Smart Tips Sydney How to Back a Car Trailer

Author: Bob Newman  Date Posted:18 November 2013 

 

One of the hardest things about towing is backing up a trailer. It only gets harder the less space you have, for instance a typical Sydney street, so it’s a good idea to practice backing up your trailer in a large space with little to no obstacles, like an empty car park. Before you start any driving though, have a read-through of our guide on backing up a car trailer:

 

It may prove a bit more complicated if the parking lot looks like this.

The most important thing to remember when backing up a trailer is to keep your eyes on the trailer. The best way to do this is to keep one hand on the steering wheel and to lean a little out the window and turn around so you can watch the trailer without having to resort to a mirror, which can actually make it a whole lot trickier. If you can, back the trailer up on the driver’s side as it’ll be easier for you to see the whole process.

You’ll most likely have to back up in a right-angle motion (like reversing into a car park) and here’s some simple directions for getting that right on the first try:

  • Drive a little past the space you’re aiming for and turn the car right and then sharply left so that your car and trailer make a slight upside-down ‘v’ shape.
  • Have your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel so you can make quicker and more accurate turns and begin reversing, adjusting the turn as needed.
  • Avoid jackknifing by not creating too big a turn.
  • Don’t worry if you have to go forwards a little bit to straighten up and then return to reversing – it’s very hard to do it all in one motion.

When possible have someone standing outside the car to help direct you and don’t think about anybody watching you – just relax and focus on getting the job done, not what anybody else thinks.

 

If you’d like to find out more about towing a trailer you can check out these earlier blog posts: Your Top Five Towbar Questions Answered and What are your Towing Restrictions in Sydney?

This blog was posted in SafetyTopTipsTrailers and tagged in CarDrivingParkingtowingTrailer

 

 


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