
If I was doing it regularly I'd get spray can and put a semipermanent line on the road.
Worked a treat. It ensured that the outfit went between the walls either side of the entrance and that I ended up exactly where I wanted to be.
If I was doing it regularly I'd get spray can and put a semipermanent line on the road.
peter2407
Well-Known Member
Thanks All. Now - I have a reversing camera, so please state the bleeding obvious ;-) ... what am I looking for? If the trailer is going to the left, do I steer to the right???? Please treat me as the dumbass that I clearly am... I want to practise but with a plan. TIA.
PCUK
Well-Known Member
Fit a front tow bar and you won't need to practice!
Lon nan Gruagach
Well-Known Member
With the hand on the bottom of the wheel method: push the wheel the way you want the trailer to go: if trailer is (too far) to the left = move trailer right = move car left
With the focus on the tow ball method: move trailer (and tow ball) right = move car left (because of a: overhang and b if the front of the car moves right, the back will move left)
fisherman
Well-Known Member
Basically what you do is set the trailer on the intended course then follow it.
Jim@sea
Well-Known Member
Fix a large stick to the rear corner of the trailer, so when reversing even if you cant see which way the trailer is going you will do if you watch the stick.
Giblets
Well-Known Member
davidpbo
Well-Known Member
A friend of mine who is very good at reversing trailers advised me to either use mirrors or look over your shoulder when reversing, don't try and use both sytems at the same time, I agree. I agree but do look over my shoulder to make sure all is clear before setting off. I would imagine the same is true of reversing cameras although some can be set to actual or mirror view I believe.
Like others have said, I usually brief people acting as banksmen (guiding/watching you back) that the only instruction I want is STOP if I am about to hit something. If the person does know how a trailer behaves I might listen to other directions such as left a bit (or if I am directing someone) I prefer it if any direction given is that of where the trailer needs to move.
I use a front tow hitch to get up the drive.
Like others have said, I usually brief people acting as banksmen (guiding/watching you back) that the only instruction I want is STOP if I am about to hit something. If the person does know how a trailer behaves I might listen to other directions such as left a bit (or if I am directing someone) I prefer it if any direction given is that of where the trailer needs to move.
I use a front tow hitch to get up the drive.
Norman_E
Well-Known Member
I used to store my caravan in France. The owner of the site had a little old Suzuki 4x4 with a front towbar and he ensured that stored caravans could not be entered by thieves by parking them very close together. With the front towbar he could slot any van into a space just a few inches wider than the van.
TSB240
Well-Known Member
wipe_out
Well-Known Member
Absolutely agree if you ever need to move the trailer into a tight space.. You can quickly push the trailer from one side to the other and get it lined up easily..
The only "gotcha" to front tow bars is that if the trailer is in a tight space and you are pulling it out you can have the situation where the back of the car (now being revered) goes off in the wrong direction and you can't correct it because that would quickly push the trailer over.. You either have to just let the rear of the car do what it likes till the trailer is clear or unhitch get straight and hitch up again..
VicS
Well-Known Member
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davidpbo
Well-Known Member
The suggestions of "pushing trailers" around rather depend on the weight and type of the trailer.
Small garden trailer -yes. Large 4 wheel boat trailer even unloaded- maybe in favourable conditions. Loaded- forget it. Human backs are too easily damaged.
Small garden trailer -yes. Large 4 wheel boat trailer even unloaded- maybe in favourable conditions. Loaded- forget it. Human backs are too easily damaged.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
One needs a good jockey wheel.