Super-short-wheelbase trailers...prevent jackknifing while backing?
 

So my dad has a really, really short wheelbase utility trailer. When backing up, if it gets close to the point..as soon as it hits the jackknife point, that's it, you're done, it cuts and hits his truck even if you hit the brakes. He's got a brand new ranger, and I'm trying to find a solution to prevent this from happening again. Any ideas? Would a certain WDH limit movement of the trailer? I'm afraid extending the tongue of the trailer will make the weight off balance and cause issues (but tbh, it's a fiberglass tub trailer for pool chemicals).

Short trailers are a pain, same issue with my snowmobile trailer how quick it jackknifes if you don't start counter-steering as soon as it starts turning. Just have to give the bottom of the steering wheel a push in the direction you want the trailer to move then as soon as it starts swing the wheel the other way to keep a nice smooth curve. Oh and tell him slow down backing up, he'll have more time to hit the brakes before he creases the paint.

I know. I've told him to slow down. He hauls it all day for work, and several times a day has to back up out of a driveway or whatever. I guess complacency comes in. He's towed trailers for the past 50 years for work, various sizes, but this one just totally sucks.

I'm just hoping there's some mechanical solution we can bolt on to restrict the trailer's movement.

Lengthening the tongue will make the trailer more stable, and put less weight on the ball. It's a win-win situation. You may need to use a higher gauge or wider diameter bar than what's on the trailer, dependant upon the length you choose.

Doesn’t help your situation, but Pro backup assist helps prevent this.

but I hear ya, a short trailer is a pain especially if it’s narrower than the vehicle, the it’s impossible to back up

A longer trailer could be cheaper than repairing all the dents and scratches.

It's a specialty trailer for pool maintenance, one that won't rust to pieces from chlorine fumes after a year...so that's out.

The only thing I can think is a tongue extension on the trailer to add about 2-3 feet to it. That'll lengthen the wheelbase substantially.

Too Much Truck?
 

Unlike most of those looking for the monster trailer, this seems the opposite issue of too much tow vehicle for the trailer.

I have something probably similar in size, and thought it would be funny to put behind the F-150, but I have not. I'm fairly sure it will fit in the bed even with the cap (height would be the only issue). If I remove the tongue, It'd probably fit in sideways too. There would be room for a second one then, and I'd still have a couple feet of bed space left for other things.

The one time I hooked up and tested the Pro backup assist was on my 4x8 utility trailer, which in comparison is huge compared to the little one. The steering in the truck was going nuts just trying to keep it straight when backing along the driveway. I can image it'd be even worse when cutting the wheelbase in half.

I got the trailer for the small car on road trips, and it's a much better match. The wheelbase of the F-150 is longer than the entire car is, so that's just going to make things a challenge.

He's got a super cab ranger...so it is by no means a big truck. I backed it with my SCREW f150, and aside from going stupid slow, I still had to move forward, correct, back again, move forward, etc. The thing is ridiculous.

What could I do to limit the turning degrees of the trailer? Say, maximize a 60 degree turn or something and prevent the trailer from going any further? Chains? something like that?

I'm trying to figure out how that could be done via chains or straps. It's a straight tongue, not a V tongue. Would I have to weld a perpendicular bar to the hitch, to put chains or straps on the outside ends of it (towards the end of the bumper) to connect to the trailer tongue which would limit travel one side to the other?