Backing up with a trailer can be hard and may even make you self-conscious. You need to make sure that you have practiced the process enough times that you would not be completely unguided while doing it in a real situation. Longer trailers are slightly easier to back up as they have a longer response time.
But why is it that a trailer is so difficult to back up? The answer lies in the design of a trailer hitch. Most trailers are attached to a vehicle with a ball hitch. The ball-and-socket connection allows for a trailer to turn along with the vehicle that it's towing.
Even if you've towed something behind your car before, when reversing a trailer for the first time you'll likely experience some nerves. If you've never towed anything before, it can be a seriously confusing experience. Firstly, you have an extra couple of metres of vehicle to contend with.
Smaller trailers are harder to reverse than large ones. This is because they are more responsive and so less forgiving of little turns of the steering wheel. If you're learning, learn with something big.
Look behind the car over the passenger side shoulder
You can put your left hand on top of the passenger seat to get a better view of what's behind you. If you rely on your mirrors, make sure to check each one often. Nowadays, some cars are equipped with rear reverse cameras to help the process.
Back the trailer to the driver's side (e.g. to the left in a left-hand drive car) not the passenger side, which is harder to see. The most common backup is a right angle. Pull past as you approach the space and turn right to the middle of the road. This is assuming that you are attempting a left-hand drive.
Reversing is easier when the driver side of the vehicle is on the inside of the reversing arc (the right side). This allows you to see the full length of the camper trailer while you're backing up and your assistant can cover the blind side.
ReverseMyTrailer on the App Store.
A light tongue weight or heavy weights placed at the rear end of the trailer can cause sway. On the other hand, too much weight on the tongue can overload the tow vehicle and cause poor tow vehicle braking, poor cornering and can damage the trailer frame.
If your trailer begins moving where you do not want it to go, then do not wildly twist the wheel in the other direction. This mistake will make everything worse and can quickly cause a jackknife. Instead, gently apply the brakes and pull forward until you trailer reaches a straight position again.
You should be keeping your tongue weight of your trailer between 10-15% of your gross trailer weight.. no more and no less.
To reduce trailer instability and sway, most of the cargo weight should be placed toward the front of the trailer - ahead of the trailer axles – and evenly distributed side-to-side.
The rule to follow is 60/40.
60% of the trailer load should be in front of the axle, and 40% should be behind. This will help ensure proper tongue weight to deter trailer sway.
At least 60% of the load needs to be at the front of the trailer. If too much weight is at the back, it can swing out and you lose control of your vehicle.
If you are unable to achieve level even with an adjustable ball mount, it is better for the trailer to be slightly nose down so long as the tongue weight capacity of the hitch and vehicle is not exceeded. If a trailer is nose up too much, the tongue weight is low enough that the trailer may begin to sway.
The vehicle in tow must be loaded forwards on the transport. Towing a vehicle backwards may result in sway or whipping and lead to a total loss of control.
Doubles and triples are more likely to turn over than other combination vehicles because of the "crack-the-whip" effect. You must steer gently when pulling trailers. The last trailer in a combination is most likely to turn over.
The most common causes for trailer sway are improper weight distribution, tight turns, steep roads, high-speed driving, a tall truck passing, crosswinds, over-steering, and under-inflated tires.
Check all areas behind the vehicle prior to and while backing up. Grasp the steering wheel with the left hand and look over the right shoulder through the rear window. Keep your foot on the brake pedal and move the gear shift into reverse. By letting your foot off the brake pedal allow the car to move on its own.
Because the wheels you use to steer are in front of you as you move backwards and your vision is obscured by the vehicle, backing up can be one of the tougher tasks faced by drivers. By driving slowly and paying close attention to your surroundings, you can improve your ability to drive in reverse.
Some people get confused about which way to turn the steering wheel while they're reversing. This can be because the wheels that turn are at the front of the car, and you are looking out of the back of the car.