Trailer hook up

[Bradley Gray]

I hook up my trailer once a week or so and sometimes it takes me way too long! So last time I unhooked I put a block behind the left rear tire and today got it on the first try!

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[Jim Becker]

All of my tow vehicles have had backup cameras since 2005, and that makes hooking up a trailer a "one shot" thing almost every time unless there is extremely unfavorable sun glare. Since you seem to tow frequently, consider adding one to your vehicle if it doesn't have the feature...it kicks safety up big time, too, for just normal back up operations.

[Bill Dufour]

Wheel on trailer or car, why.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

Wheel on trailer or car, why.
Bill D
Clearly from the photo, it's the tow vehicle. He's using the block of wood as an indicator that he's at "that spot".

[Bill Dufour]

Clearly from the photo, it's the tow vehicle. He's using the block of wood as an indicator that he's at "that spot".


Same idea as a tennis ball on a string. I thought that was a truck wheel but it could be a big camping trailer. A painted line would also work. and less likely to get kicked off.
Bill D

[Ronald Blue]

This wasn't a bad option before backup cameras but as Jim says with a camera it is a cinch.

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W1276-Trailer-Alignment/dp/B00R8EWV9O/ref=asc_df_B00R8EWV9O?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79920869053501&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520395814634&psc=1

[John K Jordan]

I hook up my trailer once a week or so and sometimes it takes me way too long! So last time I unhooked I put a block behind the left rear tire and today got it on the first try!

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Nice. I wish I could do that. But I usually park the trailer in tight spots, on hills, rough ground, across shallow ditches etc. If I can’t hit the center of block on the first try the block/chock skids on the gravel or grass. No backup camera and most of the big trailers are so heavy there is no “bumping” to align them - I have to get within 3/8” or so. (Fortunately the big gooseneck trailers have a nice conical alignment feature.) Over the years i’ve gotten better at aligning with just a few tries, judging from a stone or leaf on the ground with the door open, to see when i’ve backed 6” or whatever. The few times having a helper are nice. I’ve thought of devising a mirror to clip on the tailgate. I know, get a truck for each trailer and never disconnect them! :D

[Kev Williams]

I have some guides similar to these:
(note these ones will extend to almost 4' long!)
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These work great-- however, I like mine better because the rods are 'pliable' aluminum and attached to the magnets on a swivel (bend & swivel to adjust any way I want), and instead of tennis balls the rods have a 16" or so long red plastic sleeve that slides over the tops of the rods. Bump the rods together and you're home! :)

[John K Jordan]

I have some guides similar to these:
(note these ones will extend to almost 4' long!)
484582

These work great-- however, I like mine better because the rods are 'pliable' aluminum and attached to the magnets on a swivel (bend & swivel to adjust any way I want), and instead of tennis balls the rods have a 16" or so long red plastic sleeve that slides over the tops of the rods. Bump the rods together and you're home! :)

That seems like a good idea. I'd have to make them pretty long to go from the hitch to where I could see them above the tailgate, about 45" for my diesel truck.

However I can see a potential problem with the vertical indicators around the farm here - if the truck and trailer wheels are not on the same plane, angled either sideways or front to back (or both), seems like the indicators wouldn't line up properly. Often I'm hitching up with both the truck and trailer in rough areas. But they might work well on pavement or smooth ground.

I suspect an aftermarket backup camera mounted on the tailgate with a magnet with a monitor in the cab would be better for my situation. I recently mounted one high on the back of my tracked skid steer so I wouldn't back into a tree (or person). The visibility out the back from the seat is worse than abysmal on that thing.

I think I'll order another camera/monitor and try it. The one I use now is excellent and was only about $40. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071D5CN9D

JKJ

[Bradley Gray]

I don't park the trailer in the exact same spot every time, so putting the wood block behind the LR truck wheel(where I can see it in my mirror) before I unhook gives me a visual next time.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Several years back, I bought one of those two wheel trailer dollies. Now instead of backing to trailer, I pull trailer to where the vehicle is. It's just a matter to transferring hitch from dolly to ball.

[John K Jordan]

Several years back, I bought one of those two wheel trailer dollies. Now instead of backing to trailer, I pull trailer to where the vehicle is. It's just a matter to transferring hitch from dolly to ball.

Yikes, it must be a relatively small trailer or maybe you're the incredible hulk's brother! I have two small trailers I could move by hand but no way for the rest. The dual axle dump trailer is over 2 tons empty and the two big flatbeds close to 4 tons each.

I want to do what I saw at the Kubota dealer - he cut a hole near the end of one of the forks to fit a ball then moves trailers with the forks on a tractor or skid steer. Lots of times I just need to move them - doing it without having to hitch to the truck first would be easier.

[Jim Becker]

John, there are lots of ways to use a tractor to move a trailer...a hitch receiver can be mounted, temporarily or permanently in many different places. A simple drilled hole in the center of the bucket can take a ball if need be. I have a 3-point mount hitch receiver that I bought when we had our horse trailer...I probably should sell it since i never take off the backhoe anymore. A bucket mounted clamp-on hitch receiver is probably a better option for me at this point. if I decide I want one and can find/make one. My small utility trailer is easy to move around in most cases as I never park it where I can't get my Ascent to it or that I can't "creatively drag" it with a tooth on the FEL toothbar grasping and lifting the hitch on the front of the trailer and dragging/pushing it slowing and carefully.

[John K Jordan]

Yes, i move (and haul heavy loads in the dump trailer) with a ball on a drawbar, but that requires removing any attachment which sometimes I don’t want to do. (trivial to hitch up since I can see the ball from the seat!)

The drawbar is too low to the ground to move a gooseneck trailer but the forks will work. I’m not interested in drilling a hole in the bucket but if I weld up a clamp-on hitch i’ll make one for you too. I also have the hitch bar that fits on the 3-pt arms.

I sometimes move a big trailer by simply hooking the gooseneck with the tilted-up tractor bucket, the last time to pull one up a sopping wet hill in the pasture where the 4wd truck couldn’t get traction. I’ve also moved trailers by means of a chain and the grab hooks welded on the top rop of the bucket. Moved on a little with a strap on the excavator bucket too.

As you said, lots of ways to move even a very heavy trailer. Fewer ways for a lazy guy in a hurry!


John, there are lots of ways to use a tractor to move a trailer...a hitch receiver can be mounted, temporarily or permanently in many different places. A simple drilled hole in the center of the bucket can take a ball if need be. I have a 3-point mount hitch receiver that I bought when we had our horse trailer...I probably should sell it since i never take off the backhoe anymore. A bucket mounted clamp-on hitch receiver is probably a better option for me at this point. if I decide I want one and can find/make one. My small utility trailer is easy to move around in most cases as I never park it where I can't get my Ascent to it or that I can't "creatively drag" it with a tooth on the FEL toothbar grasping and lifting the hitch on the front of the trailer and dragging/pushing it slowing and carefully.

[Tom M King]

Neither of the gooseneck trailers will budge a bit, even to slide down over a ball that's offcenter by over 1/2". I move them sometimes with just the tractor bucket. Just put the bucket under the gooseneck hitch, and lift. It might slide around a little bit, but they're so heavy they're not going to do a lot of sliding around in the bucket.

[Rich Engelhardt]

When I had my boat (& yes - the old saying about the two happiest days in a boat owner's life - 1. when he buys it 2. when he sells it - - is 100% true!) Getting it lined up wasn't the issue, having the lights work was always the problem!
Even when I hooked them up on Friday night so I could hit the water early, the stupid things wouldn't work in the morning.

I do not miss that one tiny bit.

[Tom M King]

Every boat trailer I ever had anything to do with used the hitch for ground. That was often aggravating. Also, they used copper coated steel wire that rusted and became a poor conductor. Every time I ever bought a boat trailer I redid the wiring while everything was still clean. I used tin coated copper marine wire, soldered all the connections, and ran a dedicated ground wire. I never had any trouble with any that I did like that.

[Jerome Stanek]

I never had a problem hooking up my trailers. been doing fine without camera or other things just my mirrors. doing it this way since 1965

[Alex Zeller]

My dumptruck has a pintle style hitch. For those unfamiliar they are a ring and a hook that closes to form a ring. One side has to swivel for going over uneven ground. There is no seeing the hitch and with just side view mirrors there's no easy tricks for it. On top of it the ring on the trailer swivels so unless you are within a 1/2" in any direction it'll just spin. It's a 11 ton trailer so you can't just move it. The best I could do was park it on the dirt, get close, then make a line in the dirt to make adjustments to as I pulled forward and backed up again.

[Jerome Stanek]

My dumptruck has a pintle style hitch. For those unfamiliar they are a ring and a hook that closes to form a ring. One side has to swivel for going over uneven ground. There is no seeing the hitch and with just side view mirrors there's no easy tricks for it. On top of it the ring on the trailer swivels so unless you are within a 1/2" in any direction it'll just spin. It's a 11 ton trailer so you can't just move it. The best I could do was park it on the dirt, get close, then make a line in the dirt to make adjustments to as I pulled forward and backed up again.

I pull equipment trailers with pintle hitch all the time sill no problem.

[Warren Lake]

16 foot car trailer back up close then lift the trailer tongue and put it over the ball and lower. You can also drop the tailgate and have very good vision to be lined up straight just dont run it into the handle post.

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[Bill Dufour]

Would one of those big convex mirrors help or just be distorted and backwards.
Bill D

[Ronald Blue]

John you are pretty skilled at making things. Get one of the "blanks" for a skid steer and build a trailer mover. Most what I see online are a receiver mount but I'm sure it wouldn't be to difficult to design a mount for goose neck mounts that also slipped into the receiver tube.

https://www.skidsteerattachmentdepot.com/product/1-2-weld-on-blank-plate-skid-steer-quick-attach/

[John K Jordan]

John you are pretty skilled at making things. Get one of the "blanks" for a skid steer and build a trailer mover. Most what I see online are a receiver mount but I'm sure it wouldn't be to difficult to design a mount for goose neck mounts that also slipped into the receiver tube.

https://www.skidsteerattachmentdepot.com/product/1-2-weld-on-blank-plate-skid-steer-quick-attach/

I've thought about buying a couple of those plates to build things, such as a landscape "scoop" to dig up and move a fair-sized plant. I'd also like to make one with a 3pt hitch mount so I can attach lots of things, for example the auger and the hydraulic fence post driver. They sell the plates at the local Bobcat place. My tractor uses the same connection on the FEL so I already share forks and such.