How to teach the girlfriend to back the tahoe down the ramp?

First, just learn to load an unload it yourself, way easier than getting other people involved. 2nd - if she is going to drive the truck/trailer then certainly go to a parking lot to practice. Here is the visual I have given to people which seems to work - tell her to imagine the truck is the front wheel of the trailer. When the truck is angled to the left the trailer will back to the right, and vice versa. So don't focus so much on turning the wheels the right way on the truck, focus more on getting the truck in the right position and angle it from side to side as the front tires of the trailer (if it had front tires) would need to be angled to move in the desired direction. This sort of approach takes about 50% of thought out of a confusing activity.
 
Larry&Leisa said:
Take her to a big empty parking lot. Hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, move it left to go left, right to go right, then no more instructions! :grin:
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I second this - Katy and I spent a few minutes in a parking lot and she did really well with just this advice. She can now back it down the ramp on the first shot - much to the dismay of the guys who typically do a double take when they realize who's driving the truck. The funny thing is - the only time she gets confused is when someone tries to 'help'.... Let her practice and get comfortable without other people around and she'll have the hang of it soon enough. Try using a parking spot as the 'ramp' and back it through. She should also work on being able to pull forward and try again as once you are in some ramps the space to maneuver can get real limited.
 
admin said:
First, just learn to load an unload it yourself, way easier than getting other people involved. 2nd - if she is going to drive the truck/trailer then certainly go to a parking lot to practice. Here is the visual I have given to people which seems to work - tell her to imagine the truck is the front wheel of the trailer. When the truck is angled to the left the trailer will back to the right, and vice versa. So don't focus so much on turning the wheels the right way on the truck, focus more on getting the truck in the right position and angle it from side to side as the front tires of the trailer (if it had front tires) would need to be angled to move in the desired direction. This sort of approach takes about 50% of thought out of a confusing activity.
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Ooo, that is a good way of explaining it. I will send that to her.

Loading and unloading myself may be a good idea. I have never done this though. Suggestions on doing this efficiently?
 
tdappleman said:
I second this - Katy and I spent a few minutes in a parking lot and she did really well with just this advice. She can now back it down the ramp on the first shot - much to the dismay of the guys who typically do a double take when they realize who's driving the truck. The funny thing is - the only time she gets confused is when someone tries to 'help'.... Let her practice and get comfortable without other people around and she'll have the hang of it soon enough. Try using a parking spot as the 'ramp' and back it through. She should also work on being able to pull forward and try again as once you are in some ramps the space to maneuver can get real limited.
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Sounds like a plan with this and telling her to imagine the truck as the front wheel of the trailer.
 
I'm glad I learned how to do this backing stuff, a long time ago, way back when I was a teen, at my friend's farm, with their farm equipment! Gave me more time to learn/play when there weren't a lot of folks around, and I could care less then about what anyone thought about my driving at that point. I didn't even have my permit yet.

Seriously, I think an empty parking lot to practice is the best way to learn, and the suggestions already given will work for her. I need to do this with my gf too... She does ok, if no one is around, but gets easily flustered, if folks are watching, a couple yrs ago, she put a good size dent in my truck bumper while trying to back my empty trailer down a steep ramp (and she lost sight of the trailer - even though I told her to put the tailgate down, she didn't remember it by the time she got in the truck, because she was thinking more about all these other people wanting to get to the ramp). She still comments on how bad she feels about that dent fairly regularly, I tell her, it just adds character to my almost 9 yr old Tundra.

-VtSeaRay
 
Yeah, glad I am decent with backing too. Just takes going slow and small adjustments.

So any good advice for loading/unloading by myself on a 2 lane ramp?
 
If there's a dock, it's easy... if not... like where I unload... I have to go out, anchor my boat, and swim back to shore (no dinghy option on my 210...) then swim out, and go. reverse it all on the way back in.

-VtSeaRay
 
Sorry if this has been suggest before, I didn't see it.

Instruct her to NOT look over her shoulder to backup but to look forward & use all the vehicle's mirrors to see where the boat & truck are going. I also third or fourth practicing in a large vacant parking lot.
 
OK, I'm going to sound like a hick for a second here...

I was taught on the farm to put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and in reverse, you push the bottom of the wheel in the direction you want to back of the trailer to go. I do it now without even thinking about it. Also, back down the hills (ramp) in neutral so you can stop easier.

(For the haywagons with the pivoting front axle, put your hand on the top of the wheel. Works great.)

Hope this helps!
 
Larry&Leisa said:
Take her to a big empty parking lot. Hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, move it left to go left, right to go right, then no more instructions! :grin:
Click to expand...

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Geez... I got 15 demerit points for my post here...

I'm going to turn that thing off.
 
When launching, I back the trailer in, then get in the boat and take off, while my wife parks the truck. Then I meet her at the dock. I think this might work for the OP. We normally spend way less than 5min on the ramp.

When we are done. My wife drops me off at the dock, I back the trailer in, while she circles around, then she puts it on the trailer. This normally works well, however sometimes I have to winch it on the trailer. Normally we spend less than 5in on the ramp, however, it depends on wind and water currents. I'm not sure if this will work for the OP but it works for us most of the time.
 
Why don't you unload it yourself? Back it down, tie off a rope to the trailer and let the boat float off. Run over to the dock and tie the boat off on the dock. Jump back in the truck and go park it, call the wife and let her know you are in the water. Go warm the engine, situate the ice chest, snap down the carpet and put up the bimini top. By then the boss should have arrived ready to step onto the boat and cast off.

PS My wife doesn't allow me to take a girlfriend so there is no need to teach her how to back up the truck.
 
Zeppi said:
When launching, I back the trailer in, then get in the boat and take off, while my wife parks the truck. Then I meet her at the dock. I think this might work for the OP. We normally spend way less than 5min on the ramp.

When we are done. My wife drops me off at the dock, I back the trailer in, while she circles around, then she puts it on the trailer. This normally works well, however sometimes I have to winch it on the trailer. Normally we spend less than 5in on the ramp, however, it depends on wind and water currents. I'm not sure if this will work for the OP but it works for us most of the time.
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The first part of this worked well. The second part where she gets the boat on the trailer... we'll just say "not yet" :). Her first time to drive a boat was Sunday, ha.
 
Fishnut said:
Why don't you unload it yourself? Back it down, tie off a rope to the trailer and let the boat float off. Run over to the dock and tie the boat off on the dock. Jump back in the truck and go park it, call the wife and let her know you are in the water. Go warm the engine, situate the ice chest, snap down the carpet and put up the bimini top. By then the boss should have arrived ready to step onto the boat and cast off.

PS My wife doesn't allow me to take a girlfriend so there is no need to teach her how to back up the truck.
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Haha, if you're wife was ok with your girlfriend helping out, I would say you should spend the day at home with both of them rather than on the boat :)
 
Ok, having driven a semi for a good part of my life, I feel obligated to respond (I have probably backed more miles than most people I know have driven). Placing your hand on the bottom of the wheel is what I usually tell people, but this only works IF you are backing with your mirrors. I don't see anything wrong with backing over your shoulder, but either back over your shoulder or in your mirrors, don't try to do both. However, if you back over your shoulder you'll probably have to have your hand on the top of the wheel (unless you play in the NBA or are a monkey). So they just have to remember that what ever direction they want the back of the trailer to go to turn the opposite. The other thing that is important is small moves. I am assuming the trailer is probably a tandem axle, and therefore probably isn't as quick as a 10 foot single axle. But it is really easy to over-correct, and then you spend the rest of the time chasing the trailer and not putting it where you want. Other than that, practice, practice, practice. She'll have it in no time.

If you want a good laugh, go to a truck stop and watch some of the big name companies try to back into a spot. They get really flustered when you heckle them on the radio.....course the lot lizzards don't like it either!
 
If she is having trouble with the whole turn the wrong way concept. Have here grab the steering wheel on the bottom. If she does that, moving the wheel left will move the trailer left... Good luck!
 
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