Flag to show trailer corner.

Since changing cars I can't see the little trailer when towing it. I can hear it so I know it hasn't disappeared.

Reversing would be a challenge!

I thought about fixing flags to the rear corners so I could see where they were.

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Looks to be a potential solution. Wing mirrors are 1400 mm off the ground (to give an idea of eye level) so these should be visible through the back as the bolts on the trailer I am thinking of using are about 650mm of the ground when the trailer is level.

These may be a bit flimsy, and possibly not designed for travelling at 60 mph.

Anything else I might be able to just bolt on?

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David
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When I had a small trailer, I bolted a couple of broom handles onto the rear corners to act as guides.

Reply to
Nightjar

Was it a wooden trailer?

This is a fairly ancient tin trailer so not much to bolt to apart from the lower rear corners.

I would prefer to use the existing bolts, one on each side.

Worth considering, though, as broom handles are not expensive. :-)

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

Rear view camera?

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

You could try some radio antennas- the kind used for PMR radio. You'd need to make a simple bracket - a simple plate wound do with a few holes.

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You could add a flag but a bit of bright coloured heat strike tubing over the rod may be enough.

Reply to
Brian Reay

Thanks.

Respectfully pointing out that the default option is £5.95.

It looks as though this is only 1085 mm long so barely tall enough and I would have to find somewhere to drill a hole.

Still, an interesting option I hadn't considered.

Confuse the hell out of bystanders if it looks as though I have twin radio antennae on the back of my trailer.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

Some magnets to attach the poles then? Just take them off when driving fast.

Reply to
dennis

Weld or screw a piece of pipe to each corner, that you can put a temporary stick or flag in.

Reply to
FMurtz

...

Indeed it was. It was a long time ago. I have had an Ifor Williams box trailer for a couple of decades now - much easier to reverse as well as having a lot more capacity.

Reply to
Nightjar

How about fixing a horizontal hosepipe to the trailer, same length as the distance between your wing mirrors?

Reply to
Dave W

I'd use something like fibreglass rod (which may be sold as e.g. replacement tent pole) and a foam ball glued to the top.

Reply to
Rob Morley

I still painfully miss my twin axle 2 ton trailer which was enormously useful and very easy to reverse.

However very little use over the last couple of years plus competition for space on the drive. Sold it. Sniffle.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

Uh duh!

Let me make it simple for you.

Two basic requirements:

(1) Shows the location of the corners when reversing.

(2) Remains fixed to the trailer and undamaged when towing at the legal maximum of 60 mph on dual carriageway.

Too difficult to comprehend?

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

The suggestion was that the poles needn't remain in place - they could just be attached before reversing, then removed and stowed away.

Reply to
Rob Morley

If you have to get out and attach the poles, there will be few cases when it would not be just as simple to uncouple the trailer and move it by hand.

Reply to
Nightjar

Also, if you have to reverse to get out of a possible problem on a busy roundabout you don't want to find yourself having to leap out of the car and start fixing poles to the back of the trailer before you can reverse.

Of the two options, having them permanently fixed seems the more sensible option.

As you say, few cases. However the time when it isn't really sensible to get out and move it by hand will be the time when you don't have the time and space to go wandering around in busy traffic.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

On one occassion (luckily towing a caravan rather than my trailer), I entered a section of roadworks on a motorway that was down to two lanes. One lane crossed to the other side, leaving only a single lane. Traffic stopped and a while later the police got everyone to reverse out of the section. They probably wouldn't have appreciated me holding everything up, getting out, removing the trailer cover and hunting for reversing flags.

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

Often shows a good view of the towbar, handy for hitching up, but less good at seeing where the back of the trailer is heading when reversing.

I did get a suction cup mount for a cheap GoPro clone with wifi, before I had a car with a built in camera. You could aim that to point more directly backwards, but while looking at a phone screen on a driveway was okay, you would probably want something better than that.

Reply to
Alan Braggins

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