Here is something I should have added to my response to Kmikesells' original post. I was reminded of this on a recent camping trip, where I learned it yet again.
As you start to back the rig, the ideal position for the TM and the tow vehicle is in a straight line. If they are in a straight line, you can tweak the direction of the TM as you back up, easily and accurately. On the other hand, if you find yourself with a lot of angle between the TM and the tow vehicle, you have lost control of the situation. If you continue backing, and you are lucky, you will eventually regain control of the TM, but you will be a long way from where you intended to go. If you keep backing and you are not lucky, the trailer will jackknife, causing enormous damage in only a few inches of travel.
If you find yourself with a lot of angle between the trailer and the tow vehicle, the best thing to do is pull forward until you get the rig straightened out. Now you can resume backing with some directional control.
How much angle is a lot? It depends on the length of the trailer. Very short trailers are almost impossible to back accurately - the trailer gets offline very quickly, and you cannot bring it back because the tow vehicle can't turn sharply enough to catch it. Very long trailers, like a 53-footer on a big rig, are much easier to back accurately, because you can steer the cab all over the place without turning the trailer much. The TM falls kind of in the middle - you can do it, but it takes care and practice. That's why we have these threads.
RBHTrail, what say you?
Bill
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