[jjfuller1]

Originally Posted by trip286

I parallel parked a gooseneck trailer hauling two tractors right in the middle of downtown Dallas.

It was about 90% luck.



Never a good idea to be putting things, especially long cylindrical things, in your mouth, in the dark. Knowing is half the battle.

Doh.. did i say sub, i ment penini.
hehe

was wondering why it tasted a bit salty.

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by trip286

I parallel parked a gooseneck trailer hauling two tractors right in the middle of downtown Dallas.

It was about 90% luck.

Never a good idea to be putting things, especially long cylindrical things, in your mouth, in the dark. Knowing is half the battle.

Parallel is probably the hardest backing manoeuvre to do w a trailer.

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by jjfuller1

Doh.. was wondering why it tasted a bit salty.

Oh ya know you liked it.

[Vikingdad]

I can back a trailer pretty good under almost any conditions (well, slippery might present a challenge) but the one time that impressed the Hell out of everybody is when I went on a shop fishing trip with the guys at work, we had two fishing boats (small ones, maybe 14- 16 footers) and the one guy literally could not back a trailer to save his life, so I hooked one trailer to the front hitch on my Bronco and the other one to the rear hitch. I launched one boat, spun the rig around and launched the second one then parked the Bronco with both trailers and was back down to the dock before the boats were ready to push off. Fished the whole weekend pulling the boats out and launching them every evening/morning. Sure did get some funny looks and a few rounds of applause each time.

The funny part is that it is really pretty simple to do. You just ignore the trailer that you are pulling and concentrate on the one you are pushing (BTW, pushing a trailer on a front mounted hitch is more challenging than one on the rear). Piece of cake!

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by Vikingdad

I can back a trailer pretty good under almost any conditions (well, slippery might present a challenge) but the one time that impressed the Hell out of everybody is when I went on a shop fishing trip with the guys at work, we had two fishing boats (small ones, maybe 14- 16 footers) and the one guy literally could not back a trailer to save his life, so I hooked one trailer to the front hitch on my Bronco and the other one to the rear hitch. I launched one boat, spun the rig around and launched the second one then parked the Bronco with both trailers and was back down to the dock before the boats were ready to push off. Fished the whole weekend pulling the boats out and launching them every evening/morning. Sure did get some funny looks and a few rounds of applause each time.

The funny part is that it is really pretty simple to do. You just ignore the trailer that you are pulling and concentrate on the one you are pushing (BTW, pushing a trailer on a front mounted hitch is more challenging than one on the rear). Piece of cake!

I actually learned to back a trailer w a 32' dove gooseneck on a ball on a front end loader. Then was told if going backwards the turn directions are exactly opposite

[kycol]

I have not drove one in 30 years, but I always found it easier to back up a 50 foot trailer (18wheeler) than a small trailer behind a pickup. But I can do both pretty well. Not as good as I like on the narrow boat ramps when it completely disappears

Also been packing a knife in my pocket since I was 5 but I've had a numb finger for the last ten years because of a knife. Never had any accident with power tools.

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by kycol

I have not drove one in 30 years, but I always found it easier to back up a 50 foot trailer (18wheeler) than a small trailer behind a pickup. But I can do both pretty well. Not as good as I like on the narrow boat ramps when it completely disappears

Also been packing a knife in my pocket since I was 5 but I've had a numb finger for the last ten years because of a knife. Never had any accident with power tools.

You are right too on the bigger the easier.

[downsouth]

They call me jack knive at work. :-[

[Vikingdad]

Originally Posted by Marlinman

I actually learned to back a trailer w a 32' dove gooseneck on a ball on a front end loader. Then was told if going backwards the turn directions are exactly opposite

Yup. Same concept as a forklift. takes a bit to adjust from a front-steer to a rear steer push vehicle.

Originally Posted by kycol

I have not drove one in 30 years, but I always found it easier to back up a 50 foot trailer (18wheeler) than a small trailer behind a pickup. But I can do both pretty well. Not as good as I like on the narrow boat ramps when it completely disappears

Also been packing a knife in my pocket since I was 5 but I've had a numb finger for the last ten years because of a knife. Never had any accident with power tools.

Originally Posted by Marlinman

You are right too on the bigger the easier.

The shorter the wheel base on the tow vehicle and the longer the wheelbase to the trailer wheels the easier it is to maneuver. Big rigs with a single long trailer is much easier to back up than an F-350 long bed crew cab with a log splitter on the bumper (OK, even if you can see the log splitter in both mirrors, it is still a more difficult combination to back up).

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by Vikingdad

Yup. Same concept as a forklift. takes a bit to adjust from a front-steer to a rear steer push vehicle.

The shorter the wheel base on the tow vehicle and the longer the wheelbase to the trailer wheels the easier it is to maneuver. Big rigs with a single long trailer is much easier to back up than an F-350 long bed crew cab with a log splitter on the bumper (OK, even if you can see the log splitter in both mirrors, it is still a more difficult combination to back up).

I used to back doubles all the time when I was OTR. That's a 35' and a 15'. Why I got stuck w them squirrely batards is beyond me. Ill take a goose neck/5th wheel ANY DAY over bumper hitch