How To Back Up With a Trailer

Towing a boat behind your vehicle isn’t particularly difficult, but the first few times you try to back up with a trailer can be tricky. It’s easy to become flustered when no matter what you do, the trailer seems to go the wrong way – especially if there are other people watching or waiting for you to launch and get out of their way.

No question about it — reversing a vehicle with a trailer in tow takes a bit of practice. Because the hitch forms a pivoting joint, turning the wheel with a trailer connected produces an opposite result to what we’re used to. If you put your vehicle and trailer combo in reverse and try to turn to the right by turning the wheel clockwise, as you normally would, what happens is that the rear of the tow vehicle turns right, thus forcing the trailer to the left. Oops. When you hook up a trailer you add an additional axle to the equation, which means you’ll have to turn the opposite way you are accustomed to.

The simplest approach to reversing with a trailer is to take a tip from professional truck drivers, who regularly back large tractor-trailer rigs into very confined spaces. Professional drivers steer in reverse by placing their left hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, and using that hand to push the wheel in the direction they want the trailer to go. If you need the trailer to go a little more to the left, you move that hand to the left and you’re home free.

The best way to learn this technique is to practice in an empty parking lot, repeatedly backing your trailer into specific parking spaces. As you gain confidence, set out a few cardboard boxes to emulate obstructions you don’t want to hit.

It is important to watch the sides and rear of your vehicle when backing up, not just the trailer. The back of your vehicle will always move opposite to the back of the trailer, and if you’re not careful, you may scrape it against objects on tight turns. Always make certain to monitor the vehicle’s path, as well as that of the trailer. Again, the key is practicing until it all becomes automatic.

Watch the sides and rear of your vehicle when backing up, not just the trailer. The vehicle can swing out more than expected on sharp turns.

Many drivers find reversing with long trailers is easier than reversing with short ones, and the reason for this is because longer trailers respond to their commands more slowly. The short trailer reacts to steering corrections almost instantaneously, and takes a bit more getting used to. Take it very slowly until you really get the hang of it.

Because you rely so heavily on your mirrors when reversing with a trailer, it’s very important to ensure they are clean and positioned correctly. Take a moment to carefully wipe the surfaces clean of dirt or road debris, and ensure they are set at the correct position before reversing the trailer.

Mirror position is even more important if you need to reverse on a grade, such as when launching a boat. Normally, as you reverse and your boat begins to descend down the launch ramp, it sinks out of view for a moment until your truck’s rear wheels crest the ramp and also begin to descend. Backing up when you can’t see the trailer’s progress is obviously unwise and unsafe, so it’s important to take a moment to shift the mirror position down a bit before reversing. This quick adjustment should help you to keep the trailer in view at all times.

When backing uphill you will again want to adjust your mirrors beforehand to keep everything in clear sight. This is where the convenience of remote power mirrors is worth its weight in gold.

Be sure to adjust your mirrors so you don’t lose sight of the trailer when reversing on grades.

Ideally, it helps to have another person stand outside the vehicle to help, by guiding your path or offering direction. This is particularly true when you have to reverse at night in a poorly lit area. Most trailers will block your vehicle’s back-up lights. Installing a powerful supplementary back-up light on the trailer may be a wise idea.

Reversing with a trailer isn’t difficult if you use the right technique, and devote a little time to practicing until you get the feel for it. As you gain experience you’ll also gain confidence, and before long, your friends will wonder how you manage to do it all so smoothly!