Need some words of encouragment

[mikel1291979]

So the wife is trying to learn how to back the trailer up to make it a little easier for us to launch the boat. She's having some difficulty learning and doesnt think its ever going to come to her.
Give some tips how you learned how and also give us your best backing up the trailer folly story.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Mine was easy. Told the wife to hold her hands at the bottom of the wheel (5 and 7), whichever way she turned her hands is the way the trailer goes. She caught right on after that. Good luck.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Mine was easy. Told the wife to hold her hands at the bottom of the wheel (5 and 7), whichever way she turned her hands is the way the trailer goes. She caught right on after that. Good luck.

Good tip! Also, start out moving veeeerrrry sloooowly, like less than walking speed, and make small adjustments on the wheel. My biggest problem when starting out was that the trailer didn't seem to be reacting fast enough, so I'd crank on the wheel some more which was too much. Have patience young grasshopper!

 

[mikel1291979]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Mine was easy. Told the wife to hold her hands at the bottom of the wheel (5 and 7), whichever way she turned her hands is the way the trailer goes. She caught right on after that. Good luck.

I like this tip. I always tell her the boat will go the same direction as the front of the car will, but she has trouble visualizing that.
It's hard to teach something that came easily to me. Saying "just pay attention to which way the boat moves and you will get it" just doesn't work.

 

[Bill Kilgore]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

What clicked real well for me was when my friend's dad told me something like "Backing a trailer is just like driving a wheelbarrow. Instead of having two handles, you have one hitch ball." Once that sorta sank into my 18 year old head, things worked much easier for me. Course that was 150 years or so ago.

Good tip! Also, start out moving veeeerrrry sloooowly

+1

 

[j_martin]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

You'd be amazed at how easy it is to visualize with a toy semi. The hand on the bottom of the wheel trick helps a lot. With the toy truck, learn the concept of breaking the joint to the angle needed for the turn, and then following the trailer. We call the oversteering bit flapping the tractor.

hope it helps
John

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Go someplace where you're alone with her to practice. Never yell at her or show her any sign of frustration. Don't expect her to do well at a busy ramp when she's not confident of her abilities. Make sure she can see in the side mirrors and has both a mental and visual image of where she's going. This last sounds dense but it really helps especially on multilane ramps. One must know where the target is. On our local ramp, there are lines painted but you can't see them when backing down until the trailer is already over the crest. Then you don't really have room to correct if you're way out. The best advice I can give is patience and practice. Good Luck

 

[wellsc1]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

If I had known about the bottom of the steering wheel, it would have been easier for me to learn. The best advice I got was the two following tips.

1. When pulling up to prepare backing up, pull up so the vehicle and trailer are already in the correct curve/turning position. It saves that amount of distance getting in that position backing up.

2. Aim with the trailer for the target (ramp) position you want the trailer to go. The vehicle will follow, but watch the front of the vehicle to avoid it swinging into something from the side.

3. Here's a bonus (already said in another reponse). Don't over correct and find yourself chasing the trailer back and forth. Been there, done that too many time to count when learning and still find myself almost doing it.

 

[JB]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Put a hitch on the front of the truck.

 

[Thad]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Here is some encouragement for you.

Patience and a smile are key. I would put my wife up against most people I know to back a trailer. In fact, no joke, last Saturday she was asked by two guys behind us if she would back their trailer.

Here is how she learned.

She started in the driveway with the lawn tractor and a cart. I did this knowing full well that she would over steer, over correct, have to pull forward etc.etc. When she got the hang of which way the trailer will go and how little wheel it took to get it there and keep it somewhat straight we moved up to step two. The boat.
(There is meaning to step one and as stated earlier, confidence is key.)

We took the boat and some road cones to the shopping center. Went out to the rear lot before they were open. Set the cones up directly behind the trailer. Had her back between them in a straight line. Guess how well that went. We all know, the longer the trailer the easier it is.
We then moved on to getting into position from an angle and then getting straightened out.

The third step was an easy private ramp at her brothers house. Not to steep that you loose sight of the trailer. She nailed it.


I can't tell you the last time I backed our boat down a ramp. Even new ramps we have never been to before, she launches. She even puts it away at home.

I hope this helps you out. I tried to explain it in a third party step but it didn't sound right. So just our experience and what and how we did it.

Encourage her and let her know it is OK to pull forward and reset herself at ANY TIME she needs to. And don't get hung up on making or wanting her to use her mirrors. She will learn what is comfotable for her, in her own way. Remember, you are only there for guidance and reassurance that she is doing well.

P.S. I have not seen my wife even have to pull forward to correct even the lawn cart in 7 years.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

The tractor and a trailer or cart behind it helps quite a bit. My son backed up the trailer the other day for the first time and he said he knew what to do because he had back the tractor up with the trailer on it when he was just a kid.

The first time I towed anything my father-in-law told me about the hands on the bottom of the wheel and move your hands the direction you want the trailer to go. I still can not back up just using mirrors though. I think it's because the tractor does not have mirrors.

One thing to be very careful about though is what your tow vehicle is doing. I have at times backed down the ramp, made corrections on the way back, got the boat in right were I wanted it, only to find the truck was sort of sideways on the ramp because I was paying attention to the boat and not the truck. I pulled it forward and came straight back so as to not tie up two lanes.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

I have two 10' wide gates in my driveway that I have to get through with my 20' boat and then a jog to the right just past the 2nd gate....people look at my driveway with the boat in the back and shake their heads wondering how I get it up there....that being said I HAVE to be turned around with my arm on the seat looking out the back window to back up. I will stop and check my mirrors to make sure I'm clear and then start again. Trying to back up using mirrors alone just doesnt work for me. So I guess my advice is to turn around an look where you are going.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Just have her go very, very, very slow and make very, very small corrections. Everyone I see at the ramp having backing problems is trying to back up way, way, way too fast.

-E

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Hands at the bottom of the wheel, and know when to pull ahead to straighten up (instead of trying to correct going backwards) are the two things that helped me learn. Going slowly is a good idea, too.

 

[Fed]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

I create a self induced 'out of body' experience and put my 'other' self at the tow hitch, after that the wheelbarrow effect takes over.
I think a lot of people do this maybe without even realising it.
Holding the wheel in special places and working to a set of rules doesn't work for me in either reverse or going forward, I just 'know' which way to turn instinctivly.

 

[bdanie]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

I'm still getting use to backing up a boat. Just got it this year and im getting use to it by now. I spent 6 years in the army and could back a hummvee and a 10ft trailer on a ridge in the mountains of Afghanistan just big enough for the trailer with no mirrors and without a problem. Got this boat first few times I took it out I was playing zig-zag im sure I pissed a few people off. My problem was I had too much confidence in myself and was trying to go too fast once I slowed down it was easy

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Practice, praise and patience. It won't hurt to tell her she's attempting what 90 percent of our spouses wouldn't dare - so good on her!

I love the lawn tractor idea - and of course the old one hand at the bottom of the wheel trick. Told that to a guy at work a couple weeks back who was talking about his trailer backing troubles and he thinks I'm the cat's pitoot now.

I'm also one of those who just can't get it using mirrors. I have to be twisted around looking out the tailgate or I start to lose it.

Go slow is the other must-do. To borrow from the old docking adage I saw posted here a while ago, "Don't back down the ramp any faster than you are willing to hit the dock beside it."

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

I married a farmers daughter and never had to give instructions. She was backing up hay wagons at 12 and had her own horse trailer at 16. I used to drive tractor trailer years ago (1960's) and outside of the hand on the bottom of the steering wheel the other thing I learned is to pick a line that you want the trailer tires to follow. It might be a painted line to a loading dock, the last persons tire tracks, a spot or crack in the concrete, or a odd colored stone in a gravel parking lot. Watch your mirrors, go slow, and after a bit of practice it becomes old hat. I still pull up as far as possible if there is room so I am backing in as close to a straight line as possible. Why make life more difficult than necessary. Boat ramps present a problem that backing up on level ground does not in that you have a few feet while backing when you can't see most of the trailer as it starts down the ramp. Electric adjustable mirrors are a great help when really sharp turns are necessary in tight spaces. Wish I had them forty years ago.

 

[Doernuth]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Put a hitch on the front of the truck.

Now thats just cheating!!! But you can use it to get a trailer into really tight places.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Need some words of encouragment

Heres how you do it !!.
Put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and what ever way you turn it !!
Thats the way the trailer is going to go.

Retired truck driver after 32yrs of that crap.