How similar is backing long trailers with a fullsize SUV vs backing a truck?

The difference is if you are running with a goose neck / 5th wheel or a bumper hitch type trailer. Bumper hitch is not like a 5th wheel. Takes more room to drive a 5th wheel.

 

It’s a good start.
I first learned to back up with a 1970 Dodge Fargo with Armstrong steering (not powered) pulling a short wheel base utility trailer. Had to put it into a tight space with a narrow opening at the end of each day as part of my first summer job.
It’s not exactly the same as a semi, but the physics are similar and gives you an edge over people with zero practice.

 

Used to have a 28' bumper pull camper. I swear I could fit a 53' van in the camping spot easier than that camper. Several pull ups and taking forever to get it where I wanted it. For other reasons, I got rid of that one and got a 28' ft 5th wheel.
I was surprised how easy that was to back in. Every time backed in with no pull ups and usually within an inch of where I wanted the tires to be.

 

Exactly, it's weird how that works. I can put a trailer at work anywhere I want, I have a f750 with a 28' 5th wheel car trailer and it's fine but as soon as I put the flat trailer on the suburban I'm embarrassed to back up around people because it's bad lol. My wife makes fun of me even, she just stands there and says "so someone actually pays you to do this" lol

 

I went the other way I got a tired tahoe converted to cargo. I can haul a Icebox in the back if I need to. Help it earn it's keep in gas. Not exactly commerical.

I don't need a honking stomping 6000 or god knows what. IF I want a truck, I'll get a big tractor and trailer. Do it right.

Sorry for side track, a 30 foot RV is pretty challenging in some cases. But as the rest say you turn the wheel this way, trailer goes that way.

The BIG 53 needs a moment or two to begin to turn. You will learn all that.

What I hate is the 20 foot container secan on a triaxle loaded with ball bearings for Summit Military Depot. When you try to turn that it folds against the tractor in a hurry, it's a old time short 3 axle mack from the 60's the doing is not the problem the trailer is just too short. I mastered them too. But I do not like it.

 

After an embarrassing episode with my boat

My wife joked she was gonna call my former company and say “y’all let this mfer drive a truck?”

 

You need to be shown and told what and where to look and what to do. If you can pick that up on YouTube, good for you. I would say once you are hooked up. Parked with every wheel pointed forward and the combination in a straight line you need to look at the trailer wheels where they touch the ground and you need to look at the most extreme end of the trailer (the first thing to hit something while you are backing.)

You want to internalize and commit to memory
1 What do you need to do to push the rear of the trailer to the driver-side.

2 What do you need to do to push the rear of the trailer to the passenger-side.

There are numerous ways to explain how this works and everyone uses their own name for things. You are better served to listen to ONE PERSON, and ignore everyone else unless that ONE PERSON is very very very wrong. If you try to hear and remember 20 different techniques you will be worse off than someone fresh from the luxurious resorts of Somalia.
The shorter the trailer the more difficult it is to back. Short trailers react much quicker than a 53 ft trailer with a kingpin about 40 feet from the rear trailer tandems. But the cause/effect of ANY "tractor" and ANY "trailer" will be the same.

 

Same idea but the placement of the fifth wheel compared to a bumper hung hitch is a learning curve. .

I have spent 40 years backing up boats From 12 footers to 50 footers. For years on a daily basis.

I could back my 50 boat trailer into a hole with inches on either side Blind drunk in the dark.

I have only hauled a van once.

Just got done pulling a 45 tanker behind my company 3900sb Western Star with 60 inch sleeper the last 18 months.

It has the turning radius of the Titanic

Between having van fairings on the sleeper of the truck and the narrowness of the tank and the axles all the way back I had one heck of a time backing up some days .

Some days barely fine. Some days I looked like I never backed a trailer in my life .

I knew what I was doing but by the time the trailer would be reacting the manuever was over compensated.

I didn't do too bad backing into some of these Super tight dairies that were made for smaller straight trucks most of the time.

But give me an audience at the dairy or a tight truck-stop and I can turn it into a WTF is wrong with this Moron Show.

 

Funny story

A couple years ago at the training at the Mega I got my CDL with.

First day on simulators . First 6-8 students failed miserably backing straight up a road like you would have to do at a dead end.

I get on it and I am backing so fast that it progresses to a winding section of road. I am still flying in reverse and all the other students are in Awe.

I was backing soo fast that I caught up with the police car that was my emergency escort that I Crashed into it.

 

5th wheel is much easier, I can dump that trailer anywhere you want it. Bumper mount trailer I’ve gotta make sure nobody is around watching me. Only thing different with a large trailer is it turns slower and you can’t see where everything is at all the time.