Backing a Trailer, Need some advice 2024

b.Lee reply :

So I am a new co-angler and our club has some rules which I am sure apply to most club, that the co-angler has to go up the huge hill and grab the truck and trailer at the end of the day. So I ask you guys for some advice.

I have done it twice so far, with moderate success, but it takes me a while and I understand this kind of thing will only come with practice.

I looked on here for some tips or articles but nothing showed up in the search and no articles on it.

I googled it also, and watched some videos and this tip is what kind of turned on the light bulb, I thought it was very good tip from eHow.com, I like the Mirror trick turning to the mirror you see most of the trailer.

Hand Position

# One of the things that you'll be told when you ask for advice with backing up a trailer is where to put your hands on the steering wheel. Many people feel that in order to properly and easily back up a boat, or any other trailer, your hands should be on the bottom of the steering wheel. In truth, hand placement will make no difference if the one simple rule of backing up a trailer is remembered.

The Simple Rule of Backing a Trailer

# The reason for the importance of proper mirror adjustment is the simple rule of backing a trailer. This simple rule is: Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the mirror that you see too much trailer in. This works because when you're attempting to back in a straight line you want to see equal images of the trailer in both mirrors. When you start to get off the straight line, one mirror will "see" more of the side of the trailer than the other mirror. By turning the steering wheel toward that mirror you will be turning the tow vehicle in the proper direction to straighten the trailer.

Following the Trailer

# Practice becomes critical to learning the skill of backing a boat trailer when backing around corners. As the trailer enters the curve you must start to straighten the wheels of the tow vehicle to follow the trailer down your intended path. You can only become expert at this with lots of practice. Don't practice at the boat ramp, find and use an empty parking lot instead.

Sfritr reply :

I have always been of the "I don't look in the mirrors crowd. I put my left hand at the 12oclock position, look over my right shoulder when backing the trailer.

I simply turn the wheel in the direction I am looking at and want the trailer to go. (looking out the back window I want trailer to go to the left, turn wheel left, or counter clockwise. To make trailer turn to the right, when looking out the back window, turn wheel right or clockwise.) Have never had an issue but practice does make perfect.

b.Lee reply :

Yeah I am one for being able to actually see it, but every tournament we hold we don't have the same boater, so in trucks it would be much easier to see, but some of the members have SUV's with tinted windows, so it makes it nearly impossible.

Any other advice guys?

Thanks for the above btw

bryand82487 reply :

I have a tinted SUV and it's easiest for me to just open up the back glass. Also, some boat trailers you can't see depending on the tow vehicle and trailer. You might also try opening up the whole back hatch to see the trailer. As long as they don't have a bunch of junk to fall out you'll be okay. ;D

That said, I'm learning how to do it this way. Seems like a better method:

along99999 reply :

Practice, practice, practice.

Don't be afraid to look like a fool, either. Warn the owner when he hands you his keys that you've never backed up a trailer until now and he'll understand. He'll laugh at you, but if he's not a dick, he'll remember what it was like the first time he backed up a trailer in front of a couple hundred other guys.

Some guys are mirror guys, others are over-the-shoulder guys. My father-in-law literally gets upset that I will not use the mirrors to back up at the ramp, but I refuse to change it up after 20 years. Even still, I have to pull forward and straighten her out once in a while.

Sfritr reply :

I agree. My wife must lower the liftgate to back the trailer. She says its easier to see. And, she is a rookie at best. But whatever helps you. There is no right or wrong way as long as it gets in and out of the water properly and quickly. Quickly being the key word.

Glenn reply :

I always use the side mirrors. I just watch the wheel of the trailer in relation to the truck and the edge of something (a paint stripe, outer edge of the ramp, etc.). If starts to stray one way or the other too much, I just correct it using the following simple rule:

Place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. Then move your hand in the direction that you want the trailer to go. Simple.

Hope that helps!

K_Mac reply :

I learned how to back a trailer using an SUV, so I had to use the side mirrors. Now I have a PU and find I use both methods. I'm a little faster looking over my shoulder, but it is nice to be able to use the side mirrors when needed.

Most folks get in too big a hurry. Then they get flustered and then things go from bad to worse. Don't be afraid to take a second, pull up ,and start again.

gatorblazer reply :

This year at the Classic, I got to help load boats for the pros. While backing Shaw's trailer in, I realized that ESPN camera's were filming me, along with fans taking pics of the truck. Talk about pressure.

An old fart once helped me when I was backing his trailer up. He climbed in the seat next to me, put his arm around me in a grandfatherly way and explained, "Its not hard to do. Put your hand at the bottom of the wheel, look at your mirrors, and turn the wheel the direction that you want the trailer to go. If its in your right mirror, the trailer is going to your right. If its in your left, its going left." He says all this with a calm voice and follows with this, "If you cant see the trailer................ITS RIGHT #$&@*@ BEHIND YOU! DONT DO ANYTHING, ITS STRAIGHT!" Then he calmly got out of the truck. I'll never forget how to back a trailer up, ever ;D

b.Lee reply :

Thanks for all the advice, yea I don't mind messing up I just want to be able to do it quickly.

I suppose practice practice

fishfordollars reply :

Get in a big parking lot and practice, pratice, pratice.

florida strain reply :

i agree with the others..pull up and straighten up before it jackknifes..but now I'm so used to it sometimes when i back up without a trailer i go the wrong way :-[

Glenn reply :

gatorblazer - I hope you weren't the guy backing Swindle's trailor down the last day of practice. Swindle and I were waiting on the poor guy, but he just couldn't get it. He over-corrected so many times, Swindle finally turned to me and said, "Man he looks just like an 'ol cottonmouth coming down the ramp, doesn't he?" ;D

tand reply :

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i agree with the others..pull up and straighten up before it jackknifes..but now I'm so used to it sometimes when i back up without a trailer i go the wrong way :-[

]

LOL! I didn't think anyone would say this but I do the same thing! Go out in the boat for a week strait and you will think you are pulling a boat all the time!

Osprey39 reply :

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I have always been of the "I don't look in the mirrors crowd. I put my left hand at the 12oclock position, look over my right shoulder when backing the trailer.
I simply turn the wheel in the direction I am looking at and want the trailer to go. (looking out the back window I want trailer to go to the left, turn wheel left, or counter clockwise. To make trailer turn to the right, when looking out the back window, turn wheel right or clockwise.) Have never had an issue but practice does make perfect.

I'd pretty much agree 100% with this post but would add that the most important thing in backing up a trailer is DO NOT OVERCORRECT (bolded for emphasis, lol.) I see so many people that are new to backing trailers start to get a little offline and then they crank the wheel too far and end up jack-knifing it the other direction. I've never paid really close attention to it but I would guess once I start backing down the ramp I don't turn the wheel more than 10 degrees in either direction.

The next most important thing I would say is take your time. It's not a race. I know that at a busy ramp when you have 15 vehicles lined up waiting behind you, that can be intimidating. Just try to ignore it and take it slow. They are going to have to wait longer if you jack-knife 10 times and have to pull forward.

K_Mac reply :

Quote

Quote
i agree with the others..pull up and straighten up before it jackknifes..but now I'm so used to it sometimes when i back up without a trailer i go the wrong way :-[
]
LOL! I didn't think anyone would say this but I do the same thing! Go out in the boat for a week strait and you will think you are pulling a boat all the time!

You guys are not alone. I find myself making bigger turns so not to cut the corner too close with the trailer, even when the trailer is at home in the driveway. I also am sometimes startled when I look in the mirrors and the boat isn't there... :-[

b.wedlund reply :

I do the opposite of what many here are saying. I put my hand at 6:00 on the bottom of the wheel. I look over my right shoulder and move my hand the way I want the trailer to go.

b.Lee reply :

Thanks guys for the confidence boost. I don't have a boat to practice with or a trailer. I tried using some old toys I had to see visually in my head. I guess I will 8 more tournaments to practice LOL

burleytog reply :

Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

I learned to do it over 20 years ago using a tractor and a 20' farm trailer. I can't stand looking over my shoulder. Nothing but mirror, even in a pickup.

There is some good advice here. If you're parking the truck & trailer, try not to hit anything. There is one guy in our club who doesn't have much experience with a trailer. He's almost taken out three or four trailers in parking lots.

Best advice I can give you is to just not be a dummy.

b.Lee reply :

Thanks LOL

Yeah I am very comfortable driving a truck with trailer and parking all that good stuff, but just backing it is a problem. I may be over-thinking it, I consider myself a pretty well rounded individual and smart. So i think with a little time and practice I'll get there. Just thought there might be something I was missing.

gatorblazer reply :

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gatorblazer - I hope you weren't the guy backing Swindle's trailor down the last day of practice. Swindle and I were waiting on the poor guy, but he just couldn't get it. He over-corrected so many times, Swindle finally turned to me and said, "Man he looks just like an 'ol cottonmouth coming down the ramp, doesn't he?" ;D

Nope, did the Saturday event. Moved Kennedy, Shaw, and Martens (Lady Gaga CD blaring when I cranked his truck, Really?). Funniest part of the day was watching Taka run across the parking lot to stop a guy from backing his motorhome up. He didnt want anyone to touch that thing. He kept yelling "No Back, No Back!"

TrackerG reply :

Ive spent about half of my years on the ranch, so pulling and backing trailers is pretty much second nature. I pretty much use just the mirrors unless I am jackknifing a trailer into a tight spot on my blind side (passenger side). Here's a couple tips for backing up with mirrors:

1. Pick a spot (on drivers side) to line up your trailer with (the dock, a large rock, or whatever).

2. pull your trailer around and up to far enough to where truck and trailer are pretty straight and inline with your target.

3. Start backing, checking both mirrors, turn the steering wheel as little as possible to keep trailer inline. Most people over correct.

4. If trailer jackknifes, don't be afraid to pull up and straighten it out. Its easier.

5. Practice in a large parking lot with some orange cones or buckets so you have it down before you try to launch boat.

Keep it slow until your good at backing up.

And at the boat launch...have everything ready to go except the safety hook, so others aren't waiting for you to put the plug in, remove tie-downs, load your gear...etc.

Nothing works better than a lot of practice.

Crestliner2008 reply :

Quote
I always use the side mirrors. I just watch the wheel of the trailer in relation to the truck and the edge of something (a paint stripe, outer edge of the ramp, etc.). If starts to stray one way or the other too much, I just correct it using the following simple rule:
Place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. Then move your hand in the direction that you want the trailer to go. Simple.

Hope that helps!

X2 - Great advice. At my age, there is no way I'm going to be twisting my body around to look at the trailer while backing. If I did, they'd have to pry me out of the truck once the boat was in the water! ;D

Another thing that has helped me a lot with my rig. 5 years ago when I bought it new, I had them install white pole guide-ons on each side. Makes backing an empty trailer a lot easier. You won't easily loose sight of your trailer this way; especially when an empty trailer at sharply dipped ramp.

scrutch reply :

go buy a cheap child's toy truck and trailer. practice backing it. watch which way the trailer goes when you steer the truck in the different directions. that should help give you a good mental picture of how to do it.

remember... SMALL CORRECTIONS EARLY with the steering wheel!

Crowcommander reply :

I have a friend that has a fiberglass bed cover for his truck and his trailer is completly hidden from view. I fixed an old broken fishing rod with flourescent ribbon on it and a bungee cord to attach to his trailer. I used this about 2 years till I got enough confidence to just use the mirrors. I also found that most ramps have straight expansion joints going down to the water which helps me keep it straight.

Diablos reply :

I've never backed down any type of trailer in my life till I got my boat. I installed my hitch and drove 100miles each way to get my boat. When I got home , I drove to a big empty parking lot and practiced backing up for an hour.

If you dive into this confident you'll learn faster than you think.

I won't lie to you though but I still avoid really high traffic boat ramps during the summer weekends when I'm alone. :-[

bass or bass ? reply :

Practice until you can back up and park anywhere you want with ease.

As a former long haul big rig driver I highly recommend learning to use your mirrors. If you are looking over your shoulder, you can't see what's on either side of the front of your truck. Using mirrors, as you look from one mirror to the other, you can scan the area around the front of your truck for objects and people you will not see if you are looking behind.

oteymc reply :

The biggest mistake I see is turning the trailer, and then not straightening it up again. They just leave the wheel turned until they see the trailer in the other mirror and turn the wheel the other way. Like others have said, make small turns with your steering wheel, but then always straighten it up again. Turn, straight, turn, straight. That way you come fairly straight down to the ramp, not like the cotton mouth crawling as Glen mentioned.

cart7t reply :

Another tip I've always used is to throw the tow vehicle into neutral once the trailer begins descending down the ramp. The trailer is less likely to jackknife off to the left or right if the boat is pulling the vehicle down the hill vs the tow vehicle in reverse pushing it.

Olebiker reply :

Quote
I always use the side mirrors. I just watch the wheel of the trailer in relation to the truck and the edge of something (a paint stripe, outer edge of the ramp, etc.). If starts to stray one way or the other too much, I just correct it using the following simple rule:
Place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel. Then move your hand in the direction that you want the trailer to go. Simple.

Hope that helps!

This is the best way to do that I have found. Several members of our club have vehicles that you must use the mirrors to back a trailer. I looked like an idiot trying to back their trailers in until a friend taught me this method.

TrackerG reply :

another tip i remembered...if your vehicle has tow/haul on the shifter. use this. if I am on a really steep ramp I will sometimes put transfer case in 4wheel low to slow everything down...just be sure to keep it straight.... sharp turning on hard surface is hard on 4 wheel drive.

be careful putting vehicle in neutral....the only speed control u have is the brakes and steering doesnt work well with brakes applied. specially on a concrete ramp with gravel pebbles scattered.

RoLo reply :

BLee, your opening post covered it well.

I normally find launching to be more difficult than retrieving.

When retrieving the boat, the trailer is empty and the two upright-guides show me the position

of my trailer. When launching however, the boat obstructs my view to the ramp

(Rav4 with dark backshield that does not roll down). I actually prefer boat ramps with a hooked

approach that give me a view of my trailer, but a ramp with a straight back-down approach

puts me at the mercy of the rearview mirrors.

As some mentioned, I too prefer to keep my hands on top of the steering wheel at shoulder-height.

To clear up some confusion though, with the hands on top of the steering wheel (12 o'clock)

the trailer will move in the opposite direction as the steering wheel.

That is to say, steering left' moves the trailer to the right', and vice versa.

I think of it this way. Whether you're using rearview mirrors or looking over your shoulder,

you will always be steering INTO the direction of error. For instance, if the trailer wanders

to the right, you steer to the right (clockwise), which kicks the trailer to the left.

I believe a common pitfall is not giving the trailer enough time to respond to an adjustment,

because over-steering only leads to counter-correction, and a snake path down the ramp.

Roger

b.Lee reply :

Quote

BLee, your opening post covered it well.

I normally find launching to be more difficult than retrieving.

When retrieving the boat, the trailer is empty and the two upright-guides show me the position

of my trailer. When launching however, the boat obstructs my view to the ramp

(Rav4 with dark backshield that does not roll down). I actually prefer boat ramps with a hooked

approach that give me a view of my trailer, but a ramp with a straight back-down approach

puts me at the mercy of the rearview mirrors.

As some mentioned, I too prefer to keep my hands on top of the steering wheel at shoulder-height.

To clear up some confusion though, with the hands on top of the steering wheel (12 o'clock)

the trailer will move in the opposite direction as the steering wheel.

That is to say, steering left' moves the trailer to the right', and vice versa.

I think of it this way. Whether you're using rearview mirrors or looking over your shoulder,

you will always be steering INTO the direction of error. For instance, if the trailer wanders

to the right, you steer to the right (clockwise), which kicks the trailer to the left.

I believe a common pitfall is not giving the trailer enough time to respond to an adjustment,

because over-steering only leads to counter-correction, and a snake path down the ramp.

Roger

Yeah I want to fix my snake path down the ramp, but that is an excellent point about giving the trailer time to adjust to the movement instead of just going left and right constantly.

scrutch reply :

one more IMPORTANT thing...

make it easy on yourself by making a proper setup before you start backing. what I mean is...align your truck and trailer in a perfect straight line pointing directly where you want to back up.

If you start out this way you only have to make small corrections to keep it straight, as opposed to trying to TURN the trailer where you want.

trust me...it's a drastic difference in difficulty.

good luck!

b.Lee reply :

Hey Thanks again to everyone who has chimed in. Two weeks till my next tourny, until I get to practice again!

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Backing a Trailer, Need some advice 2024

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