How To Back A Trailer

Hey folks. Glenn May here with BassResource.com, and I want to give you a tip on how to back your trailer down the ramp in an easy and effective manner. A couple of things actually and more than one tip.

   First off, when you're backing down the the ramp, forget about left turns right and right turns left and trying to figure all that out. Quick tip to remember. Take your hand, put it down at the bottom of the steering wheel and now whichever direction you want the rig to go, just move your hand that way. If you want to go left, move your hand left. If you want to go right, just move your hand to the right. It's that simple. The trailer will follow whichever direction you put your hand.

   Now, when you're going down a steep ramp, put the gear in neutral. Let the boat pull you down rather than you pushing it down. It will go a lot straighter that way. You'd be surprised how much easier it is to go down a real steep ramp, especially a long one, when you put the truck into neutral and let the trailer pull you down. Little bit different, but you'll notice the difference.

   Lastly, use your mirrors. Don't look over your shoulder. A matter of fact, you'll be a lot more efficient if you don't. Let me show you how.

   As you're going down the ramp, look in your mirror. Make sure that your trailer... You can see some of your trailer sticking out from the fender of your truck. Now, as you practice this, you'll see that as you see more of your trailer or less of your trailer, you just need to adjust accordingly to be able to prevent the trailer from going way too far on the right or way too far to the left.

   I guarantee you, by doing this, you will go a lot straighter down the ramp. Because if you're looking over your shoulder, you won't see those minor nuances, those minor details until it's really out of wack and then you got to make a big adjustment.  If you're looking at it through your rear view mirror and you just line up that fender with the trailer fender and you just watch how closely that is, you'll go nice and straight down the ramp.

   I do want to give you a word of caution, though. Make sure you check your other mirror, occasionally, just to make sure there's nothing in your way. Because you can hit something and not even know it if you're not looking in the other mirror. Check the other mirror, but keep making sure that your trailer's running straight.

   I hope that tip helps. For more tricks and tips like this visit BassResource.com