Help with Backing Up

seagrace wrote:
Thank you, Rice, that is exactly the issue. I have no problem with letting her wander off and doing it myself, it just means I have to jump out of the truck a few more times to get it right.

I would rather we do this as a team and work out how to do it, and I would rather she have some experience backing - just in case there is a time when she will need to do it without me. I think the next trip out, I'm gonna let her take the wheel.

FWIW - yes, backing a boat/trailer is far easier when, 1. I've already lined up the truck, and/or 2. There is no boat on the trailer - she's a whiz at that ;-)

You missed the point.

While I don't mind "working as a team" the problem is if BOTH "members" of the team do not instinctively understand backing up then neither members of that "team" will be able to help effectively.

In other words, your wife does not fully understand what direction you must turn the wheel to make it go the direction needed. If she does understand then her "signals" WILL be MORE EFFECTIVE to you.

Best way to do it is to both learn how to back it up with a trailer.

But the only way to do this is to start with the basics and that is both need to learn how to put a vehicle in a crowded parking space.

Each one of you NEEDs to learn what you can and cannot see in the mirrors.

Once you both have solo backing memorized adding the trailer becomes much easier not just for you but your "team".

In other words, if you are the primary driver, you really should be able to at least be able to park it solo, sometimes you may have to do it that way anyway..

PRACTICE.