How to back up a pivoting axle trailer

[LHF2019]

There is no way to explain how. As stated at the beginning. Practice practice practice practice practice. You want something difficult. Have multiple wagons. Multiple tongue lengths. Add a bent frame to the mix and multiple tractors. I have my favorites that I can back up first try and ones that take a lot of time. Wagon wise the worst combination is long tongue short wheel base. Those suck.

This tractor beats any of my other ones for ease of backing up wagons

 

[NoTrespassing]

When I was in high school, I worked before and after school delivering anhydrous ammonia for a fertilizer company. I had to back tanks up with a 3/4 Chevy. As others have said it takes a lot of practice. There were old guys working there that could back 2 of them into a parking spot. It was pretty amazing actually. When I tried to back up 2 tanks they would fold up like a wet noodle.

 

[ruffdog]

When I was in high school, I worked before and after school delivering anhydrous ammonia for a fertilizer company. I had to back tanks up with a 3/4 Chevy. As others have said it takes a lot of practice. There were old guys working there that could back 2 of them into a parking spot. It was pretty amazing actually. When I tried to back up 2 tanks they would fold up like a wet noodle.

Same with the dairy farmers down the road. They are better with 2 of them than I am with one.

 

[LouNY]

Back it around a corner and then I'll be impressed.

It gets done quite often. Nothing special about it, once you learn how and get enough practice.

 

[ruffdog]

It gets done quite often. Nothing special about it, once you learn how and get enough practice.

I find that backing into a shed, and doing it while turning, allows me to see down the side better.

 

[zzvyb6]

Having Left & Right brakes on the tractor is one method I use. This immediately changes the tow angle. If you keep high air pressure in the front tires, then their scrub torque is low. Then you can use chains or straps to eliminate the wagon steer angle and back it up just like a conventional towing arrangement. Works best on gravel or grass. Depends on the wagon's front axle load. Arround here, we have a lot of 'gravel trains' which are a trailer on the back of a long dump truck. Some of these drivers can back up these units at running speed. Some have hitch clamps which eliminate the wagon steer angle motion.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

It gets done quite often. Nothing special about it, once you learn how and get enough practice.

I don't have one and have no use for one therefore I have no need to spend any amount of time practicing, maybe you could make a video for some that have one and need some tips on how to easily back a wagon with a pivoting front tongue that really isn't all that easy to back as some let on.

 

[Farmer495]

I find that backing into a shed, and doing it while turning, allows me to see down the side better.

Yes, especially when you have no mirrors on the tractor. Lets you line the doorway better.

 

[oosik]

Lineman - when you loose control of a wagon - that's where it ALWAYS wants to go. Around a corner........

 

[redman135]

Hello Eebbee. Look on youtube: Truck and trailer reversing in a straight line training video.
Ignore the right hand drive. the principals shown are what matter.
NOTE the small(1/2 turn of steering wheel) corrections. Also, NOTE how he lined up FIRST, then started to reverse.
This driver is very good, he makes it look way easier than it is.
Make sure you are straight BEFORE you start reversing, setup very important.

If your tractor does not have mirrors, then think about getting a pair. Set them wide so you can see the sides of the load. If you are reversing into dark sheds, I reccomend you mount a spot light above the mirror to illuminate the mirrors feild of vision like the trucks do.
Lastly, your wagon has a drawbar that is a similar length as the wheel-base. This is a difficult combination to reverse as the body can out turn the drawbar. Best combination is for the wheel-base to be 1.5(or greater) X length of wagon drawbar See post 31 to see a good reversing wagon. The wheel-base is approx 2 X the drawbar length.
Be patient, as it takes practice.
Good Luck