Secondhand trailer advice

[Stubby]

On 20/01/2023 at 11:30, doobin said:

Simply not the case with the small twitch trailers being discussed here, unless you are putting them behind a Fiat 500. Much better off being able to see the trailer through the rear windscreen over your shoulder.

Agreed . I put a small flag on my log splitter that you can see in the rear view mirror . With that I never have to have more than one go at it .

[Doug Tait]

10 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Agreed . I put a small flag on my log splitter that you can see in the rear view mirror . With that I never have to have more than one go at it .

 

Bet it's a Jolly Roger!

[htb]

Or a LBGT or whatever they call them now flags, as it was cheap.

[M.D.]

On 20/01/2023 at 09:57, john87 said:

Reversing is easy!

 

There is a trick to it. First off. When trying to go backwards in a straight line, DO NOT look at the trailer. Do it all using the mirrors..

All you have to do, is to watch the mirrors. Which ever mirror the trailer starts to appear in, STEER THAT WAY.

 

So, if the trailer starts to appear in the left mirror, turn the steering to the left. The trailer will now disappear and start to appear in the RIGHT mirror. So, what do you do?? Yes, you turn the steering to the right. The end result is that you go straight backwards!!

 

Before any of this mind, you need to adjust your mirrors so that when the thing is all in a straight line, if you look in the mirrors you can preferably see straight down either side, or, if not, that there is an equal amount of trailer in each mirror.

 

Once you have the hang of this, it is all easy after that..

 

Hope this helps..

 

john..

 

I really like the sound of that, John. Thank you. Even, or esp if it is best for keeping those bigger trailers under control! The simplest explanation I've ever heard anyway. I'd heard they're 'counterintuitive', but that only gives you a heads up, not an actual method. Your explanation makes me want to have a go next time there's a reasonable opportunity. Will definitely be passing it on to other drivers to try. Cheers

[M.D.]

On 20/01/2023 at 11:30, doobin said:

Simply not the case with the small twitch trailers being discussed here, unless you are putting them behind a Fiat 500. Much better off being able to see the trailer through the rear windscreen over your shoulder.

I can imagine this being the case, doobin. What I can't necessarily imagine right now is looking backward and steering the right/opposite/mirror image/'whichever you're supposed to do it' way! 🤣

 

Hopefully it's not quite as bad in reality as it sounds. But it probably helps explain why trailers have got a bit of a reputation.

[M.D.]

On 21/01/2023 at 17:46, Stubby said:

Agreed . I put a small flag on my log splitter that you can see in the rear view mirror . With that I never have to have more than one go at it .

Like the sound of that too, Stubby. Where is it attached and how though? I'm guessing right in the middle of the back somehow.

[Stubby]

20 minutes ago, M.D. said:

Like the sound of that too, Stubby. Where is it attached and how though? I'm guessing right in the middle of the back somehow.

Yes its at the very back mounted on the rear anvil and central to the center line . I can see it above the tail gate of my truck . 

[john87]

5 hours ago, M.D. said:

I can imagine this being the case, doobin. What I can't necessarily imagine right now is looking backward and steering the right/opposite/mirror image/'whichever you're supposed to do it' way! 🤣

 

Hopefully it's not quite as bad in reality as it sounds. But it probably helps explain why trailers have got a bit of a reputation.

Just do it as i say!!!! Just do it once and you will amaze yourself!! Trust me!!

 

For those that think i do not know what i am on about and think you should look out the back window, er, no, what you going to do the first time you drive a loaded vehicle and you CANNOT see out the back....

 

john..

[john87]

5 hours ago, M.D. said:

I really like the sound of that, John. Thank you. Even, or esp if it is best for keeping those bigger trailers under control! The simplest explanation I've ever heard anyway. I'd heard they're 'counterintuitive', but that only gives you a heads up, not an actual method. Your explanation makes me want to have a go next time there's a reasonable opportunity. Will definitely be passing it on to other drivers to try. Cheers

My method removes any of this "counterintuitive" business. Back when i used to drive artics, after fifteen hours when your brain is fried and you cannot even remember where you are, my method would still would perfectly. Say you wanted to back onto a loading bay.just line the truck up facing AWAY from the bay, Into reverse, go back, which ever mirror the trailer appears in STEER THAT WAY. So, in the left mirror?? left hand down. Right mirror, right hand down. The truck will go straight backwards onto the bay...

 

Beauty of it is, it takes away you having to think, just steer towards what ever mirror the trailer is appearing in,, Try it!!

 

You must try to do everything in straight lines, so, if reversing into a road on the right. Your brain is fried, "which way" Well, you do not want the trailer appearing in the left mirror do you!! so you steer left and it starts to turn into the road, About halfway, PULL STRAIGHT.

You are now directly opposite the road, so useing the mirrors, just go back in a straight line the way i explained..

Used to keep my trailer under control!!

john..

[doobin]

7 hours ago, john87 said:

My method removes any of this "counterintuitive" business. Back when i used to drive artics, after fifteen hours when your brain is fried and you cannot even remember where you are, my method would still would perfectly. Say you wanted to back onto a loading bay.just line the truck up facing AWAY from the bay, Into reverse, go back, which ever mirror the trailer appears in STEER THAT WAY. So, in the left mirror?? left hand down. Right mirror, right hand down. The truck will go straight backwards onto the bay...

 

Beauty of it is, it takes away you having to think, just steer towards what ever mirror the trailer is appearing in,, Try it!!

 

You must try to do everything in straight lines, so, if reversing into a road on the right. Your brain is fried, "which way" Well, you do not want the trailer appearing in the left mirror do you!! so you steer left and it starts to turn into the road, About halfway, PULL STRAIGHT.

You are now directly opposite the road, so useing the mirrors, just go back in a straight line the way i explained..

Used to keep my trailer under control!!

john..

Thats an absoloute piece of cake to reverse compared to a single axle 'tip run' trailer behind a LWB Transit. The trailer is 5x the length of the short wheelbase lorry- everything happens nice and slow and you can always see the trailer in the mirrors. With a transit and 750kg trailer, those dimensions are reversed (pun intended!) and you can't see shit.

 

My brain can reverse absoloutely no problem, but the best wagon driver in the world will struggle with a 750kg trailer lots behind a transit when they can't see it in the mirrors until it's nearly jacknifed.