I just bought my first trailer, a 2H BP. I have adjusted to hauling it just fine, but hitching it up is a real pain in the neck! My truck is older, and doesn’t have a back-up camera. I need to be able to hitch it on my own without help.
I am thinking of buying this product: https://unclenormsmarineproducts.com/collections/never-miss-hitch/products/never-miss-hitch-system. Has anyone used something like this?
Thanks!
My coach gifted my trailer a similar product and it was helpful, but you really do need eyes on the ground unless you are super experienced.
My new truck has a backup camera but it is set off center so is useless for hitching.
I drop the tail gate. Put a piece of tape/mark the center of the gate to have a reference mark to align things up.
These magnetic align wands work well. $10 at Harbor Freight. You take them off when finished.
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Saw this recently. Bolts on under the ball. The trailer has to be able to move/pivot a bit when backing into it.
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In the end practice makes perfect. I know it is going to be a good day when I just pull up, align, back up and stop. Get out and see everything is aligned perfectly on first try. .
When I had a bumper pull trailer I used the magnetic wands and liked them a lot. I always had to hitch up alone, and they made it a less frustrating experience.
We used an old magnetic mount antenna, that we added a bit of orange tape to the end and put it on the trailer, behind the coupler head.
We kept the tailgate up, but had a piece of tape on the top right where the ball lined up with it.
Even with the backup cameras, you have to see good thru those to hit anything just right, not as easy as it sounds.
Practice will help, the more you do it, the better you will get at it.
Yeah we’ve got the magnetic wand. Tape on the tailgate is brilliant if you’ve got a clear view. I was thinking tape on the center of trailer lined up with a piece of tape on rear window.
I’ve used the cheapie magnetic wands too, you can also pick them up at AutoZone & the like. They work well. I don’t use it anymore as after over a decade, I can line it up with the mirrors by now.
You can even make your own quick version of those yellow ball-wands too with sticks/dowels & a couple tennis balls.
If you really just want a camera, you can also get a backup camera for your vehicle that just attaches as a license plate frame, then clips in to the truck wiring (and actually, Amazon also has wireless versions now). Just make sure it’s wide-angle. I’d do either of those before I bought some expensive specialized hitching system.
Really, practice works best.
You get so you have a visual “landmark” that puts your ball & coupler in the same zipcode.
I have hitched solo for 20+yrs & admit those magnetic balls-on-stick are intriguing.
At that price I may have to get over to Harbor Freight.
WTH, just 1 more thing to toss in the truck - along with board for the jack foot & wheel chock- once you’re hitched.
That’s what I do… sorta.
I don’t have tape on anything, but I know where the trailer logos - decals - trim line up with the “Leer” decal on my truck topper, and I can usually hit the hitch on the first try.
Yes, pre=backup camera, I learned how to line the bolts on the center of the tailgate with the right spot on the trailer. I was hopeless at it to start with, but I don’t take direction well on stuff like this, so I just went out there and practiced on my own until I worked it out. The last thing I need is some officious stranger at a horse show standing behind me flailing his (and its always a man) arms around as I’m trying to focus on what I’m doing…
The backup camera is a bit of a knack, too. It’s taken me a few goes to get to the point that I know what I’m looking at with shadows and stuff. But it’s pretty nifty once you get it.
I cut a pool noodle in half and stick it on the ball. Doesn’t matter if I hit it or smoosh it or anything-- it’s foam. Gives me a big colorful thing to aim for and when I see it go down, I know I’m over the ball. I have a GN.
I bought a truck without a backup camera. For $500 I had one put in. Best money spent, EVER. It’s in my tailgate latch, and connects to the rear view mirror. He also installed a switch to leave it on, even when I’m going forward, which is actually quite helpful when parking the trailer. If I was handier with wiring, I could have installed the thing myself and saved a good bit of cash. It’s a fairly simple process. I can hitch my trailer up in seconds.
p.s. you can buy a non-integrated one for about $100. Definitely worth the money.
Thanks for tips, everyone! I will be practicing a bunch. Love the pool noodle idea!
Fits right over the ball. My greatest invention!
I am going to try that noodle trick!
I felt a little like Cormac McCarthy when I invented that. To be in the PRIME of your career and to know you already wrote the greatest American novel. Where is there to go after that?
But yeah, I’m pretty proud of that hack.
@atr Ain’t that the Truth? :rolleyes:
Best assist I ever got (still get) is fellow Driving club member - she is calm, supportive &economical of arm-waving!
& has guided me out of some pretty tight spots.
@vxf111 Pool noodle = Brilliant!
I use them to go over my cart shafts & cushion the bangy center gate on my trailer - now I have Use #3 :encouragement:
I always make sure that when I unhook, the wheel holding up the tongue of the trailer can roll side to side to give me a little wiggle room in case I’m slightly off with the backing up. Eventually you get a 6th sense about being in line with your hitch, but this helps when you just need to move 1/4 inch over.
sent you a PM
I tried those magnetic things, but never worked for me with my older trailer. No flat space near the hitch for the trailer so I’d be backing up and watch it slooowlyyy…sloooowllyyyyyy… slide left and fall off. Especially if there was wind. And there is always wind here :lol: Love the pool noodle trick, may have to try that as well!!
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