I have a 48' car trailer. I just line up the trailer with the center rib of the bed, since I can see it with a sprayed in liner. If you have a factory liner, you could just put some tape, or make a line down the center some how. It just takes a little practice to figure out when to stop.

 

Ok put a tape or mark on the tool box for the center. Keep the trailer about 1/2 lower then clearing the ball. The first inch or so of the drop is pretty soft. You will feel it hit and go another couple of inches, its there. If you are an inch or so off center, just lower for a little pressure and push the trailer over to drop on. I Do it every other day or so. You will know when too close to the tool box. A few times and you will hit it every time. The key is not raising the hitch way over the ball, let it hit, easy of course. I geneally hookup on a 45 degree angle and it works that way too.

 

just line up the coupler of the trailer with the center groove of your bed and back straight up it works everytime for me

 

How about slipping a piece of foam wrapped PVC pipe over the gooseneck ball? Works great for a buddy of mine.

MikeyB

 

I am with Haulin in Dixie. It is easiest way to do it.

 

Stretch a long bungee cord with a knot tied in the middle from bedrail to bedrail. The knot should be positioned directly over the ball. Back up the truck and aim for the knot ... when you touch it with the gooseneck, YOUR DONE !!! Easy to make and see.

PISTOL

 

Hey that is a great idea, best I have heard.... now what did I do with that pickup bed, .... its around here somewhere

 

yes that is a very good diea.

And if you don't want to have to fight to get the knot in the right place, you can just use some strong string or rope with a tennis ball or something right over the ball.

 

I'm going to tell my buddy about this one!

MikeyB

 

I use the bungee cord trick too. I have an old piece of CB antenna and a paper binder clip (you know, one of those things to hold lots of sheets of paper together). Put the bungee cord under each bed rail side, attach the binder clip and stick the old CB antenna through the handles of the clip, resting one end right in front of the ball in the truck bed. Open the tailgate and back up to the trailer until the hitch hits the antenna. Lost this thing for a while and just used a bungee cord with a piece of bright engineer's tape (like on my electric fence) tied in a knot - easy to move around to line up over the ball. Had to find the old CB antenna after I put a fuel tank in the bed of the truck.

 

I use a convex mirror on my boat trailer lined up to see the end of the trailer.

 

You beat me to it . I to have used a convex mirror like you find on the hood of a big rig, and mount it on neck of your trailer. Just my .02

 

get you an old magnetmount cb antenna without coax and just place it in front of ball. when you see antenna move you should be really close

 

Stupid me backed my bumper into the pintle ring of my trailer two days ago. I was coming home from a 12 hour night shift and ran right into it. Chalk that one up for dent number two....

 

Ouch, thats one thing i do like about the fords... back up sensors... my bosses truck has them and i think those sensors are great