Backing up my Burro

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by olderishguy

hello. you don't use the mirrors when you are "pushing". you are looking " at " the trailer.

Precisely.

[olderishguy]

unibody ! aahk ! have never owned one so can't say. have looked at some, but body on frame is my preference, despite the mileage. they do put receivers on the back of unibodies, don't they ? Isn't the front more reinforced due to the engine, trans etc anyways just throwing out a tried and true method for some. Probably you don't see them due to cost. It justifies that nasty word "custom". I guess on the unibodies ground clearance might be an issue. ".

[Carol H]

Well personally rather than spending a bunch of money on having a receiver mounted in three spots on the front of my tug I think I might just spend the money on having someone teach me how to back up a trailer.

[stevebaz]

I have used trailer ball mounted to the front of my Bronco to move stuff and it makes it easy. But with an egg trailer it is right in your face and totally blocks your view. With allot of modern cars you could adapt front tow mounts that motor homers use on their tag alongs. One big issue with pushing with a front end on modern cars is the use of air bags. you don't want those going off.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Well personally rather than spending a bunch of money on having a receiver mounted in three spots on the front of my tug I think I might just spend the money on having someone teach me how to back up a trailer.

I'll teach anyone that comes to my house with their TV, Trailer and a container of beverage (for after school) how to back up in about 15 minutes, and I've got a nice long uphill driveway to practice on.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

We're not running an RV lot (David being the possible exception…LOL).

Me?

BTW, this is one of the reasons for the impulse drive:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ive-63533.html

[Donna D.]

It just takes some practice... no matter WHAT works for you or others. Go slow, slow, slow and when things start going bad.. STOP. Continuing on the same path won't improve things. Pull forward a bit and start again.

You'll get it.. no one is born with the perfect-backing-spoon in their mouth, I PROMISE YOU!

[Darrell in Al]

I've got 5 trailers and the worst ones for backing are the smallest. I have had a lot of practice, my driver I had in 03 in Iraq told me he could not back up a trailer... so I gave him a substantial amount of training. I had him backing the Sqd. Trailer around a block and around parking lot. I was being cussed at a lot by him but afterwards he didn't have any problems doing it. I learned about the same way. Hay wagons and then in Army M35 2 1/2 truck and various trailers one of the worst ones was a water trailer,short, heavy (500 gallons water) and not visible in mirrors.

[Mike-N-Laurie]

For $15 you should be able to remove the foot on your tougue jack replace it with a wheel and effortlessly move that trailer around with one hand. This will not help you in backing into a campsite but putting it back in the garage in seconds. My wife rolls it around like a little wagon.

[The Minimalist]

I find the real trick to backing a trailer is to not let your brain get in the way.

Once I was having trouble backing in a campground; tight corner, big drop, poor design. A next door neighbor came to help. He said he would rather pack a 30 footer than a 13.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Lfoxmont

All of us use tiny movements but what usually happens is no matter which way we turn the steering wheel, it continues to only go one way. All of us then pull forward to straighten everything out and then we try again.....same results.

The comment of only going one way makes me wonder about the axle alignment. Could it be out of alignment?
Trailer Tire Problems & Tips
Trailer Alignment Procedure

[Lfoxmont]

Roy in TO:

Nah, it's me. I just watched my daughter back that little sucker into my garage. Sigh, time to face the music......hitch it up and go find an empty parking lot.

Really appreciated all the comments!