Trailer Backing Issues

Buster_boy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
178
This was my first season of boating and have had a blast in all respects except when backing up my trailer. I cannot keep that darn thing straight for nothing when backing up either in the ramp or flat surface. I drive a Chevy Trailblazer and my trailer is a 25ft EZ-LOADER, single axel with no brakes, pontoon trailer so it's 2.5x the length of the vehicle.

Yesterday I spent some time at the ramp and the high school parking lot trying to figure this out. I understand the dynamics of backing - turn right to go left, left to go right. I was as straight as I could be in some parking spaces. I put it in reverse and slowly backed up, and kept the wheel as straight as possible. It started out good but after about 8-10ft or so it began to drift one way or the other. The further back I went the more extreme the arc became.

I did that for a while as well as practicing other backing techniques then went to the nearby ramp. The same thing happened there but as you know the ramp has less room for error. Every time I'm on a ramp this happens causing me to try 3, 4, 5 times before getting it right, thus pissing people off.

What's causing my trailer to have a mind of its own? Is it tire pressure (it's fine btw), bearings, uneven pavement, operator error? I don't see other guys with this problem.
 

Grandad

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 7, 2011
Messages
1,504
Backing a trailer is always a serpentine series of wiggles. Trying to go straight back is the goal, but not often achievable. The key is early corrections and make them slight. Remembering left is right and right is left is easier for me if I simply remember that the trailer will go in the direction that I turn the bottom of the steering wheel. Same thing, but reflexively easier for me. Also, I try to launch such that the trailer is on the side of the dock that I can see in my driver-side mirror. Don't hesitate to pull forward a few times to re-set your straight line. It's far easier than trying to correct a jacknife situation. - Grandad
 

89retta

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
772
Your doing the right thing by practicing. Wish more people were like you before heading to the ramp. As for keeping it straight when backing up. No vehicle or truck/trailer will ever go straight back.. Try backing your truck up without the trailer and you will notice it does the same thing as with the trailer. All you have to do is make minor corrections while backing up. Like I said your doing the right thing by practicing.
 

wrvond

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
597
Pick a wheel that you can see in your mirror and visually line it up with the edge of the ramp. Make small corrections to keep that one wheel lined up. Don't hold the wheel turned as long as you think you need to.
Or buy an F150 with that backing joystick thingy! J/K
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,583
Agree, its lots of practice. Use your mirrors and not over the shoulder so much. You will find the spot where you see the boat in the mirror and that will be straight back, something like a gun sight. Every trailer is different and the longer the trailer the easier it is to back. The same goes with the tow vehicle, a short wheel base Blazer makes it harder the a long bed pickup. With the Blazer it takes very little wheel turn to change things
 

David Young

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Messages
485
Practice, practice, practice. I'm not good at backing my boat too. I'm getting better at it. I use a ramp that at the most they will be two other people using it :)
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,624
Practice, practice, practice. What you want to develop is the reflexes that react with the proper turning of the steering adjustment early on as the trailer starts to drift. There is virtually no chance that the trailer will back straight on its own. It will always need small steering adjustments from the tow vehicle. Developing the reflexes is what makes for a better backing ability.
 

WIMUSKY

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
19,790
As mentioned, use your mirrors. It makes backing up much easier, especially when the pontoon is on the trailer. And if you have one of those wide trailers like a boat rather than the skinny ones, continue to use your mirrors. You're always going to have to make corrections. The steering wheel will virtually never be at rest. If possible, I too like to have the dock out my drivers mirror.

I feel like I summarized a couple posts....Lol

Oh yeah, practice is the only way to get good at it............. :)
 

hemi rt

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
321
Rather than remembering that right is left etc. just put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand in the direction you want the boat to go. As stated before just small movements of the wheel and try to move the wheel as soon as you see the trailer going off course. Speed also plays a factor, just idle back, small adjustments and you should be good to go.
 

Horigan

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
614
This is my first season also and what is working for me is to turn around and look over my shoulder out the back window. I also open the rear hatch of my Highlander to get better visibility. I use the side mirrors a bit to get lined up to the side of the ramp, but I find looking over my shoulder is more intuitive on which way to steer to keep it straight.

Rich
 

WIMUSKY

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
19,790
That's what I do with an empty trailer. I drop the tailgate and look back since it's only 16'. Now I have a camera, but haven't towed the boat yet. Try the mirrors and see if it works better.... I mainly watch the drivers mirror..... I'm usually at single ramps...
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,624
I trained my reflexes by turning my head around and looking out the back window. I did that for so long that now I get all messed up if I use the mirrors. :)
 

Buster_boy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
178
Thank guys! It sounds like I'm right on track and not the only one having these issues. My dad was the Ginsu Master at backing up his travel trailer. He'd hang out his door so low he was scraping the ground with his chin but he could thread that needle like nobody's business. I should have paid more attention. A bad back and a beer belly prevent me from doing that so I'm all about mirrors.

I noticed everything you've all said - open the hatch, small turns, go slow, short wheelbase, and when that thing gets squirrely it has a mind of its own. Practice, practice, practice is my key to Carnegie Hall so that is what I shall do!

Thanks again guys!!!
 

Baylinerchuck

Commander
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
2,726
Just a mechanical thing to consider that I had to do to my EZ Loader trailer. My trailer was used so this may not apply to you. Make sure the rear axle is exactly perpendicular with the tongue. I used a string line and a square when the boat was off the trailer, and also checked to ensure the axle wasn't bent while at it. This might seem dumb, but mine was out a little over an inch. The EZ Loader trailer is pretty simple to adjust as it literally bolts together, and a decent impact can misalign the axle. I would imagine a tow vehicle with a short wheel base could have issues backing a trailer with an axle that's misaligned.
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
practice!

corrections should be made as soon as you see you need them and should be very small. the shorter the trailer the harder it is.

and be careful backing up with the tailgate down. there may be interference that can damage your tailgate.

but again, the biggest thing is small corrections
 

CV16

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
445
I've always had no issues backing a trailer. Got me an Avalanche now and I totally forgot how to do it. Put my old 4 door Tracker out there and it's no problem. I never did use my mirrors, almost have to now. Can't see as well in the big truck. I might get a back up camera and try that.
 

brian4321

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
359
Backing your short wheelbase trailblazer with that long trailer will be comparable to backing a semi truck , where the tow vehicle's wheelbase is a lot shorter than the distance from the pivot point to the trailer wheels...when I was in CDL training they taught us for straight line backing you should never need to turn the steering wheel more than a quarter turn... So you're backing up watching your mirrors, and as soon as you see more of the trailer in one mirror than the other, you turn the wheel a quarter turn to follow the trailer, then as soon as you see more of the trailer on the other side , you turn the wheel a quarter turn in that direction, and so on... Early corrections are the key
 
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