Trouble
figuring out which way to turn by
Bob Pitney
 |
Backing
up a trailer can seem like an impossible task for
some of us. The
dam thing never seems to go
where we want it! To make
matters more confusing,
we have been told countless
times to turn the steering wheel in
the opposite direction we want the
trailer to turn, which goes against our
driving instincts. Try the following
approach. It may just be the technique
you need to answer the “Which way
do you turn the wheel?” question.
Practice and Practice Again
First, the most helpful thing you can
do to learn how to back up is practice.
Find a parking lot not used much on
weekends a good place is usually a
high school. An often-made suggestion
is to use parking cones to mark a space in which
you
are to maneuver your trailer
into. This is a good
idea but in my view not
for the first few tries. The first thing
you want to do is get
a feel for how the
tow vehicle and
trailer react to each
other when backing
up without the added
pressure of trying to hit a“
target.” Also, I
must state the obvious here: practice slowly. It
will increase
your time to react and boost your confidence.
The “Clock” Technique
For this exercise, I want you to imagine
a clock. As you view your trailer
looking over your right shoulder from
the driver’s seat, imagine your trailer is
a clock with the rear of the trailer
being 12:00 and the front of the trailer
being 6:00.
Next, think of your steering wheel
as a clock also with the top of the
wheel being 12:00 and the bottom
being 6:00. For this exercise you want
the rear of the trailer to point to the
10:00 position on the clock. (A quick
note: Do not try to use your mirrors.
Turn yourself enough while seated in
your car to look over your right shoulder
at the trailer.)
Getting Started
Starting from a straight position (trailer
and car in line with each other)
turn the steering wheel slightly, and
start to back up. For many people, this
is where to trouble begins—even
deciding which way to turn the steering
wheel can become confusing. One
solution is to place your hand on the
bottom of the steering wheel and
move your hand in the direction you
want the trailer to go. This may or
may not work for you. The method I
prefer is to turn the steering wheel the
same direc¬ tion that I want the rear
of the trailer to go. Sound confusing?
Always heard you should turn the
Trouble Figuring Out
Which Way to Turn?
Turn your steering
wheel the same
direction you want
the trailer to go.
steering wheel in the opposite direction you want
to go?
Let me explain....
It’s All About Perspective
It is important to remember our perspective for this
example.
You are turned in the driver’s seat,
looking over your right shoulder, out the
rear window of your tow vehicle at the
trailer. You want the rear of the trailer
(12:00) to mm to the 10:00 position on
the imaginary clock. That means the rear
of the trailer must move counter clockwise
to point at 10:00. In order to do that,
place your hand on the 12:00 position of
the steering wheel and turn your steering
wheel counter clockwise towards the 10:00
position. Hence, you turn the steering
wheel the same direction you want the
rear of the trailer to go.
For this technique to work, you must
think of the trailer in terms of the clock
example given. 12:00 is the rear of the
trailer and 6:00 is the front of the trailer,
no matter which way you are facing while
seated in the driver’s seat. If you want the
rear of the trailer to go counter clockwise
from 12:00 to 10:00, turn the steering
wheel counter clockwise. Conversely, if
you want the rear of the trailer to go
clockwise from 12:00 to 2:00, turn the
steering wheel clock wise. With a little bit
of practice, you will quickly get a feel for
how much to turn the steering wheel to
reach the clock position you desire.
A Few Final Words
Forget about the idea of turning the steering
wheel the opposite direction. Think
about the “clock” and what time you want
the rear of your trailer to point. Regardless
of the “time” you want, whatever direction
the trailer must move from the 12:00 position
to reach that time is the same direction
you must turn the steering wheel.
262M Cedar Lane SE, Suite M5, Vienna, VA 22180
703-641-2800 | 800-398-8893 | Fax: 703.641.2888
Email: dave@popuptimes.com
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