Learning how to drive with a trailer..

[greenman48]

Okay this is something that at 58yo, I have never done and its on my list to learn. I have a tow package on my truck, but no hitch and I don't own a trailer yet. To make things more interesting I live in the country and there are lots of windy small roads...some so narrow I fold in my trucks side mirror when I am on them...as I know from experience can be an issue. Two weeks after getting this truck someone came too far over and we slapped mirrors.

Anyway what is the wisest and safest way you guys would recommend to get into this? I want to get a trailer for the tractor at some point and a small camper.

I am one of those people that is typically, cool calm and collected and not easily stressed out. But for some reason thinking about getting stuck on one of these curvy back roads and having to back out or turn around with a trailer etc tenses me up just thinking about it lol.

Thanks in advance!

First some background. I am 75 and spent 2 years installing trailer hitches and tow accessories for farmers, ranchers, and RV enthusiasts in Idaho. I have hauled farm machinery, and a couple of tons of firewood out of the mountains of Id and had a 23 ft tag-along camp trailer. A vehicle that states it has a "tow package" simply means that it has the wiring installed for towing a trailer. I have custom-built several trailers, both single and tandem axles. I have seen over the years people who have been hauling trailers around that have been doing it incorrectly and unsafely for decades and fate hasn't caught up with them yet. I have read some pretty good replies to your post, but would add that like most things there are little tips and tweaks that are usually only learned by experience or the hard way. I will never claim to be an expert on all things towing but experience is a pretty good teacher. Without knowing exactly the tow vehicle, trailer size, number of axles on trailer and the loads you expect to have on the trailer, any advice I can give you would be generic at best. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to pick my brain.

 

[Deanes]

I'll

Okay this is something that at 58yo, I have never done and its on my list to learn. I have a tow package on my truck, but no hitch and I don't own a trailer yet. To make things more interesting I live in the country and there are lots of windy small roads...some so narrow I fold in my trucks side mirror when I am on them...as I know from experience can be an issue. Two weeks after getting this truck someone came too far over and we slapped mirrors.

Anyway what is the wisest and safest way you guys would recommend to get into this? I want to get a trailer for the tractor at some point and a small camper.

I am one of those people that is typically, cool calm and collected and not easily stressed out. But for some reason thinking about getting stuck on one of these curvy back roads and having to back out or turn around with a trailer etc tenses me up just thinking about it lol.

Thanks in advance!

I'll join what everyone is saying. Anyone can learn to back trailers. It just takes practice. If you want, set up a course with metal fence posts in an open field and practice backing down a narrow path.
As a kid in 4-H I won a state "tractor driving" contest. Most of the driving involved backing 2 wheel trailers and 4 wheel wagons. I won because my dad made me practice, and practice and practice. Now I can still back anything. Once on a church trip I had to turn a school bus pulling a box trailer around on a 2 lane mountain road. Just takes practice to be comfortable.

 

[ljjhouser]

If you need a trailer and are committed to getting one, you might want to make that choice first THEN learn how to drive it. For example, a gooseneck is an entirely different matter than a bumper pull. A 20' bumper pull is much different than a 8' canoe trailer - MUCH easier to back up the 20'.
With a short trailer most people overcompensate when backing up.

Pick your trailer, and take it to a open area. Start by learning where your trailer axles will go in turns. Then always check the location of the axles when you turn. Doing this will enable you to safely manage forward driving.

Backing up. In a large open area, practice backing. AGAIN, watch how the trailer axles move in relation to changes driving the truck. If you practice enough, you will be able to predict where the axle will go and will become good at backing.

THEN, you will need to understand how to correctly load your trailer - another subject. I have had many trailers and built a few. I currently have a Doolittle 20' tilt bed 14K. You can learn to drive most any trailer. A gooseneck is also different and I have never pulled one.

Best wishes.

 

[bcp]

Bruce

 

[racardon]

Lots of good advice here. My wife is usually my spotter unless we are launching a boat. Then she is the driver and I am in the boat. When we first realized that would be the best set up, we took our motor home and the boat to a big empty parking lot. She kicked me out and said go sit in the shade. She practiced backing the rig using the parking lines as guides for an hour. After that, she could back that rig down any boat ramp faster and cleaner than anyone I've seen.

We've towed everything from a jet ski (short trailer) to a 30 ft trailer with a big 4x4 rig on it. We've towed with everything from UTV to our 30 ft motor home.

I will add two things:

First is a trick a neighbor taught me. Rather than having your spotter yelling at you, use your cell phones. That is if you have cell coverage. My wife is usually my spotter. We've towed everything from a jet ski (short trailer) to a 30 ft trailer with a big 4x4 rig on it. We've towed with everything from UTV to our 30 ft motor home.

Second is the spotter tells the driver which direction the trailer needs to go, driver side or passenger side. The driver will figure out how to steer. Of course the spotter also stops the driver before they back into anything.

Good luck and don't shy away from it.

 

[whatsup]

No hitch... you mean no hitch and ball; you have the receiver? You should have the necessary wiring for a truck with a trailer package, like the brake wiring at the brake switch and at the receiver at the back.

It will be setup either for a flat 4-way plug (just wiring for lights) or a round 7-way plug (has wiring for electric brakes as well). If you are going with the electric, you need more practice adapting to that.

You'll need a controller that can apply the brakes manually. You'll need a wiring harness that goes from the controller to the plug/adapter at the brake pedal switch. The other alternative brake system is purge brakes (rental trailers has these). No electrical hookup for them.

If you have no access to trailers from friends, I'd suggest renting a u-haul trailer. Lots of things to think about with trailers. Don't go cheap or skip something. Insurance is available from some companies for trailers.

Good luck, ask lots of questions.

 

[dcarman]

Okay this is something that at 58yo, I have never done and its on my list to learn. I have a tow package on my truck, but no hitch and I don't own a trailer yet. To make things more interesting I live in the country and there are lots of windy small roads...some so narrow I fold in my trucks side mirror when I am on them...as I know from experience can be an issue. Two weeks after getting this truck someone came too far over and we slapped mirrors.

Anyway what is the wisest and safest way you guys would recommend to get into this? I want to get a trailer for the tractor at some point and a small camper.

I am one of those people that is typically, cool calm and collected and not easily stressed out. But for some reason thinking about getting stuck on one of these curvy back roads and having to back out or turn around with a trailer etc tenses me up just thinking about it lol.

Thanks in advance!

Don't look back just drive! No, it sounds like you should practice handling it in a parking lot somewhere for a bit before taking it home and loading your tractor up. An 18 or 20 foot car trailer works great for most compact tractors. Compact tractors are generally light enough that a car trailer can handle it no problem.
A camper on the other hand is going to be wider than your truck. They are usually 8' wide and your truck is about 6-1/2' wide. If you have to fold your mirrors in to get through now the camper is going to take a beating there. Car trailers are a little over eight feet wide at the wheels but they are low enough that trees and such shouldn't bother them.

 

[JONNY BOYYY]

Okay this is something that at 58yo, I have never done and its on my list to learn. I have a tow package on my truck, but no hitch and I don't own a trailer yet. To make things more interesting I live in the country and there are lots of windy small roads...some so narrow I fold in my trucks side mirror when I am on them...as I know from experience can be an issue. Two weeks after getting this truck someone came too far over and we slapped mirrors.

Anyway what is the wisest and safest way you guys would recommend to get into this? I want to get a trailer for the tractor at some point and a small camper.

I am one of those people that is typically, cool calm and collected and not easily stressed out. But for some reason thinking about getting stuck on one of these curvy back roads and having to back out or turn around with a trailer etc tenses me up just thinking about it lol.

Thanks in advance!

99% of the time the only thing that will get you into trouble is speed...your mirror would still be here if you were going slow or stopped when the other guy drove by..

 

[BenjiMac]

Besides what CobyRupert wrote about the trailer tracking to the inside on corners, there are two things you need to know. First, when going forward, of course, you do not need to worry a lot about the trailer, it will follow your car. When backing up, the opposite is true; you do not need to worry much about where your car is going, just make the trailer go where you want and the car will follow it! Second is when parking the trailer, whether going forward or back, the important part is to get the trailer WHEELS in the parking space. If you start turning when the back end is in the right place, but the wheels not yet far enough, then you will be driving the wheels into a place that is not aligned with the parking space. Of course you also need to watch both ends of the trailer (or have someone else doing this for you) to make sure it does not hit something on either side of the space, but it is the wheels that need to be properly placed, and then the whole trailer will be properly placed. On short-long vehicles - the only time I had a lot of trouble backing up a trailer was when it was carrying my daughter's car, towed behind a fairly large U-haul van that was much longer than the trailer; that was difficult!

 

[Ga Farmer]

Really good advice here! 2 rookie mistakes I can think of are; not pulling up far enough when it gets all catawampassed and getting out often to look when you are in a bad/ tight spot. Even if you only move 6 inches. Get out and look.! I've always used the bottom of the steering wheel thing to teach new trailer drivers. That right to go left, ect, is for the birds to confusing! Just turn the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go. It is much more difficult if the trailer is shorter than the tow vehicle, it will get around on you fast! Practice in a parking lot or field as suggested but have a designated spot to go to and see what it takes to get there. YMMV! Good luck