ARGH! I can't do it! [Archive]

Donor

4th June 2008, 21:57

Big Dan

4th June 2008, 22:00

DMNTD you bastard, you made me do this!

I have to confess to the world:

I CANNOT BACK A TRAILER AND UNIT HAS MY BALLS IN HER POCKET! Cos she can dammit...

There, now stop taunting me with your oh so shiny green rep and yet emasculating comments you sod!

So...

...for the love of god, someone(s) out there make me feel better and tell me they suck badly at reversing trailers!

(For the record, I have managed to successfully reverse half a dozen times in the last 12 months, just not in one fluid motion...)

Backing a trailer is so easy do you want to learn from a master

Donor

4th June 2008, 22:02

Backing a trailer is so easy do you want to learn from a master

I think the lesson I had in backing a B train may have been partly to blame for burning out my reversing gland...

BIHB@0610

4th June 2008, 22:04

I can't back a trailer either

Well, not unless you count parking the car, unhooking the trailer, pushing it where I want it then hooking it back up again .......

Mike748

4th June 2008, 22:04

Ah well, some pick it up easy some don't.
Don't know what type of vehicle you are using or trailer but a short drawbar on a long wheelbase vehicle is a #%#^^$ to reverse even if you have the skills.

fireball

4th June 2008, 22:07

i cant back a trailer using a car.....

but a tractor or a quad no worries!

Meekey_Mouse

4th June 2008, 22:09

I've been able to do it since I was 14.. In the dark... With frosted up mirrors... And with a horse in the float (horse trailer) :p

Just keep practicing :niceone:

Donor

4th June 2008, 22:10

The few times I have succeeded, have been particularly sloooooooow affairs, and quite frankly highly embarrassing... :(

Donor

4th June 2008, 22:11

I've been able to do it since I was 14.. In the dark... With frosted up mirrors... And with a horse in the float (horse trailer) :p

Just keep practicing :niceone:

Well...

...I can pee standing up, and without dribbling! :bleh:

Donor

4th June 2008, 22:13

I can't back a trailer either

Well, not unless you count parking the car, unhooking the trailer, pushing it where I want it then hooking it back up again .......

That is a perfectly acceptable and very healthy method!

I commend you on your technique :D

Big Dan

4th June 2008, 22:15

the key to backing is to watching the back corners of the trailer or the side you can see and slow smooth turning and you should be sweet

McJim

4th June 2008, 22:54

Christ, I only learned to drive a car at age 32 what friggen chance have I got of backing a trailer?

CookMySock

4th June 2008, 22:58

align the car and trailer first, now put your hand on the rim of the steering wheel right at the bottom in the middle (six oclock position.)

Start reversing, and you will discover when you move your hand to the left the trailer will go to the left, hand to the right - trailer will follow.

Make small corrections - 1/4 turn max, and keep your speed UP not down.

When you get good at this you can reverse at a fast walking to near-jogging pace, and you will look like the total expert. Heh it looks really funny watching someone reverse a trailer perfectly into a gap at a full running speed.. :eek:

DB

TOTO

5th June 2008, 00:14

I suck at it too. I unbolt trailer, turn car around, bolt trailer back on. I'm way worse than you Donor. :yes:

Disco Dan

5th June 2008, 00:19

turn wheel left - trailer goes right.
turn wheel right - trailer goes left.

(yeah yeah i know theres more to it but thats the general jist!)

Gremlin

5th June 2008, 00:40

I've driven a whole 2 times... and yet to get my Restricted... I haven't even learned to reverse/park a car... so I'm sure you're better :lol:

Patch

5th June 2008, 04:32

Try putting the towball on the front of your vehicle, you might find it easier that way :shifty:

avgas

5th June 2008, 06:17

I'm fine at backing trailers. Its not jackknifing and flipping the truck that i have issues with.

avgas

5th June 2008, 06:18

turn wheel left - trailer goes right.
turn wheel right - trailer goes left.

(yeah yeah i know theres more to it but thats the general jist!)
So if i reverse the trailer comes forward? What if its at a funny angle? lol

Donor

5th June 2008, 07:54

I know the basics of backing a trailer, and as I say, have managed to do it only a rare handful of times after numerous time consuming attempts. Biggest problem is not getting the trailer started in the right direction, it's correcting it, and then changing turn direction that gazumps me!

And keeping tabs on the trailers desire to suddenly jack knife and have all the soccer moms at the transfer station laugh at me...

Think I might sell the wagon and just buy a bloody ute with a tray!

Nasty

5th June 2008, 08:54

I can back a trailer ... most the time I choose not to as the Grub has such superior skills in this that I think that the time I take can be better going in and making a cuppa :niceone:

Dilligaf

5th June 2008, 08:58

Backing a trailer??

Nah.... that's what husbands are for.

:whistle: Like you men have never made sexist comments either :bleh:

007XX

5th June 2008, 09:02

Well...

...I can pee standing up, and without dribbling! :bleh:

So can I :shifty:...using a marvelous item called a Shewee :2thumbsup

I can back a trailer ... most the time I choose not to as the Grub has such superior skills in this that I think that the time I take can be better going in and making a cuppa :niceone:

Same here...however, I've started claiming a need to practice just in case something should happen to my delectable other half.

Backing a trailer??

Nah.... that's what husbands are for.

[/SIZE]

Exactly!!! See Donor? All ya gotta do is get yourself a hubby :lol: Just keep your hands off mine, he's way too hot for ya :girlfight:

Mom

5th June 2008, 09:04

I once provided a huge amount of entertainment at our local tip attempting to back a trailer to the tip face. Heaven knows how many attempts I made. There was a bunch of guys standing around about wetting themselves laughing at me!

I finally abandoned the job and had to go and ask someone to do it for me :o

Of course the fact I was 17 with long blonde hair only enhanced the amusement of my audience.

Bastards! :killingme

chanceyy

5th June 2008, 09:05

I've been able to do it since I was 14.. In the dark... With frosted up mirrors... And with a horse in the float (horse trailer) :p

Just keep practicing :niceone:

yeah I am with you Jas, backed my horse float at 90 degree angle into carport, dad watched & said who taught you to back that good ... response .. you did dad .. he said well even i can not back that good

how did I learn .. while they went out fishing on taupo I spent the day practicing in the large carpark & knowing the basics with a boat trailer ..

also when my ex raced speedway I was the one to drive home back down a steep driveway off a state highway in the pitch black .. only cause he couldn't :lol:

DEATH_INC.

5th June 2008, 09:06

It's easy, put the trailer on the back, select reverse..... you guys complicate everything....:clap:

sinfull

5th June 2008, 09:18

Searches out DMNTD to send him some bling lol
Hate to see ya reaction speed on a bike if your waiting for the trailer to jacknife before correcting !
Use ya mirrors rather than looking back, that way ya brains facing the steerin wheel ! Bottom for trailer direction top for b train trailer direction !
But this has to be a P/T if you can back a b train lol

MisterD

5th June 2008, 10:19

Ah well, some pick it up easy some don't.
Don't know what type of vehicle you are using or trailer but a short drawbar on a long wheelbase vehicle is a #%#^^$ to reverse even if you have the skills.

+1. I can put a tractor and trailer where I want it to the inch, but with a cage and one of those Mitre10 courtesy trailers it's waay harder.

hellkat

5th June 2008, 10:34

Nah, 's mens-things, innit.

Like (several of the girlies) say, its it easier to bribe the nearest bloke with a cup of tea/spliff/fag/beer/cake.

Lucy

5th June 2008, 18:57

Totally depends on the length of the drawbar I reckon. I used to be shithot backing a supershuttle trailer, but then I bought a stupid tiny one off Tardme and can't even see it in the mirrors let alone back it. Even with a decent trailer I'm better at backing into corners, backing in a straight line baffles me. Takes a few goes to get down our driveway which is embarrasing as it's on a main road. My husband doesn't even bother, he makes me do it.

gijoe1313

5th June 2008, 19:33

:jerry::jerry::jerry::jerry::jerry:

This seems to be an on-going saga!
:jerry::jerry::jerry::jerry::jerry:

marty

5th June 2008, 19:40

Nah, 's mens-things, innit.

Like (several of the girlies) say, its it easier to bribe the nearest bloke with a cup of tea/spliff/fag/beer/cake.

i only back for BJ's

nodrog

5th June 2008, 19:51

get some tips off a Harley owner, they have awesome knowledge of how to correctly operate a trailer.

Solo

5th June 2008, 20:02

Well...

...I can pee standing up, and without dribbling! :bleh:

Yeah? ... Wait till you get over 50 :no:

hellkat

5th June 2008, 20:02

i only back for BJ's

Ah yes, I purposely left that one out.

Motu

5th June 2008, 20:03

Definately length of vehicle and length of drawbar are the deciding factors.More impotantly the distance from the rear axle to the towball.I've been good at backing trailers for years,and could reverse A Trains before the new fangled B Train came along - but I suck with the Pajero which is wierd.But it has a long wheelbase,poor lock and short distance between axle and towball....plus I can't see the trailer.Put the same trailer on the Diamante which has the same wheelbase...and I look like I'm born to it.

Ixion

5th June 2008, 20:07

Yours is the short wheelbase Pajero !

With the long wheel base model, the trailer is in a different timezone to the truck. And even if you could see the trailer, by the time the light crossed the near interplantary distance the trailer would already be upside down in the rose garden

DMNTD

5th June 2008, 20:13

This seems to be an on-going saga!
I assure you of this fact sir

It's easy, put the trailer on the back, select reverse..... you guys complicate everything....:clap:
Yep...Unit has it sorted

Nah.... that's what husbands are for.
Not in "his" household :no:

Swoop

5th June 2008, 20:40

Thank you.

People who cannot reverse a trailer, provide hours of entertainment for others.:shifty:

The best demonstrations are at a boat ramp...:laugh:

1 Free Man

5th June 2008, 21:02

DMNTD you bastard, you made me do this!

I have to confess to the world:

I CANNOT BACK A TRAILER AND UNIT HAS MY BALLS IN HER POCKET! Cos she can dammit...

There, now stop taunting me with your oh so shiny green rep and yet emasculating comments you sod!

So...

...for the love of god, someone(s) out there make me feel better and tell me they suck badly at reversing trailers!

(For the record, I have managed to successfully reverse half a dozen times in the last 12 months, just not in one fluid motion...)
Yes I suck at backing a trailer.LOL:laugh:
I can only do it with my mirrors.:bleh:
Practice practice practice the only way to learn. Take it to a car park some place and practice practice practice. Try doing it with your mirrors you may find it easier:niceone:
Good luck:clap:

Motu

5th June 2008, 21:03

Yours is the short wheelbase Pajero !

No,it's got 4 doors,so LWB.That superior feeling looking down at the little people in mere Corolla's soon gets deflated trying to get to the tip face.

Not to give the boat ramp drongos any excuse - but it is harder to back down hill.

My worst episode was leaving Waiheke Island - I had my trailer so loaded the tyres were rubbing on the guards,or at least one more so than the other.This acted as a brake and there was no way I could back it straight,it just kept veering off to one side.Then the removal truck was grounding it's towbar on the ferry ramp - the ferry backed off,and then rammed itself into the tuck.

devnull

5th June 2008, 21:06

ynot slow

6th June 2008, 07:37

Try a tandem trailer in a carpark,tandems usually steer easier,or else try a trailer with longer drawbar first,then your away lol.Reverse either from the left or right of the angle you want to attempt,which ever way is more comfortable for you,me I prefer to reverse from the right side,that way the trailer is by the drivers side and can see easier.If you can back into a transfer station area your complete.

sinfull

6th June 2008, 08:40

I still remember doing my truck and trailer licence in a flat deck with a pole jinker behind lol 5 m draw bar, talk about piece of preverbial ! Heavy wheels and rollers on a forklift lol. Month or so later i was driving rigs with 40 ft curtain siders ! Heavy as we liked to load em, as many hours as we wanted Then it was onto the B train ! Got shoved into an A train once, told them to shove that up their whatsit, far too many pivot points for this brain to comprehend, though some say its easier than a B train