Pro Trailer back up

Gary · Feb 24, 2025

I have a 2022 Lariat 501a. I bought it new in 2023. I call it a Covid truck because it has auto start/stop and navigation delete, which suited me just fine. It is a 5.0 / 3.73 gears with 360 camera including the high mount third brake light camera, FX4 and Max trailer tow package. I don’t need pro trailer back up but thought it would be worth trying. I’ve tried multiple times to set it up with my boat trailer. I’ve followed the instruction booklet that came with the truck, placing the checked sticker the correct distance and following the on screen calibration instructions. Countless trips around the block paying attention to speed and turning radius. Is it possible my Covid truck does not support this feature ? Will it support the hard wired YAW sensor ?

whizkidder · Feb 24, 2025

My ‘22 Lariat is extremely finicky about calibration/configuration. Got it to work once (and it was pretty cool), but not worth the hassle of trying to get the truck to recognize the trailer so I can use it every time.

EricR · Feb 24, 2025

My '21 came with the Yaw Sensor. Setup and calibration to our trailer was so easy and fast it surprised me.

When backing into tight spaces I get behind the trailer, with my wife behind the wheel (that she doesn't have to touch).

Over the walkie-talkie I tell her when to turn and let go of the Pro Backup knob.

Works like a charm!

JRonchetto · Feb 25, 2025

I had it on my '16 Platinum and it was so finicky, I only set up one of my trailers, then never used it after that. I haven't even set up my '21 and probably never will. I have backed many, many trailers so I don't need the hassle. For me, it's more trouble than it's worth. If you use it all the time, you'll never learn how to back one without it, and you'll be like young people right now that don't know how to drive a manual transmission, or read an analog clock, or read and write cursive.
Boomer out.

EricR · Feb 25, 2025

I am capable of...

Backing a trailer without Pro Backup.

Parking without the 360 view.

Change lanes/merging without BLIS.

Driving a manual - anywhere.

Emergency stopping without ABS.

I have owned many vehicles without air conditioning.

Back in the day, I even drove a car without power steering.

However, now I'm happy to have and use them all!

EricR · Feb 25, 2025

Maybe some don't get how Pro Backup actually works.

It's not a mini steering wheel you use just like you've always used the actual steering wheel.

The key aspect of Pro Backup that once you have the trailer aligned where you want to go - you just let go of the knob - and the trailer goes 100% straight back! Hands free.

The steering wheel will spin all around and the front of the truck will decreasingly oscillate left and right - but the trailer goes straight back. Again, hand free!

Even more amazing to me is how it's just math. Someone(s) with more math smarts than me have created a very practical application of math that makes my life easier!