Parking/Backing Advice

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Bfleissner

Well Jim, AMYFL hasn't reversed a trailer thousands of times and she is looking for help.


And saying that you "would" never means you haven't ever tried it, so again, how does that help AMYFL?

Question for you Brett. Have you a hitch on the front of your tow vehicle and have you tried it and found it helps? Another question. Is the gate in the picture I posted ( post #59 ) open or closed?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Bfleissner

Well Jim, AMYFL hasn't reversed a trailer thousands of times and she is looking for help.


And saying that you "would" never means you haven't ever tried it, so again, how does that help AMYFL?

Of course she is looking for help, this coming in on an issue I feel would not benefit her in the least. I have given hands on training to many folks, the majority being in work conditions where safety is a major concern. I am a big advocate of inexperienced tow folks going for professional training. Even short courses really help.

And I have done this before, when trying to place tow behind compressors and generators inside and in a tight spot on jobsites. They are extremely narrow with real short wheel bases, so seeing them in the mirrors is impossible.

Still, I maintain it is not a good idea for a trailer 7-8' wide where you can't see down the sides nor over the top.

[Bfleissner]

Hey Glenn,


I have indeed used a front hitch to back up trailers in difficult stops. I actually learned this from my father who did this for the boat we had when I was a kid. He wanted the boat as tight to the side as possible in our garage. I've done it myself on 2 vehicles.


And I don't know about the gates, but I would hope that whether it is a front hitch or rear one, that the person backing in the trailer has looked before they started.

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Question for you Brett. Have you a hitch on the front of your tow vehicle and have you tried it and found it helps? Another question. Is the gate in the picture I posted ( post #59 ) open or closed?

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Bfleissner

And I don't know about the gates, but I would hope that whether it is a front hitch or rear one, that the person backing in the trailer has looked before they started.

Backing, I can see one or the other gate posts in my mirrors. Look forward out my windshield, I only see a white expanse of trailer.
BTW, the gate is closed, but the point is that you can't see it ( or the iron gate posts ). There's six inches clearance between the posts either side.