Locater

[IvanLee]

I am looking for a simple device that will assist the user to accurately backup to a trailer. I don't want a video system.

The transmitter would send location of the trailer hitch to the receiver attached to the vehicle hitch. Then the receiver would send that information to a receiver inside the vehicle. The display would give simple direction to the user, guiding the user to the trailer. The display could be as simple as LED direction or maybe even text. I have considered GPS, RF, Ultrasound but can't seem to find exactly what I am looking for. Would like the device to be around $100. Whith help, I am interested in developing such a device.

Any idea where I could find such a device?

 

[BrownOut]

HAHA! That shounds like my anti-jacknife question. I think there were some good ideas bantered about, if you can find the thread.

Oops, after re-reading your post, you're not trying to back a trailer, but back to a trailer. That's going to be tough to instrument. I'm thinking about the same thing, but I use those silly tennis balls on magnetic poles while I'm thinking about it. Camera seems like the best way to go as far as I can tell.

 

[BrownOut]

Here's an idea I thought of while I was in the "reading" room. It's a modification of another member's idea on the jacknife thread. If you had a directional beam, like a laser diode on your vehicle and a pair of sensors on your trailer, one on each side of the hitch, then you could sense when your vehicle is aligned with your trailer. Your beam would need to scan vertically so that you insure it passes thru the sensor when the ground is uneven.

 

[crutschow]

Seems like a video system, which is available for cars for less than a $100, would do what you want. Why invent anything different?

 

[Artificer]

In the Fiber Optics business, I pull a splicing trailer 50K miles or more a year. It is not unusual to uncouple and recouple several times a day. I can back into the 2-5/16 coupler with mirrors, dead on to raise the jack and go, BUT!, I do it all the time....

There is a device that bolts on the draw bar under the ball, consisting of a wedge shaped steel plate that guides the coupler over the ball and stops it at the right place. If you can back within about 6 inches of center and move slowly, all you need do is raise the jack and lock the hitch.

Pretty heavy steel plate, I've seen it used on 6 ton gross cargo trailers. Developed for casual users, usually large boat trailers, where they want to make up quick at the marina.

Not a very high tech solution, but, hey!, it works....