Helps if you can put a center reference on the inside of your tailgate. I am lucky and have a small dent there. My Dad used to put a white dot of paint.
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Andy
Early 99 5-98, F350 extended cab, DRW LB 245,000 miles and counting, Hood insulation delete (Soaked with fuel), Hutch mod, Harpoon mod. Otherwise, pure stock (for now)
You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
I can do it faster and better without my wife's help!
Been doing it for about 25 years and with many different setups. After a while it gets simple. Most of the time it will get out and look to see where I am about three different times, with a trailer that can not be moved more than 1/2 inch.
What you do not want is someone standing between the trailer and the back of the truck! VERY DANGEROUS!
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2003, F250, Super Duty, Super Cab, 7.3, Auto, 4X4 Silver, 2" lift in front only, 46 gal fuel tank, Billet Grill, 285X75X16 BFG MT, Bilsteins, Firestone Air Rear, B&W Gooseneck, We call it the "Silver Knocker"
I just installed one on my truck. Actually it's a 2 wireless camera setup. 1 for the bumper and 1 for the back of my trailer to aid when backing the trailer or changing lanes, etc.
The bumper cam is angled down at the hitch ball and I can hook up in 1 try with no help. Used to take me getting in and out of the truck 2 or 3 times now it's as easy as turning on the radio!!
Get a fith wheel! I just look out the back window and watch the pin slide right between the plate.
Seriously though, I had two TT's before my 5er...
They make some mirrors that stick up from the hitch and some others that hang on the tail gate. I've never tried them.
I had a stick with a small ball on it that sat on top of the hitch. I could see it above the tailgate and could tell where things were.
Before I had that, it just takes some practice and 3 or 4 trips from the driver seat to the back of the truck to see where you are.
I'm with someone else above on the spouse help... The less the better. She would distract me when snapping up the WD bars or hitching up the 5er and then you forget something important.
j
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02 F250 XLT CC/SB/2WD 7.3 PSD- DP Tuner 6 Position Chip, MBRP 4 in exhaust, AFE Stage II, A-pillar ISS Pro Gauges
08 F250 XLT CC/SB/2WD 6.4 PSD- Bone Stock... For now
06 BMW 330xi
04 Crossroads Cruiser 28BH 5er
Fox body Mustang GT- NASA American Iron sports car http://picasaweb.google.com/nascarj20/Racing2007
The best thing I have found is a horizontal jack screw with a cup that the trailer jack post sets in. This allows you to move the tongue left or right about 3 to 4 inches using the supplied racheting box end wrench. I don't know the name as I have had it for several years and the box is long gone.
Mike
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2002 F250 4X4 Extended Cab Toro liner Roll N Lock Bed cover TT mirrors Tekonsha brake controller, isspro gauges, AIH delete, Ford AIS with foam sleeve, Superchip microtuner
'07 Shelby GT500
'73 Mustang Mach 1 351 Cleveland
'83 Mustang GT
What I have always done is to look at the trailer through the mirrors and place a equal amount of the trailer in each mirror off the back of the truck. You could also place some tape or paint a reference spot on the trailer once you get it hooked up so that when you are backing you can see just where you are at. As far as when to stop that comes from practice or getting out and looking. I have connected so many trailers to a truck that you couldn't see out of the back window that it is second nature to me anymore.
Jim
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96 F250 PS XLT 4X4 long box, 5sp,4.10, manual hubs,pyro+boost guages,Dark Toumaline, add a leaf,Dale's TYMAR,and HX hose, downpipe, coolant filter with coolant eye
With the trailer hooked up and parked exactly straight put a piece of reflective tape an inch or so wide and contrasting color to your bedliner or the inside of your tailgate so it runs from the top edge a couple inches down toward the bottom of the tailgate inside. Put another one, contrasting color to your trailer, on the front of the trailer exactly in line in your rearview mirror. When backing in to hook up, make sure the truck and trailer are straight and the tape strips are aligned - your hitch ball and coupler will be in line as well. Then all you have to do is figure out when you are close enough.
To do that, I drop my trailers with the coupler an inch or so above the top of the hitch ball. When I go to hook up, I back up carefully using the above to align things until I bump the coupler (you should feel it, do NOT hit hard enough to bend anything) and pull forward an inch to two inches - I am done. If you have a cap you can line up the latch or something on the cap with something on the trailer, or put the tape on the glass in the cap door. I have never damaged a trailer using this method.
Dave / Believer45
__________________ THANK YOU to all the heroes in our military and all the heroes at home who wait for their safe return. I am humbled by and grateful for your service and sacrifice.
'95 F250 ext cab long bed, PSD, 5 speed manual, two wheel drive, 3.55 gears, LUK clutch conversion, 450 lb homemade REAR BUMPER, homemade open element AIR FILTER, aluminum bed cap. With me in the cab (285#) and full of fuel weighs 6,580 lbs (steer 3420 drive 3160)
Another idea my Son-in-Law's dad uses, two rods mounted on magnets, put one on the top of the coupler on a flat spot centered, put the other on the flat spot on top of the hitch ball. Back in using the two rods to align, when the one on the hitch ball gets knocked off you are done.
If you want to make your own a couple magnets like <font color="blue">THIS ONE</font> and a couple pieces of thin dowel rod with two screws to hold them on would work as well. Or thin rod threaded would work.
Not much money in either one.
Dave / Believer45
__________________ THANK YOU to all the heroes in our military and all the heroes at home who wait for their safe return. I am humbled by and grateful for your service and sacrifice.
'95 F250 ext cab long bed, PSD, 5 speed manual, two wheel drive, 3.55 gears, LUK clutch conversion, 450 lb homemade REAR BUMPER, homemade open element AIR FILTER, aluminum bed cap. With me in the cab (285#) and full of fuel weighs 6,580 lbs (steer 3420 drive 3160)
Well, really to have the BEST advice available, what kind of trailer? Bumper pull? Or Gooseneck? But really practice is the best for both kinds,,(I will assume you did not mean "5th wheel" LOL,,,,,
Ok, after reading the "WHOLE POST" lol,, really don't waist your money on that crap, just practice, and it will come to you... (I leave the trailer down to where it just grazes the ball when I pull out) Then when I go back in, you can feel it brush over, stop and it should be close enough to drop on.
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Jim T.*48* SLAPS Co-Founder, 30.8 yrs RETIRED UAW 6/01/06, Now a full time Technician in the MOANG 12/10/07 My pics! and my New'03 Dually pics!, Charcoal Grey, Black and Grey interior, Black leather seats, Van Turbo/ATS ported housing/WW, Quad "A" pillar pod with Carbon Fiber series AUTO METER Gauges, FUMOTO Valve. BTS BUBBA" /TS 4pos chip, 4" Turbo back straight pipe/stainless 5" tip 131st F/W St.Louis MoAirNatlGuard We're losing the F-15s. BUT BEING HANDED THE KEYS TO THE B-2 BOMBERS at WHITMAN AFB, Near Kansas City, MO.!! We are Lindburghs OWN! Suffering from *PMS,, "Powerstroke mod syndrome"
Yeah - experience....I have never really "practiced", but that would be funny - I could enjoy a few cold ones watching someone practicing.. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Seriously, I recommend backing straight back and just centering the rig. If I go too far, the hitch'll hite the receiver mount, then it's just forward again - but I've gotten to know my own trailers.
I like backing a friend of mine up - she wants me to use the "hands measurement" kind of thing as to how far she needs to go - I refuse and just tell her when to stop....keeps her on her toes....but, she hates me now, so oh well... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]
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99.5 F-250 CC LB 4x4 7.3 Red, Trail Boss Replacement Bumpers, Tool Box, Headache Rack, Full Length Running Boards, Bilstien Shocks, Isspro A-Pillar Gauges, Isspro TTM, Ford AIS, BFG AT/KO 285/75x16, Magnaflow 3.5" DP - 4" Exhaust, 2003 Cup Holder, X-Springs, Rear 4" F350 Blocks, ATS Housing, Edge Evolution (Rev. 19), Banks Big Head, DS Boost Relief, Weather Tech Rain Vents / Hood Guard, B&W GN Hitch, Sonnax/Tricum
Works very well. I found this at Tractor Supply. They are sold in pairs. It's like a telescoping car antenae mounted to a magnet with a tennis ball on top. I put one just behind the trailer's hitch and the other on top of the truck's ball hitch. I back up while lining them up in the rearview mirror. When the ball hitch begins to pass under the trailer's hitch the device sitting on the hitch ball gets knocked off. I stop when that happens and I'm pretty much right under the trailer hitch.
Also, when I'm backing the trailer and it is empty, it's hard to see the trailer, so I put one on each rear corner so that I can keep track of the trailers path.
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