Backing up a trailer

If you haven’t owned a trailer before, or if it’s just been a while, you may have a small voice in the back of your mind whenever you consider the TetonX adventure trailer lifestyle. That voice is saying “what am I going to do when I have to back up?” You’re not alone.

Let’s be honest, it’s embarrassing trying to back up when others are watching, and it takes 14 tries to get it right. You would rather leave the trailer at home than have to go through that. But don’t listen to the voice that says you can’t do it. Do you want to know a secret? People that are skilled in the art of reversing may not want you to know it but… no one is good at it the first time.

Think back (wayyy back for some of us) to when you learned to ride a bike. Or when you learned to drive. It took a few tries to feel comfortable, but soon enough it was second nature to you. This applies to any skill we learn, and backing up a trailer is no exception.

Thankfully, that means the formula for mastering this not-so-daunting task is simple: practice. Take your trailer to an open parking lot and pick a spot to back into. You can set up pylons to give you a better visual of your target. Then, get to it! If you want to learn before you actually get your own trailer, you might be surprised at how cheap it is to go downtown and rent a trailer to practice with.

Now that you are ready to practice, here are some tips that may help. When backing up, the trailer will turn opposite to the direction you steer your wheels. So, if you turn your wheels to the left, the trailer will go to the right, and vice versa. One helpful way to learn is to place both hands at the bottom of the steering wheel, and then whichever direction you want the trailer to go, steer by bringing that hand up. So, if you want the trailer to go to the left, steer by bringing your left hand clockwise up to the top. To go to the right, bring your right hand counterclockwise to the top.

Here are a few hacks for backing up a trailer that might help flatten the learning curve:

1. Use your mirrors as much as possible, but looking over your shoulder can help. When everything is going in reverse it can get disorienting, so seeing what is happening with your own eyes can help you get used to it. If you need to get out and see how you are progressing, do so.

2. Use a spotter if someone is available to help. Having a second set of eyes ensures you are staying on course, and they can direct you when you need to correct.

3. Going straight backwards is easiest. If you don’t have room to back straight backwards, try to reverse to the left if possible. This is because you are on the left side of the vehicle, so you have a better visual of the left side of the trailer than you do of the right.

4. Make small adjustments as needed. Making a large correction later is much more difficult.

5. Reverse in a very slow speed. This gives you time to process the adjustments you need to make and make them.

6. If it goes awry, don’t stress. Just pull forward and the trailer will straighten out and follow you. Then you can try again.

Here are some tools that you can use to make the learning process go more smoothly:

1. Towing mirrors. If your vehicle isn’t equipped with large mirrors that have a convex mirror and slide out for the best visibility towing, you may consider getting aftermarket mirrors that you can add to the existing mirrors on your tow rig.

2. Backup camera. When backing up a trailer we lose the handy backup camera that is now built into most infotainment systems on our vehicles. Visibility directly behind the trailer can be extremely helpful in avoiding obstacles and ensuring safety as you reverse, so why not add a backup camera to your trailer as well? They are powered by the trailer’s electrical system and connect via Bluetooth to a screen on your dash. This is an option that is available for your TetonX build.

3. Two-way radios. If you have a spotter helping you, two-way radios can bridge the gap in communication. Talking through it may be easier than trying to find the spotter in the mirror to see their hand signals. Keep in mind that you probably won’t be able to have a radio in your hand for responding, so clarify the directions you would like with your spotter before you start backing up.

4. Trailer dolly. You may not be able to get the trailer backed into the garage exactly the way you want it. Some people opt to just get as close as they can and then unhitch the trailer to do the remaining maneuvering sans the vehicle. The TetonX comes with a rugged jockey wheel that allows the trailer to be rolled into place just by pushing it. If you don’t have someone to help you with this, there are chain driven manual trailer dollies, and motorized dollies that can be used to move the trailer.

Backing up a trailer can be intimidating at first, but with a little time and effort you will master the craft and forget it was ever an issue. There’s a saying that goes “anything worth doing is worth doing well”. Now that you have a guide for accomplishing that, all you need to do is start. In no time, you will be happy to see your trailer in the rearview mirror and your worries left by the wayside.