View of unloaded trailer with pickups

[JimS123]

I hate pickemuptrucks with a passion. Won't own one. My Land Yacht 45 year old Pontiac Bonneville can back ANY trailer with ease. The current SUVs not so good, even with the hatch up.

The ONLY problem I ever had was with a 10' long jetski. Can't see the sucker trailer back there no matter what. Added 3' tall SS poles on the back of each fender, topped off with a red cap. Problem solved.

 

[Stinnett21]

The 2004 Lexus talked about in my original post had a camera but was small and not very clear so I never used it for backing the trailer. I did use it for hitching up.

 

[Ifishmuskie2]

I was waiting in the water at the ramp for the two guys ahead of me to pull their jet ski. The owner told his friend to back the trailer down. Well he got everything straight and started backing. He was using his mirrors and couldn’t see the trailer so everything was good. A few feet later and the trailer was wrapped around and hitting the side of the truck. He didn’t stop. His windows were up and he backed it down 50’ bouncing off the side of the truck.

 

[dingbat]

Jeep decided to add a dotted centerline on the screen which blocks out the coupler on the trailer ! This line is double side by side and useless when looking for the ball and coupler.

Interesting…would would think they all work similarly.

Ford has the dotted line but also has left and right track and zoom (ball) along with audible notification.

Once close, hit zoom (on ball) and continue to back until beep, beep, beep becomes a solid tone when hitch is aligned with the ball.

 

[airshot]

Interesting…would would think they all work similarly.

Ford has the dotted line but also has left and right track and zoom (ball) along with audible notification.

Once close, hit zoom (on ball) and continue to back until beep, beep, beep becomes a solid tone when hitch is aligned with the ball.

The crazy part is they have lines that show width on each side, then colors to let you know how close you are. For the most part, the backup camera is great, also has a fish eye lenses so you can see a lot.....as long as it isn't dead center that you need to see. With the outside lines why would anyone need a center line that blocks out everything in the very center ?

 

[flashback]

Center line follows a projected path of steering.

 

[airshot]

Center line follows a projected path of steering.

As does the outer boundary lines, either way, that centerline blocks the ball/coupler connection. Wish I could turn that center line off !

 

[bwkre]

My setup for about 10 years. The van is perfect for camping but not so good for launching the boat. It's mirrors all the way. I got good once I figured it out, I did what I called the wiggle. If the boat is directly behind it's impossible to see from either mirror. So I did the wiggle, minor corrections to keep the trailer in and out of sight of the drivers mirror. Once lined up I seldom glanced it the passenger mirror as I knew it was going as straight as possible. Worked just as well with the trailer empty. At the last minute I would over correct so I could see the trailer disappear in the water and know when to stop. I think being up high and larger mirrors also helped. Unfortunately with those vans you couldn't get a posi or diff locker so it was a one wheel drive. A bit of sand and water and its going to need to be pulled out.

I drive an Acadian now and I find it harder to launch with but I'm getting better. Down lower, small mirrors and shorter in length.
It's a learning process as with anything new.

 

[airshot]

When I had a pickup, I would open the tailgate to see backing up. Then moved to a SUV, that was a great move, easy to see when backing, if needed open the hatch with low empty trailers. When I was a young lad, learning to drive our old Jeep, I added a front hitch along with the rear hitch. Marina next door charged one dollar to use the ramp. Took people a half hour to back up, so I started pulling a boat behind and pushing one in front for the same dollar each. Launch one, turn around and launch the other, parked the two trailers and went back up front to get two more. I was making 6 dollars an hour at a time when the going rate was 1.25 per hour. After two summers of that I could back a trailer really well ! Learn to use those mirrors !

 

[Grub54891]

Not a deal breaker, just wondering what to expect if I go that route. I suppose the same could be true for a modern SUV also. Views out the back are getting less and less and relying more on cameras.

I open the rear gate just to see better. I do use the mirrors but I’m not perfect either!

 

[lgaytan]

Ok I think I wouldn't mind to have rear cameras in my truck, I just tried a friends truck and that thing is amazing.

 

[airshot]

Thanks to those that mentioned my backup camera could be modified to remove that annoying center line that blocks the coupled image....found it and removed that center line ! Won't know how well it will work to see the coupler until spring. Shame on me for not researching this sooner....like 4 years sooner !

 

[Jeff J]

Ok I think I wouldn't mind to have rear cameras in my truck, I just tried a friends truck and that thing is amazing.

They sell them aftermarket. The old Nissan 1/2 ton pickup they had at work had one. The display was mounted to the dash. It disappeared after the second transmission went out. The Chevy 2500 Duramax that replaced the Nissan is a much better tow vehicle but no camera.

 

[Stinnett21]

To close the loop on this, I bought a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. I can still the tip of the trailer by turning and looking. Very pleased so far.

 

[redneck joe]

i put my tailgate down and walk on. in a few years i'm going to need to figure out how to get in the bed without hoisting myself up at the tire.

 

[Lou C]

I bought a set of tow mirrors for my 2007 Grand Cherokee but usually I can get the trailer where I want with the regular mirrors, the guide poles help 100%. Both to see the tail end of the trailer and getting it in deep enough for launching off the roller trailer. The boat sits up high (about 2" above the fenders) but the benefit it is that it's narrower than a trailer that would allow the boat to fit between the fenders. So, it fits much easier in my driveway and on our local ramp. If I ever upgrade the sound system on my 2007 I am going to see about getting an aftermarket back up camera built in, I have one now that has a magnetic mount that I use when I back it into the driveway, I have a piece of steel above the garage door and stick the camera on that. This ramp is narrow and drops off on each side, so the narrow trailer is good for where I am.
They re-did it 2 years ago but didn't make it any wider....
Old ramp:
new ramp:

not ideal but 5 min from my house so that's a big convenience factor.

 

[Ifishmuskie2]

With My new boat I can’t see much. A little in each mirror but nothing but hull out the back. Once the boats off I can see the trailer ok. Biggest problem so far is every ramp is different. One is so shallow I can’t get the boat on straight and had to go to the other ramp to get it straight. I’d like to have a helper but the last three times I’m been by myself.

 

[roscoe]

To close the loop on this, I bought a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. I can still the tip of the trailer by turning and looking. Very pleased so far.View attachment 416352View attachment 416353

Glad that truck works for you.

I'm looking for a mid-sized truck, Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier, Ridgeline. ? ?

 

[Pmt133]

Glad that truck works for you.

I'm looking for a mid-sized truck, Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier, Ridgeline. ? ?

Tacoma is a mostly redesign. Colorado is the fullsize drive train under an updated 2nd gen chassis. Frontier is a full face-lift truck on the same platform that Nissan has used for nearly 2 decades. Ridgeline is nice too. I like my 19 Colorado but the rear vision with the long bed is bad.

 

[Stinnett21]

I could do that also but I'm afraid I'll forget and jack knife it. Oops referring to Redneck Joes comment in post 35 above.