Backing up a Gen Trailer

[Alan46]

I learned how to backup my brides lawn tractor and small utility trailer by doing it.
If you can do that, you can back up anything!
Just sayin. Just practice!

 

[charlessenf]

Backing Up Gen Trailer

Got this 14 kw generator on a small trailer, hooks to the rear drawbar and PTO of my JD 950 with loader. Provides survival during our frequent winter power outages. Big problem: backing it back into the barn when crisis subsides. Tractor mostly outside to disperse emissions, attached trailer remains behind under shelter of barn But trailer twists sideways and jackknifes during backup return. Tractor and trailer both short wheelbase. I spent years backing a bass boat into launch ramps and parking slots with no problem. The barn door at 8 ft is too narrow to permit much steer adjustment (loader hits frame). Detaching gen and backing by hand is a real p.i.t.a. for these old bones. Got any suggestions ?

Have you tried mounting a ball on your FEL bucket and pushing it (GEN) into the barn?

 

[charlessenf]

garage. Generator stayed inside.

See Oh One in the house?

 

[Shady oak]

There is no such thing as a trailer that can’t be backed up. Like the posts above practice practice practice, plus very gentle hands!

 

[Flogger]

I have ball mounts on my loader tractor and both SxS's. Pushing a trailer into storage allows a much better option and I can squeeze them in tight when they are fully visible in front of me.

 

[Teachu2]

I use one of these https://www.amazon.com/7BLACKSMITHS...efix=tractor+bucket+ball+mount,aps,198&sr=8-5

I have a Miller Bobcat welder/generator mounted on a very small HF trailer 1090 lb. Capacity 40-1/2 in x 48 in Utility Trailer that I park in a single bay garage space. I clamp the hitch offset so I can see the trailer easier, makes it very easy to push it in where it needs to be. Mounted a 1000 lb. Swing-Away Trailer Jack on it, so it's easy to hand push into final spot, once it's into the garage. I store the welder and my log splitter side by side.

 

[bdhsfz6]

The neighboring farm has an 18KW trailer mounted PTO generator. They use an adapter to put forks on the 3pt hitch. They just pick up the trailer with the forks and set it wherever they want. It's rigged with a PTO driveshaft so the genny can be used while its on the forks. Makes a great portable power supply.

 

[WinterDeere]

I spend all summer backing my boat trailers down ramps, and then all winter backing a steerable two-axle wagon (eg. small hay wagon) around a tight 90 bend onto a patio. The boat trailers are like any other, you simply reverse steer in your mind to push the trailer the way you want, pretty simple. The wagon adds a second pivot point, so that you must reverse the "reverse" again, which is somehow even more confusing.



Whereas I was previously to the point where I could do a slalom course in reverse with any regular boat or landscape trailer, so many hundreds of times backing up this little hay wagon with "double-reversed" steering, has me looking at least a little less expert each spring at the boat ramp.
That said, after once or twice with each trailer type, your muscle memory recovers, your brain re-recognizes the patterns it once knew.

One thing I haven't seen pointed out is that, when working with a steerable trailer like my wagon above, or even a very short trailer, it can help to have a very long drawbar on the back of the tractor. I mounted a ball hitch receiver on the back of my ballast box this reason, getting that ball far enough aft of the rear axle to have some swing. It's the same theory mentioned by a few others above, with putting the ball out front, you need some swing between your pivot (axle) and the ball to effect a satisfactory change in direction with a small movement of your front wheels.

 

[bcp]

I think it was on TBN years ago, someone placed their pto generator in the front corner of their garage. When needed, a little door was opened to admit the PTO shaft. Generator stayed inside. Tractor stayed outside, and the generator never had to be backed into storage.

Bruce

Found it.

PTO generator


Missing photos:


Bruce

 

[just_Dave]

Can you see it? if you can't see the trailer you will never succeed. My boat trailer with no boat is hard to back up with the truck as I can't see it.
You just need to slow down... When your backing up. Don't be afraid to pull forward to straighten everything out at the slightest point of going wrong... there will be times you CAN'T save it. With a short trailer you need to correct almost immediately and sometimes even before hand, I went L 5 feet so I need R for 5 feet, to keep it going correctly. A lot depends on the thing backing it up and it's wheelbase as well.
Also watch how the tractor moves when you spin the steering wheel Even that movement might impact the way the trailer is going to move the next few feet causing you issues. I know some steering setups push the machine the opposite direction to start with.