F250/350 Pro Trailer Backup Assist

I am wondering if it would well for the 12ft single axle that is a pain to back up
I'm sure they don't want to jack-knife your trailer

I have used it for my boats in the past when I kept them at our house. The "storage" area was a real tight back-in spot after jockeying around a few trees. The backup system made it easy as I could crank it one direction and not fear a jack-knife. Shorter, single axle trailers are notorious for being highly sensitive to inputs...

One thing I have learned in years of towing trailers is that there is no absolutes and you may have to use 2-3 techniques for every situation.
Totally agree! Being versatile and flexible is key. I have towed a lot in my life although I'm still figuring out all the nuances of our large TT. I look at the backup assist as one arrow in the quiver of techniques...
 
I have trouble envisioning how this system works for backing the camper into something w/o an optional rear camera on the camper projecting trajectory. You watch the rear corner of the camper in the 12" screen and camera distortion from stitched views? Or do you really just use your mirrors and the knob instead of the steering wheel?

All the examples ford put out of it are either a flat bed or really short enclosed trailer which you could see through/around easily.
 
The trajectory is determined by calibrating the tailgate camera to a known reference point, i.e. the sticker. As far as I can tell all the sticker does is map a straight line to the pivot point or hitch ball. The checkers are just to make sure it can see the line in poor lighting. You also calibrate the distance between the truck and the ball and the sticker and the ball. This allows the tailgate camera to "see" the angle of the trailer rather than using a yaw sensor. You also calibrate the length of the trailer, which gives the system everything it needs to stitch the side view (mirror) cameras together and build the trailer view.

Of course an auxiliary camera on the rear of the trailer is also very useful, which I added and can display on the 12" screen.
 
The trajectory is determined by calibrating the tailgate camera to a known reference point, i.e. the sticker. As far as I can tell all the sticker does is map a straight line to the pivot point or hitch ball. The checkers are just to make sure it can see the line in poor lighting. You also calibrate the distance between the truck and the ball and the sticker and the ball. This allows the tailgate camera to "see" the angle of the trailer rather than using a yaw sensor. You also calibrate the length of the trailer, which gives the system everything it needs to stitch the side view (mirror) cameras together and build the trailer view.

Of course an auxiliary camera on the rear of the trailer is also very useful, which I added and can display on the 12" screen.

I wasn't asking how the system calibrates itself, I was asking how the user with a long box functionally uses it. I am under the impression there isn't a projected path of the trailer on the screen (like there is in the backup camera for the truck) so are you trying to watch where the corner of the trailer is going in the screen? Or are you using your mirrors as normal but just using the dial rather than the steering wheel?

All the demonstrations used a flatbed or short box trailer and showed the user watching the screen but they could basically see thru/around the trailer they were backing up. I'm asking when the back of the trailer is 30'+ from the backup camera and at times an extreme angle how is one visually determining what input they as the user and putting into that dial?
 
I use it for backing a 20ft flat trailer it works well for long straight stuff I was able to use it to back into a area that was tight also but I am not sure how I like that part maybe after practice some. I am wondering if it would well for the 12ft single axle that is a pain to back up since it over steers with a slight nudge of wheel. The cameras are nice for backing though.
Mine is a 22' single axle and it helps. My biggest issue has always been how easily it over steers when trying to go straight back.
 
Mine is a 22' single axle and it helps. My biggest issue has always been how easily it over steers when trying to go straight back.
This is one of th reasons I went back to using my mirrors (and my wife). The control knob input didn't seem linear...small adjustments wouldn't respond quickly enough and large adjustments would over-compensate.
 
I wasn't asking how the system calibrates itself, I was asking how the user with a long box functionally uses it. I am under the impression there isn't a projected path of the trailer on the screen (like there is in the backup camera for the truck) so are you trying to watch where the corner of the trailer is going in the screen? Or are you using your mirrors as normal but just using the dial rather than the steering wheel?

All the demonstrations used a flatbed or short box trailer and showed the user watching the screen but they could basically see thru/around the trailer they were backing up. I'm asking when the back of the trailer is 30'+ from the backup camera and at times an extreme angle how is one visually determining what input they as the user and putting into that dial?
The trailer view is stitched from multiple cameras, so you can see both sides of the trailer at once, which is useful for lining up to an opening like a garage or driveway. The middle of the trailer in this stitched view is very narrow but not totallly invisible. I suppose with an integrated trailer rear camera you could eliminate the trailer completely from this view, but mine does not do that. There is no projected path, although that seems like it would be very difficult to calculate accurately. But maybe that's another way to get you to love the face of the MY23 ;)

I don't watch the mirrors when using the knob, but I suppose once you get comfortable enough with it you could. I don't see how that is better than using the steering wheel, unless you're a newbie that just can't remember to use opposites with a trailer. Seems like that creates a dependency that makes you worthless towing anything but your own trailer, though.

The screen gives you a visual reference, but like I said it's a little too abstract for my liking and doesn't give you the feedback that the steering and mirrors do. There is a little gauge that shows how much the trailer is articulated. I suppose with a projected path it would be more useful, but it would still make me nervous of hitting something. A single screen is really hard for the brain to understand in 3D.
 
The trailer view is stitched from multiple cameras, so you can see both sides of the trailer at once, which is useful for lining up to an opening like a garage or driveway. The middle of the trailer in this stitched view is very narrow but not totallly invisible. I suppose with an integrated trailer rear camera you could eliminate the trailer completely from this view, but mine does not do that. There is no projected path, although that seems like it would be very difficult to calculate accurately. But maybe that's another way to get you to love the face of the MY23 ;)

I don't watch the mirrors when using the knob, but I suppose once you get comfortable enough with it you could. I don't see how that is better than using the steering wheel, unless you're a newbie that just can't remember to use opposites with a trailer. Seems like that creates a dependency that makes you worthless towing anything but your own trailer, though.

The screen gives you a visual reference, but like I said it's a little too abstract for my liking and doesn't give you the feedback that the steering and mirrors do. There is a little gauge that shows how much the trailer is articulated. I suppose with a projected path it would be more useful, but it would still make me nervous of hitting something. A single screen is really hard for the brain to understand in 3D.
Right... so I'm really struggling to see what use this feature is with a large trailer. The screen doesn't project a path to feel comfortable just using that, if using the mirrors it sounds like just using the wheel (like normal) just makes sense. In what use case, other than apparently backing up straight, does one actually meaningfully use this with a larger trailer?

I never set it up on my expedition. The only reason I have it on my superduty is I wanted the 360 cameras (not this extra feature/cost) because I struggle to see what the heck someone does with it with a camper (as opposed to a flatbed or something). I'm not in the "just use mirrors if you're a man" camp or anything, I just am logically struggling to see what this can actually do that's worth while for anyone to bother taking the time setting it up on a camper.

The 2023s they separated the camera package from the back up assist which is nice.... but its still an ugly truck. :p
 
I have a 25 International AS - Tried to use on my last F150 - but the camera had a hard time tracking the sticker (staying connected), then when did - seemed to be more of a job than just using the mirrors and backup trailer camera. I good idea - but for me more trouble than worth.
 
I have a 27' Airstream and was a towing novice when I first got it late last summer. I fully planned to use the backup assist and set it up the minute I got the Airstream hooked up. Well the problem for me was my ProPride hitch. The way this hitch changes the pivot geometry really confuses the backup assist. There are some people who have reported success with it but I wanted to learn to back up and maneuver the trailer myself first so I was not hamstrung if the system ever glitched on me. Well after 5-6 back and forth trips backing in to camping spots and my storage facility, I'm at the point now where I do not think I'll ever go to the trouble of setting it up. I am no expert by any means, but with my wife as a spotter and some agreed upon communication, we managed not to get divorced though the first season's learning process and I'm not dreading backing in to spots this season.

With all of that there are some guys with Airstreams who have had success by mounting the sticker on a small metal plate and fabricating a bracket to keep it visible in the camera's field of view. It's doable but you need to fiddle with it to get the right position so the camera sees it even when turning. If memory serves it was an episode on KYD YouTube channel. I still may try it but it's not as urgent as it was when I first started.
 
Right... so I'm really struggling to see what use this feature is with a large trailer. The screen doesn't project a path to feel comfortable just using that, if using the mirrors it sounds like just using the wheel (like normal) just makes sense. In what use case, other than apparently backing up straight, does one actually meaningfully use this with a larger trailer?

I never set it up on my expedition. The only reason I have it on my superduty is I wanted the 360 cameras (not this extra feature/cost) because I struggle to see what the heck someone does with it with a camper (as opposed to a flatbed or something). I'm not in the "just use mirrors if you're a man" camp or anything, I just am logically struggling to see what this can actually do that's worth while for anyone to bother taking the time setting it up on a camper.

The 2023s they separated the camera package from the back up assist which is nice.... but its still an ugly truck. :p
@pods8 you are spot on with your questioning. There is some potential benefit with something like an RV, box trailer, etc but having a camera on the trailer itself would help immensely. I even found times when I had a longer boat that a camera would have made a big difference - and maybe given a nod to using the system more.

I haven't tried it on the RV yet, but hooked up the Ford camera last Fall. Probably this Spring I'll give it shot...
 
The auxiliary camera can help with backing up, but the perspective can make it difficult to fully trust over a walkaround or spotter. I find it more useful while driving for situational awareness, or just to check the rear bumper.

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This is one of th reasons I went back to using my mirrors (and my wife). The control knob input didn't seem linear...small adjustments wouldn't respond quickly enough and large adjustments would over-compensate.
I found that I have to be real gentle w the knob and go real slow.
 
I use mine with my 26' travel trailer. There are lots of misconceptions about how it works and how it helps. The thing that is difficult for you to do better than the system does is backup straight at an angle. So when you're backing, you're telling the truck where you want the trailer TO BE and not how much to turn. This helps when you're at greater than a 45 degree angle and the trailer is lined up where you want it; you let go of the knob, and the truck steers the trailer automatically in a straight line the way it's going. Very useful.
 
I have had Pro Trailer on my last 3 trucks and never used it. Just grab the steering wheel at the bottom and whichever way you want the trailer to go, just move your hand to that side. Eliminates the opposite steering problem. I also just use the backup camera to back real close to things but not to actually backup. Guess sometimes you cant teach an old dog new tricks, but like George Killian said "if it works, don't fix it".
 
Mine is a 22' single axle and it helps. My biggest issue has always been how easily it over steers when trying to go straight back.
I see the benefit for that. I am going to try it out for sure.
 
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