Connecting tow bar to hitch

[BelgianPup]

Maybe I'm being dumb about this, but.....

How do you back up the tow vehicle to line it up correctly with the trailer hitch?  I don't think you can actually see it as you do it.  I'm sure I'm missing something here -- millions of people do it.

(It's okay if you snicker.)

 

[DLTooley]

Good question. I’ve only done it with smaller trailers that I could wiggle by hand. It might take a spotter.

 

[Ravella and X]

I have a magnetic hitch alignment kit. It's two telescoping rods with bright yellow balls on top, and magnets on the bases. You put one atop the coupler and the other on the hitch ball. You back up watching the balls get closer. When you're there, the one on the hitch ball gets knocked off when the rod hits the coupler.

Before starting, you can use a rod to measure from the ground to the top of the hitch ball, then raise the trailer jack enough above that for the coupler to clear.

I've only hitched solo twice, and can say the system works. My worst problem is the lack of e-brake on my tow vehicle. So when I put it in park to get out and check, there is a little roll of tires. Use your e-brake and it'll go fast.

 

[highdesertranger]

not being able to see the trailer makes it difficult. if you can see the trailer it's easy. they make cameras or a system like Ravella described. a picture of the trailer and the tow vehicle would help us out.

Ravella get that E-Brake fixed. brakes are the most important system on a vehicle. you can always make a vehicle go, but if you can't stop you're in trouble.

highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

It does take some practice...

Assuming you are lined up pretty close, get out and look....in the trucking industry we refer to that as G.O.A.L.  Get Out And Look.

Don't be afraid to back up a bit, then Get Out And Look. Then back up a bit more, then GOAL...Get Out And Look.

Do this over and over, moving a few feet or inches at a time, until you are fairly close and make sure everything is lined up horizontally and vertically, adjust the trailer tongue jack as needed, and repeat until the hitch ball is directly under the trailer coupler. Don't be embarrassed to pull forward again, as many times as it takes, and get lined up. If you have no spotter helping you, and no rear-facing camera, and no backing markers as mentioned above, then this is the only way to do it safely. 

When you are still several feet away, like between 5 and 10 feet, you can step off the distance from your hitch ball to your coupler, lets say its about 7 feet. Then, pickup two pebbles, rocks, sticks, little blocks of wood, whatever, and place one on the ground even with the front edge of your driver seat cushion, then step off about 7 feet rearwards, and set the other pebble or rock down on the ground at that distance. 

Now you have a rough guide on the distance you need to back up to be ready to couple the hitch.  Hold your door open and assuming you are lined up, back slowly while watching the markers you have set out. Close the door as needed to use your mirror, then open the door again to spot your markers. Stop when you are about 2 feet from being lined up and then, you guessed it, Get Out And Look. 

Just keep repeating all this and soon you will be hooked up and ready to hit the road. If it takes 5 minutes or less, great. If it takes 15 minutes, that's OK too...I've heard of newbies who can't do it in under two hours...but eventually, even THEY get it done. 

Practice Practice. 

Good luck!

 

[highdesertranger]

"When you are still several feet away, like between 5 and 10 feet, you can step off the distance from your hitch ball to your coupler, lets say its about 7 feet. Then, pickup two pebbles, rocks, sticks, little blocks of wood, whatever, and place one on the ground even with the front edge of your driver seat cushion, then step off about 7 feet rearwards, and set the other pebble or rock down on the ground at that distance.

Now you have a rough guide on the distance you need to back up to be ready to couple the hitch. Hold your door open and assuming you are lined up, back slowly while watching the markers you have set out. Close the door as needed to use your mirror, then open the door again to spot your markers. Stop when you are about 2 feet from being lined up and then, you guessed it, Get Out And Look."

this.

good splaining Texas.

highdesertranger

 

[BelgianPup]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[wayne49]

I use the walk off and rock off method.

On a small pickup, I had put some of that blue painter's tape on the inside of the gate where the ball was, and also placed blue tape on the trailer jack handle which could be raised like a flag.

 

[LowTech]

I have a lifetime of trailering, and often w/ trailers that you can NOT move due to weight.
I couldn't explain my method any better than tx2sturgis does above. Just don't be in a hurry!

 

[BelgianPup]

Thank you all!

I've only seen a couple of people doing this, and it didn't take them too much time. I guess it was experience more than just plain magic.