Quick question about Fords pro back up assist.

[dodge man]

I have an F150 with it. I’m somewhere fair to poor at backing a trailer. I have a 600 foot paved driveway that’s just a little wider than my trailer. Sometimes when I use it I back it down the driveway just to practice. To set up the backup pro you put some reflective stickers in specific places on the trailer and then set it up. I’ve never used it.

 

[KennyG]

I have it on my F-150. It works pretty well. The biggest advantage I see is that it won't let you jack knife with a trailer you can't see well in the mirrors. You have to get used to gently using the knob. If you get aggressive with it you will zig zag all over the place. It does sometimes have a problem with losing the target in sun/shade conditions.

How essential is it for experienced users? I traded trailers a year ago and haven't got around to setting the new one up yet.

 

[dfkrug]

Funny, but its easier to back up my 30’ gooseneck horse trailer that it is to back up my jet ski trailer.

I would think a gooseneck trailer would be about the easiest to back up, but it is more about where the wheels pivot. The distance between center of rotation of the trailer wheels and the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

I have 2 trailers for my PU truck, and 2 for the ATV. The ones for the ATV are almost impossible to back them up in a straight path.

I once had a boat trailer that I converted to a flatbed. The trailer axle was really far back towards the end of the trailer. Easiest to back up.

 

[Paystar]

My first tractor trailer was a long wheelbase high rise sleeper International 9300 Eagle that I pulled a 24 foot tandem dump trailer with. Once you learn how to reverse a trailer that is shorter than the tow vehicle you can back anything up, LOL

The longer the trailer the easier it is.

 

[CH4Ohio]

It won’t lock anything down. Worse that could happen is the system would give an error message and you’d back manually as usual.

I never use mine but did set it up on one trailer. Took a few minutes to take measurements, attach the sticker, and input the info. But it’s all pretty simple really.

Here is the Ford supplied sticker that goes on the trailer tongue that is tracked by the system.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

My first tractor trailer was a long wheelbase high rise sleeper International 9300 Eagle that I pulled a 24 foot tandem dump trailer with. Once you learn how to reverse a trailer that is shorter than the tow vehicle you can back anything up, LOL

The longer the trailer the easier it is.

I still remember the joy of backing up a trailer dolly with a 3 axle Pete. Still hate to even see a set of doubles going down the road. Lol.

 

[Paystar]

I still remember the joy of backing up a trailer dolly with a 3 axle Pete. Still hate to even see a set of doubles going down the road. Lol.

Ya, I was never a pro with trains. Just because I never spent any real time driving one. I always had single trailers.

Nothing impressed me more in life than seeing the Labatt's beer drivers back their B-trains up at the bottling plants! Those guys drove in, had to blind side 90* into the docks between other trucks and they did it one shot, no pull aheads!

 

[Snezzy]

I have a very safe method for teaching people how to back a trailer. Tell 'em to back a small trailer that's attached to a riding lawnmower. An error instantly become a jackknife but nobody gets hurt.

The most difficult way to do backing is to have someone yelling instructions at you. "Now cut it! CUT IT! No! THE OTHER WAY!!! No, the OTHER other way, you efffin iddiott. Aren't you listening to me?"

If you do need to give instructions to the driver, simply point the direction the trailer should go, and do not tell him how to turn the steering wheel.

 

[neilpaku]

I have a very safe method for teaching people how to back a trailer. Tell 'em to back a small trailer that's attached to a riding lawnmower. An error instantly become a jackknife but nobody gets hurt.

The most difficult way to do backing is to have someone yelling instructions at you. "Now cut it! CUT IT! No! THE OTHER WAY!!! No, the OTHER other way, you efffin iddiott. Aren't you listening to me?"

If you do need to give instructions to the driver, simply point the direction the trailer should go, and do not tell him how to turn the steering wheel.

Snezzy has it - I taught my wife and kids to back using the lawn tractor and its trailer. I pointed out a couple of basic facts, had them try a couple of times, and then walked away while they practiced on the lawn. They got it. It's easy to see what's going on when the front steering wheels and the trailer and hitch can be easily seen. I think there are many people that don't do well backing trailers are only wanting for some good instruction (rather than derision which doesn't usually help....)

 

[D&D]

I have a very safe method for teaching people how to back a trailer. Tell 'em to back a small trailer that's attached to a riding lawnmower. An error instantly become a jackknife but nobody gets hurt.

The most difficult way to do backing is to have someone yelling instructions at you. "Now cut it! CUT IT! No! THE OTHER WAY!!! No, the OTHER other way, you efffin iddiott. Aren't you listening to me?"

If you do need to give instructions to the driver, simply point the direction the trailer should go, and do not tell him how to turn the steering wheel.

An even easier method is to use your cellphones to actually talk to each other. A lot of people dont understand they have to stay in the drivers mirrors to give hand signals. They also dont understand that waving their hand in front of their body is VERY hard to see.

 

[ramonajim]

For me, it's a miracle tool. I've driven manual transmission cars & trucks my entire life, but the first 45 years of that life were decidedly suburban. Never had a trailer, and on the rare occasions one was barrowed or rented involved either planning around backing up or some "stupid human driver" video source material.

I can fix most anything, have rebuilt multiple engines with zero training, re-plumbed our 1773 farm house, taught myself how to replace 20' of sill on the farm house, built a 20x40 equipment shed from scratch and solo, keep my seriously abused bought for $1000 Korean tractor running and servicing our 11 acre horse property, etc. In other words, I'm reasonably capable of figuring things out.

But for whatever my brain simply cannot master backing up a trailer. With the pro assist on my wife's F150, I'm able to get in and out of pretty much any spot with any of our trailers. I'm not going to do it as quickly as the guy driving the landscape company truck pulling in to unload or the real horsewoman backing up her 4 horse trailer - those people make it look like magic. But I can get it done without endless the do-overs that happen if I have to manage it with just my own brain doing the thinking.

 

[LMychajluk]

...You have to get used to gently using the knob. If you get aggressive with it you will zig zag all over the place. ...

One thing to keep in mind w/ it is that when you release the knob, the system will drive the truck to follow the trailer. So, you can basically forget about the truck (but you still need to watch the front corners for clearances). It does tend to cut the wheels a bit aggressively, and if you're on soft ground, it will chew it up a bit.

The lawn mower discussion brought back memories. I guess I actually 'learned' to back a trailer w/o even knowing it while towing a lawn cart around w/ the mower or ATV when I was a kid.

When I had a boat (23'), I could back it up w/ my Avalanche no problem with no assists. I used to rent a tight spot at a marble yard that I had to wind my way into backwards when putting the boat away and I could do it solo without issue. I recently got a 22' equipment trailer and for whatever reason I seem to be having a bit of trouble with w/ my F350. Maybe it's the longer wheelbase of the truck, or maybe because I can't actually see the outside corner of the trailer when backing it and don't trust myself yet. Probably just need some more time to get used to it. I seem to go back and forth w/ using the assist.

 

[henerythe8th]

From what I gather, each trailer has to be installed in the memory.

I think i will just stick with old school. Haven't needed it so far so I don't need it.

Now if a genie popped out and locked down the hitch, hooked up the chains and wiring, I might be interested.

You need a well trained trunk monkey!

 

[D&D]

the real horsewoman backing up her 4 horse trailer I have to manage it with just my own brain doing the thinking.

4500 crew cab, 4 horse w/15' living quarters after backing into a tight spot next to utility pole, out jumps a 5'3, 110lb ponytail wearing brunette.

 

[D&D]

You need a well trained trunk monkey!

 

[SpringHollow]

I set my trailer up with it since the backup assist came with the truck. It is actually pretty neat and works well. But I never use it. My trailers are 16 - 24' so they are pretty easy to backup.

 

[John0829]

I KNOW I am going to step on toes here and apologize in advance... I think it is something that should never have been put on a vehicle, IF a person cannot back a trailer then they should not be towing a trailer. I consider the ability to back a trailer just as important as towing it forward for one NEVER knows what situation they might encounter. Granted backing is a low speed operation and less likely to harm someone but still it is a matter of being in control.

All it takes is practice and more practice, using a lawn tractor is a very good way to gain the knowledge. This tech is giving confidence to people to tow, many that in IMHO should not even be allowed to drive, many of them distracted drivers. We have all seen it, people towing trailers not connected properly, cutting corners, loaded with to much or not enough tongue weight, insecure load, cutting other drivers off because they don't realize their length. How about the ones that just have to pass a vehicle because it going slightly slower than they want or any multitude of other reasons.

Yeah, I know getting off the backing up bit... point is being able and knowing how to control what you are operating going forward or backward with out the crutch of tech. Don't take me wrong tech is a wonderful thing but just like the calculator it reduces your use of brain cells and many out there are already running close to a shortage.

 

[Snezzy]

This tech is giving confidence to people to tow, many that in IMHO should not even be allowed to drive...

Don't worry. Look at the occasional video of them backing a boat trailer into the water and then (!!) uncoupling the trailer (!!) and trying to use the boat, still on the trailer, at any speed beyond 3 kts. They'll make other mistakes, too, and finally will give up or (as we say in the horse hobby) expire in harness.

Oh, I see your point. They won't Darwin themselves before spawning more of same. We'll be overwhelmed by them. Maybe we already are. Try driving in New Jersey or around Boston.

 

[gckshea]

Is it really necessary. From what I read and videos basically instead of using the steering wheel you use a dial. Im old school, and like that round thingy you use to steer.

What else is so great about it? Am I missing something?

Thanks

I have an 2022 F-250 Lariat with the all-aroubd cameras and the back up trailer add-on. I've driven all my years without ever jackknifing or hitting an object with the blindside trailer corners. I try to get a spotter when I can.
That said, I did put the grid sticker on the tongue of my utility trailer to give the feature a try. One thing is good from it....it does prevent jackknifing this really short wheelbase/tongue length trailer with my long box truck. The input parameters to assign this trailer to the system take into account ball to axle distance, total length, length behind the axle to rear of trailer, width, and it knows not to allow too much steering wheel turn. If I do have to put the trailer in a tight spot, I just override the backup feature....old school.
Is it worth it? I say yes, for my 32 foot bumper pull RV camper trailer. But....I do not rely on it
..its a helper.

 

[Paul McILwain]

Lester Flatt backed a semi load of steel from Chicago to Birmingham,(song by Flatt &Scrugs)