Hitching Trailer on Incline

GMCPapa · June 15, 2020

Hi all. I have a 2017 Silverado HD Duramax. When I am parked on an incline and need to hook up to my travel trailer, it's guesswork as to ball and trailer hitch alignment. Whenever I stop, after I put the truck in park, it rolls back a bit. Can be 2" or could be 4" or more. This happens as soon as i take my foot off brake, even if I have engaged the parking brake too. So even if I look to be right on point with the backup camera, not sure where it will be after I take foot off brake. I've just dealt with the guessing, and looking like a goofball who can't line up the hitch, but yesterday, it occurred to me that maybe it's not the way it's supposed to be and it's something with my truck. Yesterday the brother in-law saw me get in and out and offered to help. Told him it was guesswork, but he insisted on backing me up. He kept putting the ball centered under trailer hitch, and then it would roll back few inches. Told him to spot me 2-3" short of hitch and it would be close. He swears he has no play on an incline with his "Ford".

So, is this common, with all Chevy's, all trucks including fords , or is it my truck. Should I have brakes or transmission looked at?

Thanks in advance!

EJCarter · June 15, 2020

Rolling back that far seems excessive in my opinion. My '16 does roll back about a small amount on a slight slope, but using the e-brake before putting it in park will stop this. The greater the slope, the more the truck will move, but still not as excessive as you state. Maybe your e-brake needs to be adjusted?

Try this next time...hook one of your tailgate support cables over the tailgate latch pin on the bed. This will temporarily hold your tailgate at an approx. 45 degree angle. Now your rear camera is looking directly down at your ball and hitch, thus making the alignment much easier through the fish-eye lense. If you need to stop a little short, you will see this is much easier too...

TRKLGND · June 15, 2020

Use the e-break before putting it in park. Doesn't move a mm if you use the e-break first.

newdude · June 15, 2020

2 hours ago, GMCPapa said:

Hi all. I have a 2017 Silverado HD Duramax. When I am parked on an incline and need to hook up to my travel trailer, it's guesswork as to ball and trailer hitch alignment. Whenever I stop, after I put the truck in park, it rolls back a bit. Can be 2" or could be 4" or more. This happens as soon as i take my foot off brake, even if I have engaged the parking brake too. So even if I look to be right on point with the backup camera, not sure where it will be after I take foot off brake. I've just dealt with the guessing, and looking like a goofball who can't line up the hitch, but yesterday, it occurred to me that maybe it's not the way it's supposed to be and it's something with my truck. Yesterday the brother in-law saw me get in and out and offered to help. Told him it was guesswork, but he insisted on backing me up. He kept putting the ball centered under trailer hitch, and then it would roll back few inches. Told him to spot me 2-3" short of hitch and it would be close. He swears he has no play on an incline with his "Ford".

So, is this common, with all Chevy's, all trucks including fords , or is it my truck. Should I have brakes or transmission looked at?

Thanks in advance!

I'd have the parking brake looked at. You should have zero or next to zero roll with it engaged. And if it were to, it should be less than an inch of roll.

Edited June 15, 2020 by newdude

GMCPapa · June 17, 2020

Thanks for the great recommendations. I'm going to engage the e brake prior to putting in park, and I'm definitely going to try the tailgate at a 45 degree angle trick for hooking up trailer.

Thanks again!!