Trailers - and hauling them

[RicInOR]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1471663689527395

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[Member 5605]

I'll never forget bringing a 99 Yukon down I-5 from seattle... nose to the rear of the trailer. About 75mph she started to whip.....

Was an auto auction purchase, no keys and they won't turn it around from however they pick it up.

That was a cool sight to see. Tap trailer brakes and give her a little throttle. That duelly kept the rear tires square though.

 

[Joe13]

I see so many people hauling trailers wrong.

You have to have a motorcycle endorsement - IMO you should have to have one to drive a trailer of any size.

I often smack my head and stay well away from the idiots.

 

[etrain16]

I was taught by my father to always load trailers more heavily toward the front - never forgot that lesson and have never had a problem as a result. Interesting video on how that loading changes things so dramatically.

 

[Joe13]

Never have had one get the least bit squirly on me.

Thankfully, I was taught as part of an on the job training ciriculum for that employer.

 

[Joe13]

I was taught by my father to always load trailers more heavily toward the front - never forgot that lesson and have never had a problem as a result. Interesting video on how that loading changes things so dramatically.

For sure.

Just not so forward that your 3/4 ton truck looks like it's got hydraulics and you lowered the rear end 8" and the front up 6"

 

[etrain16]

For sure.

Just not so forward that your 3/4 ton truck looks like it's got hydraulics and you lowered the rear end 8" and the front up 6"

No doubt I've seen folks do that too - almost to the point where the front wheels are almost coming off the ground. Some peoples sure it dumb.

 

[jbett98]

Here's a neat piece of advice when backing up a trailer.
Pull forward so both the trailer and the towing vehicle are straight and the steering wheel is centered.
Place one hand top dead center on the steering wheel and don't let go as you back up.
If you keep that hand clamped tight, the trailer can't jack knife as it moves backward.

 

[etrain16]

Here's a neat piece of advice when backing up a trailer.
Pull forward so both the trailer and the towing vehicle are straight and the steering wheel is centered.
Place one hand top dead center on the steering wheel and don't let go as you back up.
If you keep that hand clamped tight, the trailer can't jack knife as it moves backward.

Here's what I was taught about backing with a trailer by my BIL, who drives for a living. Put your right hand on the bottom of the wheel with your thumb extended. If you want the trailer to move the direction your thumb is pointing, turn the wheel in that direction, opposite for the opposite direction. One of the best pieces of advice on trailers I've ever been given. I use it every time I have to back up whether it's a travel trailer or a utility trailer - it really works.

 

[jbett98]

I spend a little bit of time at boat ramps and you wouldn't believe how many people can't back up a trailer to save their lives, especially when their empty boat trailer drops over and down the inclined ramp.

 

[etrain16]

I couldn't back a trailer to save my life until I learned that little trick - now it's stupid easy.

 

[Member 5605]

Fun fact...

The first time I drove a trailer:


One of these with a trailer that was at least as long as the truck and loaded down well over weight. Keys tossed to me and was told "Take this to Massachusetts". Steep learning curve, then talk about taking that same truck and trailer combo and heading from Virginia north to Houlton Maine. Traffic... Oh man, and getting into a parking lot and being like "bubblegum, how the hell do I turn this around?"

I was 25 when that happened (2007). I remember somewhere in Virginia heading down along I-70 I think there was this long decline where the trailer started whipping because some idiot loaded an entire container on the back that was filled with cables.

I was in charge of loading that trailer from then on and the peons working for us didn't realize that when you say "put all of my ratchet straps on the driver side" you are serious.

I'm ready to drive a 53' now.


The "Hand at the bottom of the wheel and steer where you want the trailer to go" is the best way to do it. Heck I still do it out of habit when I'm backing a trailer up.

This is always fun to come across when you aren't paying attention:

 

[11Charlie]

My dad taught me how to back up a trailer with a riding lawn mower and a small trailer. Let me tell ya if you can put a trailer with that small of wheel base on a dime you can back up just about anything. As for the load weight you learn real quick growing up in Kansas on a farm how to pull trailer loads of Hay. The last thing you wanna do is pick that stuff up off the side of the road.

 

[RicInOR]

I see so many people hauling trailers wrong.

You have to have a motorcycle endorsement - IMO you should have to have one to drive a trailer of any size.

I often smack my head and stay well away from the idiots.

As much as I hate government intrusion, this is good idea.
U-Haul could offer such training.

 

[slingshot1943]

Main thing to remember towing a trailer is to stay in front of it.

 

[Member 5605]

Main thing to remember towing a trailer is to stay in front of it.

Ok you got my stupid comment laugh out loud award for the day!

 

[Joe13]

When I had a 12' trailer I was a master at backing it up compared to a 6' trailer lol.

Even so, sometimes I could get the little trailer backed into a dumpyard first go and got a thumbs up from the yard guys and sometimes I looked like a snake chasing its tail lol. Mostly due to it being so much smaller then the vehicle I was towing it with that I couldn't tell if it was swinging one way or the other until it was too late, and then had to do the walk of shame; forwards a bit till evened out then back till it was sideways and repeat .

 

[Jamie6.5]

I've gotten invites to go fishing with a couple of boat owners I know just because of my prowess in backing down the ramp, using my mirrors, and keeping everything straight. Especially on large crowded ramps with a blind spot like at Newport.
They like it when they don't have to do everything.

But then again my pops owned a used boat and RV lot at one time, and I spent one whole summer perfecting the art.

The biggest mistake most people make is trying to do things too fast.
Those are the ones that make the boat ramp circus really entertaining.

 

[mjbskwim]

The trick I learned about backing a trailer up is seat time.
And never look behind you,always use the mirrors
If you ain't using the mirrors you don't really know how to back up trailers
You want the trailer load just far enough forward of centered to give the pull vehicle extra braking weight in the back. So if you have weight in the pick up or a heavier pull vehicle,you want to keep the load fairly centered.
I pulled backhoes behind 5yd dumps for about 20 years. I could take them anywhere and back around corners to put the rig on the curb.
Then I worked for too many contractors that didn't maintain rigs and let my cdl go.

 

[jbett98]

This guy could give lessons.