Tips on how to back up with a 2-axle trailer?

Hi,

Any tip on how to properly back up and manœuver with a 2-axle trailer (with front directional axle)?
I really have a hard time manoeuvring those properly, and it often ends up like me, backing up at full throttle without caring on where and what the trailer does...

When truck and trailer are properly aligned and if I have to back up in a straight-ish line, I'm doing okay. But in all other cases, it's a mess!

Any tips? 🙂

Thank you

You should watch youtube videos of truckers doing the same moves.
It is literally the same thing.

now it is not quite as simple as this, but think of it like this. with a normal trailer you "chase the trailer" with the vehicle. now with a trailer that has a steerable axle on the front, you are chasing the trailer with that steering axle and then chasing the steering axle with the vehicle. think of backing a normal trailer up, but you want to do the reverse of what you would normally do usually. to help with the matter, go slow and do not rush it. at least until you get a bit of practice anyway. now there is a little play in this also. say if you are backing and it is a long slow easy turn. then you can get away with steering it like a normal trailer sometimes, if you have everything lined up correctly.

last edited by A Former User

winch the back to a tree and pull while you turn around

@araxp awe, but why do it the easy way? lol

Hi an easy way to think about it if you are backing up a single axle or a semi trailer if you turn to the right the trailer will go to the left and with a two axle trailer if you turn to the right the trailer will go to the right

General rule to all trailers: longer it is, easier it is to control when reversing. Shorter ones turn much faster but result you knifing your trailer tongue and rear tires in no time.

To go straight: periodically turn your steering wheel left and right little amount, this should keep trailer going straight (turn about 45 degrees both sides is my gut feel)

Like others said with turning tongue axle your trailer behaves opposite from single axle trailer. To reverse these 2-3 axle trailers in mudrunner is challenging because trailers tend to follow track paths automatically (like they would in real life). The key to success is patience and this tip: when your tongue starts to be max 30 degrees angled from your truck you need to "CHASE" the tongue meaning you turn your truck wheels opposite direction and follow trailer's path. When tongue goes straight trailer goes straight but if your truck is not inline with trailer the trailer will soon start to turn opposite direction where you just turned.

Practice is key but it takes usually about whole week in real life by self training in field to figure these out. You may have theory down in your head but in the end it is gut feel and experience that let you manipulate trailer successfully.