Ford's new backup feature- good or a gimick?

[JohnF]

Originally Posted by bobm253

They all do when backing out of the gate.

No, the pilot releases control to the tug operator.

[JohnF]

Originally Posted by TURBS

If you can't back a trailer you definitely shouldn't be pulling one.

By the way, I have never backed up or pulled a 5th wheel trailer before but that isn’t going to stop me from ordering a new one Friday!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!

P.S. I hope my salesman doesn’t read this forum and find out how excited we are to order.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by JohnF

By the way, I have never backed up or pulled a 5th wheel trailer before but that isn’t going to stop me from ordering a new one Friday!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!

P.S. I hope my salesman doesn’t read this forum and find out how excited we are to order.

Congratulations!

[JohnF]

Thanks Turbs and I’m ordering the auto level feature. Stick that in your eye buddy! Just messing with you friend. We’ll have to talk poles when we meet again. Are you going to the tadpole rally at Little Farm on the River?

[frozen]

Gentlemen and ladies,
Consider how driving skills have deteriorated in the last 10 or 20 years, and how distracted drivers are. The sooner self-driving cars are on the road, the safer we'll all be. Of course this doesn't apply to any of us who read the Forum because we're all super-drivers and nearly perfect. But, I still appreciate cruise control, anti-lock brakes, climate control, backup camera, heated seats, and many of the other "gadgets" we've come to expect on our vehicles. We're all driving cars/trucks that are loaded with electronics (more than we're aware of), and with few problems. It's not likely that you can even find a throttle cable on your car. A friend told me that the electronics in my hybrid car would fail after one or two years on salty, gunky Minnesota roads; now after 9 winters we're yet to have our first problem. By criticizing every new piece of technology, we're just showing our (old) age. Consider all you can do with your smart phone or whatever device you're looking at right now!
Merry Christmas

[Lloydg]

Even though I have a fifth wheel and don't need it for hooking up, my back up camera saved my butt one night. While backing up (sans trailer) in a parking lot, I looked behind and so no cars and proceeded to move until the alarm began beeping. I could not see anything and got out of the truck to see what was the problem. Lo and behold a little MG was almost ready to be crushed. Because of the truck bed it was non-existent in my viewing area. Needless to say, I love my backup camera and alarms.

[j free]

If you watch the video the driver is still controlling the backup. He is turning a knob on the dash while watching the back up camera. would not work for my 5er because all you see in the camera is the door to my geni.

[bareftn]

Nothing beats a good set of mirrors and commonsense when backing and oh btw I know how to shoe and ride a horse

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by bobm253

They all do when backing out of the gate.

They are all pushed back from the gate by tugs....planes don't have a reverse.

[Loraura]

I don't think I could trust it.

Now I will say that when I was learning to back a trailer, the F-150 we owned then had a screen you could put it on where you could see the angle of the tires. This was very helpful for me because I never felt like I knew when my tires were straightened back out.

It was helpful for learning. Don't need it any more.

[LANShark42]

Originally Posted by frozen

Gentlemen and ladies,
Consider how driving skills have deteriorated in the last 10 or 20 years, and how distracted drivers are. The sooner self-driving cars are on the road, the safer we'll all be. Of course this doesn't apply to any of us who read the Forum because we're all super-drivers and nearly perfect. But, I still appreciate cruise control, anti-lock brakes, climate control, backup camera, heated seats, and many of the other "gadgets" we've come to expect on our vehicles. We're all driving cars/trucks that are loaded with electronics (more than we're aware of), and with few problems. It's not likely that you can even find a throttle cable on your car. A friend told me that the electronics in my hybrid car would fail after one or two years on salty, gunky Minnesota roads; now after 9 winters we're yet to have our first problem. By criticizing every new piece of technology, we're just showing our (old) age. Consider all you can do with your smart phone or whatever device you're looking at right now!
Merry Christmas

Well said. I, too, like all of those "gadgets" on my F250. If the backup assist had been offered last year, I might have jumped on that too!

As for the remark about the smart phones, I would wager many here don't have them, and many of those that do use them as a telephone only. (Just a guess, based on some of the comments in this thread...)

Merry Christmas to all!

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

Saw this on TV..backing up a boat. But IMO/IME that's easier than a boxy trailer/TT.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...akes-back.html

If you haven't seen it, it's a knob on the dash you use via the backup camera it looks like, and you 'steer' the trailer that way.

I had my doubts about this one also but just before the 16's came out, I was invited to try this feature out through people I know that do road testing on Ford's trucks and cars. I tried this with a 30 foot trailer attached and was totally amazed at how well it worked. I know there are a lot of people that can parallel park and back in trailers I being one of them. But this thing is slick as hell. Besides, the other companies don't have anything as slick as this setup. Before everyone judges with the usual I can back up a trailer nonsense, you should try it. You'll be amazed.

[tstillman]

Originally Posted by WFD

The newbie would be better off practicing in an empty parking lot and mastering the art of backing and leave that silly thing off and not "relying" on it...if you want to own a trailer than learn how to drive with it.

Amen. Some responsibility comes with ownership of any RV rig. Learn yours and keep yourself and others safe so you can make happy memories and not nightmares.

[prairiecamper]

Originally Posted by DreiHunde

They are all pushed back from the gate by tugs....planes don't have a reverse.

Actually two aircraft that come to mind quickly are the DC9 and B727 could do power backs from the gate, they used reverse thrust to do so. However it was real noisy and sometimes very dusty. Not a practice used very often! 36 + years in aviation last 30 at a major airline!

[Broadway Joe]

I've been in control of Boeing 707 that we backed up to the blast fence, any aircraft with reversers can be backed up if your careful. Almost any prop plane with reversing propellers can do the same thing.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by TURBS

If you can't back a trailer you definitely shouldn't be pulling one.

X2, Personally I enjoy backing my camper, get to show off my backing skills

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

X2, Personally I enjoy backing my camper, get to show off my backing skills

I toadaly agree!
I like to make one and done!

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by TURBS

I toadaly agree!
I like to make one and done!

Yep anymore then just 1 pull forward to re-position camper in the site and well......okay 2 tops if its a tough site. Otherwise its time to hit the shopping mall and practice.

Always like to crack a beer and watch others try to back up in the cg. Sometimes go over and offer to guide or even do the backing for them, if its that bad.

It is kinda a neat feature I guess and may help those who cant back up.
May even be fun to play with once.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

Yep anymore then just 1 pull forward to re-position camper in the site and well......okay 2 tops if its a tough site. Otherwise its time to hit the shopping mall and practice.

Always like to crack a beer and watch others try to back up in the cg. Sometimes go over and offer to guide or even do the backing for them, if its that bad.

It is kinda a neat feature I guess and may help those who cant back up.
May even be fun to play with once.

Best part is I know at least one that needs this feature

[Wobbles]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

Yep anymore then just 1 pull forward to re-position camper in the site and well......okay 2 tops if its a tough site. Otherwise its time to hit the shopping mall and practice.

Always like to crack a beer and watch others try to back up in the cg. Sometimes go over and offer to guide or even do the backing for them, if its that bad.

It is kinda a neat feature I guess and may help those who cant back up.
May even be fun to play with once.

I cannot afford a truck with a second steering wheel on the dashboard. I will just continue to call an Uber driver when I need to back up.

I do not call on those guys that have a mustache on the front grill.