Posted on 10/09/2017 6:13:11 PM PDT by Chickensoup
Ok boys and girls.
I bought the Jeep Sahara Unlimited Altitude Wrangler that we discussed last spring. I love it and I smile all the time that I drive it. Yes I am a Pavement Princess.
Great vehicle.
Now I have a conundrum.
I want to buy and transport a kayak. I have wanted one of my own for years, and heck, it is my birthday this week.
I smile when I kayak.
I went out and looked at them and I can get a 10 foot 38 lb injection molded cute kayak at a decent price to paddle around the lakes and streams in my area.
Problem. It is too long for my vehicle so I cannot stuff it inside. I cannot remove the spare to have it hang out the back, for that cannot happen. It is too heavy to remove, and it looks cute back there.
I am way too short to put the kayak on the detachable roof. It will never get up there. That is a fact.
I have a trailer but transporting the kayak in the big trailer that my son uses to transport big things like snowmobiles, lawn tractors etc. seems like overkill...and I cannot back up with a trailer. It is encoded in my female DNA to be unable to back up the trailer.
I have been looking at some of those little trailer-ettes that hang off the trailer hitch. They are little platforms that hang there and they stick out a bit. I am trying to see whether I can somehow strap a kayak to the back of the vehicle standing upright sitting on that hitch platform. Would this be a good idea. I would not be going on highways, just back roads here in the area. Never more that 50 mph.
I don't want to harm the Jeep, the kayak or anyone else.
Your technical advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
chickensoup
Easier lift into the lower cradle, then you slide it up and lock it in place on the roof. You may need a step stool for that second part, but it's not a big deal.
That is a good choice for her.
Just not in the picture.
I can guarantee you this -- everyone that can back a trailer had to learn. Let that be encouragement.
Believe it or not, the longer the trailer is in comparison to the towing vehicle -- the easier it is. The opposite is also true, for the most part. A short trailer behind a longer wheelbase tow vehicle can be a bit "touchy", more difficult to back, particularly for the inexperienced.
I can back a 53' trailer into some fairly tight spots -- and get it in there square to a loading door, and I'm not even what they'd call all that good.
One key --- whatever steering input goes into the "wheel" has to come back out of it (resulting in the steering tires being back to straight in-line with tow vehicle and trailer).
Another (while backing, of course): if the trailer is lined up with the vehicle -- and you can see BOTH sides of the trailer in side mirrors, and the steering tires of the tow vehicle are straight in line with tow and trailer--- while backing slowly, grasp the BOTTOM of the steering wheel, moving your hand the direction you need the the back end of the trailer to go (as you back up).
Use slight inputs --- remembering those inputs must be "taken out" (as in the steering tires of the tow vehicle straightened). If held too long, you may send the trailer too far past how far it was needed to be over to right or left. Slight inputs, even tiny ones -- but take those inputs back out, straightening the wheels .
Whatever art there is for this aspect is: how much steering input to put in, and how fast to take it back out (centering your hand back at the bottom). In this, if you can begin with things lined up where you need the trailer to go (even if you have to pull forwards several times to straighten everything) just drive the back of the trailer from the bottom of the steering wheel.
Say it together with me -- "drive the back end of the trailer with the BOTTOM of the steering wheel".
As soon as you see the back end of the trailer moving in a direction you do not want it to go -- grasping the bottom of the steering wheel move your hand the direction the end of the trailer needs to go. But don't hold that input too long. It must come back out and the steering wheel put back to centered. Then again, as you go (backwards) drive the back end of the trailer with the bottom of the steering wheel.
Can you see it? By which I mean, see it in your mind's eye? I've presented a bit of an over-simplification in regards to ALL aspects of backing situations, I admit, for in this it is assumed things begin with tow vehicle (and steering tires of tow vehicle) being straight inline with the trailer.
What is called 'jacking', and following, are a bit different.
In 'jacking' (which sets the tow vehicle at an angle to the trailer) whatever steering inputs were made also HAVE TO BE taken out. T then "follow" the trailer, even more steering input in order to "swing" the nose of the tow vehicle (towards straightening everything, but things are still set in an angle). Add even more steering input to over-follow the trailer, which over-following (extra inputs that direction) will swing the tow vehicle into line with the trailer.
I'd teach you these things in person if you'd pay me to.
But here's another point of encouragement : Once you can see both sides of the trailer in the side mirrors, and the trailer is even somewhat lined up with where it needs to end up -- you're gold, baby. It's not hard from there.
Little bitty steering inputs at that point. Just enough to see *some* (not a lot) of response in the trailer. Again: Drive the end of the trailer (where you want it to go) with the bottom of the steering wheel. (yeah, I'm repeating myself -- you can thank me later)
I'd teach you these things in person, for free, if you would agree to the shock collar training method.
That way does tend to discombobulate the student more than the usual stresses, but can be cheap-thrills entertaining for the instructor. Ouch! ouwweeh! ouch! dang it! ouch!
This is soooo easy; FedEx either the Jeep or the boat to where u want to go and use the other for transportation until u get to the final destination.
Problem solved!
I’d teach you these things in person, for free, if you would agree to the shock collar training method.
That way does tend to discombobulate the student more than the usual stresses, but can be cheap-thrills entertaining for the instructor. Ouch! ouwweeh! ouch! dang it! ouch!
You want to torture me with trailer backing up AND you want to torture me with a shock collar?
Jim we are getting a very different kind of Freeper here these days, lol.
actually I think the Jeep might have a winch. Hmmmm. It would have a hook thing on it?
I have got to read the manual!
Not reading the documentation since 1982
;)
Put in profile “looking for kayaking buddy, must be able to lift (my) Kayak to top of Jeep or be able to back up jeep with a trailer”
________________________
No strings? Hmmm
I just looked.
They all seem to want to walk on some beach.
They all look like my father and have unusually close attachments to their dogs.
I’m dyin’ here, I can’t breath! LOLOLOLOL
______________
You shave Christmas trees too?
I have never made Greek Lemon Chhicken Soup.
sounds great!
I like to leave them on all summer, makes my car easy to spot in the grocery store parking lot. :)
I think chickensoup bought the wrong car.
Rent a space on a rack near a public launch.
this may work.
I do hope the rest of it may be of some help.
As an intellectual exercise, if you're any good with envisioning spatial relationships -which you must be to some extent if you're able to parallel park- some time when you're relaxed, perhaps laying in bed with your eyes closed, try envisioning the scenario as if from above, looking down on the vehicles.
Try envisioning parallel parking (with no trailer). Park that little car into a tight spot, imagining which way the steering tires must be pointed at the various stages. The last part when first coaxing the front of the car to swing into the empty space, that's called "swing" (of the nose of the vehicle) in trucker's parlance too.
After a bit of mental image parallel parking exercise, from perspective of above, envision a tow vehicle and trailer. Line them up straight.
Start them going back, imagine turning the steering wheel slightly (and only briefly) one way or the other ---- what happens?
Then, try envisioning it including the bottom center of the steering wheel moving either way (right, or left). That will result in directional movement (of the rear of the trailer) --- which way?
Answer:The same direction, either to right or to the left that the bottom center of the steering wheel was moved..
You can thank me later...or be zapped. zap-- ouch!
It is!
I don’t have a dog...
I’ve always known it as Avgolemono. Chicken, lemon, egg white, chicken stock, and rice or orzo pasta. Good stuff.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.