Backing My Trailer. Is This Doable?

It might take a couple times to get it down pat, but that should be pretty easy. My truck is 20 feet long and my trailer is about 35 feet long. Our driveway is 10 feet wide, trailer is 8 feet wide. Our roadway is about 25 feet wide and my neighbors mailbox is directly in front of my driveway.

Oh, did I mention my driveway is pretty steep too? Its kind of hard to explain HOW to best maneuver to back in though...

I drive as close to my driveway as I can, then start to turn away from my driveway after I pass it. That swings the tail end of the trailer in that direction and makes it easier to get started. Then you just back and turn and back and turn. If need be, pull forward and re-adjust. You have a driveway TWICE as wide as mine, it should be a piece of cake after you have done it once or twice. Just make sure you have a trustworthy set of eyes outside the vehicle to make sure you don't hit anything or run off the road!!!

rockhillmanor wrote:


Truckers have a name for this but I can't recall it. All I know is since I started backing up this way it's a breeze for any situation.

Backing to the driver's side---does NOT have a name that I am aware of.

Backing to the passenger side is referred to as "blind-side". Reason being...as soon as you start to turn, looking out the window shows nothing, the mirror only shows the side of the trailer, looking behind you gets a view of your bunk in the sleeper. In other words, you are "blind" whereas seeing the direction the trailer is going.

Blind-siding is pretty easy with a back window, but backing driver-side is always easier cause you can hang your head out the window and see what your mirrors don't show you.

On a side note....Passing a truck on the left is called the "passing side". Doing so on the right is called "suicide". You think that 25' trailer you are towing has a blind spot----try a 53' trailer and no back window you can look over your shoulder to see out of.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Yes that address the bend of the approach in, but what I was referring to relates from which 'way' on the road you are on how you approach to back into the site.

gotcha :)

Stevie Wonder should be able to back that in.

Like rockhillmanor said above, approach with the drive to your left.

RedRocket204 wrote:
Yes, myself and others eluded to this in previous posts. Referred to as the Swoop or Scoop method for a much easier way to back a trailer.

YouTube - THE SCOOP: How to Back up a Towable RV

Yes that address the bend of the approach in, but what I was referring to relates from which 'way' on the road you are on how you approach to back into the site.

In the utube video the RV'ers is coming from the left side which is the correct way. The driver is seated on the side closest to the site. When he goes to back in, He is then using "HIS side mirror" to watch the back in.

Had he come in from the right the driver would be seated away from the site and then when backing in he would be using the "passenger side mirror" to back in.

Backing in using the 'drivers' side mirror is what makes it easier to back in. Try it you WILL be amazed of the difference.

An old trucker told me this while he was watching me try and stuff a huge truck into a tight space. I went around the block and came in at the other direction and boom nailed it first time using "my" drivers side mirror instead of the passenger side mirror. Best tip I have ever been given relating to backing in.:C

Yes, myself and others eluded to this in previous posts. Referred to as the Swoop or Scoop method for a much easier way to back a trailer.

YouTube - THE SCOOP: How to Back up a Towable RV

Yes you can.

and what most people are not aware of is, you need to back in using the drivers side. Hard to put into words but here goes.

I.E. there are two ways to approach a back in.
You want to be backing in from the drivers side. All that means is you need to go around the block so when you approach your driveway you in the drivers seat is closest to the driveway for full view using 'your' side mirror.

The other way you are on the opposite side trying to look at the passenger side mirror to back in.

This makes a BIG BIG difference on the ease of backing in. And all it takes is going around the block to back in so your TT is bent towards you in the drivers seat as you back in, not the passenger side.

Truckers have a name for this but I can't recall it. All I know is since I started backing up this way it's a breeze for any situation.

We have a very small single axle trailer, which (as others have said) is much harder to back up than a long double axle trailer. It took a lot of practice, but we are now fairly good at it.

I say "we" because DW is a key part of the team -- she stands behind the trailer (where I can see her in my mirrors) and indicates which way I should move the back of the trailer. I put my hands on the bottom of the steering wheel and move my hands in the direction she indicates.

The other key trick is to pull forward as needed, to straighten out and to make mid-course corrections. You don't need to go forward far -- just a couple of feet -- and it makes a big difference.

One more thought -- have a sense of humor and some patience with yourself. Don't rush this process.

A 15 foot tow vehicle and a 35 foot trailer combination should be able to back into some tight spots very easy. I think you'll have no problem. The longer the trailer and the shorter the wheel base of the tow vehicle, the tighter and easier they are to back up. Long wheel base tow vehicles are much, much more restrictive and need wider turns, especially backing.

Why not get the measurements of your drive way, the road and sketch it out.

Then go to a large parking lot, set up some cones or markers of some sort and practice backing in, simulating your drive and road, and the ditches and everything. You'll quickly get the exact feel for where and how you need to be positioned before backing in.

I often do pre-practice sessions in a high school parking lot exactly like this and it helps a LOT. After a few successful attempts, you won't need the aid of the parking lot. You'll just "know" the limitations of your rig combination and your ability to make it happen or not.

Twenty feet to "fit" in to, gives a lot of wiggle room.

My neighborhood street is 28 feet wide, driveway is 13 feet with a retaining wall on one side, a telephone pole/guidewire on the other side. My trailer is much smaller, BUT...

YOU CAN DO THIS...

SLOW down, then SLOW down, then SLOW down some more. Give yourself plenty of time to react.

As others have said, learn the swoop method... you can get half that trailer into that 20' space---without much "bend" in the combo. Giving you plenty of room to manuever the truck on the street.