How to teach DW to tow TT?

[DnD]

Originally Posted by RVChick

Oh I feel the pain! First time I tried to help my DH back up....he had to get out and come back to me to tell me that if I can't see him in the side mirrors, then he can't see where I am telling him to go! Duh!

Exactly!!

[4kmprs]

DW drove her 5 girlfriends 200 miles in our 5seat F150 screw and towed our 233s for a girls weekend. They had a great time and will be doing it again this year.

The Roo came home with blue paint on the awning and a broken stabilizer and a lot of stories that Won't be shared with others. the repairs were a small price to pay for the memories the trip created.

she also did a lot of driving on our 21 day trip last summer with no issues.

We went to our local high school and practiced backing, turning etc. before her first trip and that helped a lot.

[Earth Station]

Originally Posted by 4kmprs

DW drove her 5 girlfriends 200 miles in our 5seat F150 screw and towed our 233s for a girls weekend. They had a great time and will be doing it again this year.

your DW is my hero. I am not sure I could go that far.... all alone. DH & I are a team. Yes, I could do his job and my job but we do it together! When I want time either alone or with GF's then he has taken and set me up ... left and at the end of the time come and gotten me

[asquared]

I taught dh who had never towed a TT before using our 30' TT and our old armada. Familiarity with the TV is useful. I started with him in a big empty parking lot and just got him used to driving up and down the rows and how the trailer tracked behind the truck as he made wider and tighter turns. I had him pay attention to how the trailer wheels tracked, where the rear end of the TT would swing and how close the TT would come to the TV in a tight turn. As he mastered that we went out onto the road using a lightly traveled fairly straight back road. Once that was mastered, more curves and then higher speed. Eventually onto a highway. We did this over a few weekends. Next came a local camping trip. I drove to the campground and pointed everything I was doing out as I did it. Dh drove home and as he drove I would remind him the little things but back off and let him figure stuff out.

The final trick was teaching him to back. He couldn't even back the old armada into a parking spot. Again we went to the empty parking lot. This time we started by backing into a wide area (about 4-5 spaces wide) on the drivers side. I would tell him that the trailer turns in the opposite direction of the truck. I would have him let off the brake and let it roll slowly backward. He would quickly see which way the TT rolled. As he would figure it out, I slowly narrowed the area he was aiming for to an area 2 parking spots wide. This process was repeated to the passenger side. Next came straight line backing. He learned how little movements affected the TT. I give him practice runs towing on short trips every now and then.

After we got the new TV, I didn't allow dh to tow until he was used to the new huge truck. I let him drive the truck around town and sometimes to work. Once he got used to it, he drove to our local campground and handled it fine. Get your dw used to the TV first. Then if she is afraid of the TT, rent a Uhaul trailer to teach her the basics. Then move her up to the TT. Explain to her that learning is necessary in case you ever get sick or hurt or even just tired.

[handbuilder]

DH is not patient - he does things so naturally and quickly & drives him crazy that backing doesnt happen by osmosis from him to me. I take our trailer off on trips by myself for my shows. I have friends who know my backing handicap & they gently and patiently guide me in. Sometimes parking is tight and hectic with experienced people wanting to get in and settled, so I turn my truck over to the friends to back me in if neccessary. I try to arrive early, before the big rigs and I practice with pylon cones until I tire my friends out. DH admits its best to defer to my friends because we end up with short fuses. When I come home, I pull up and run in the house to get him to back in and around our curved drive to the shop. I've managed in the past when he's not home but once nearly took oit the fence with the front end of the truck because I was so busy watching the rear. LOL. I find if I dont overthink it, I can do it. The advice of psyching oneself that "your on your own" is spot on. Amazing what is possible when there are no other driver options! Cant live where we do without nerves of steel (in the winter) So I periodically apply that mentality to having to back the trailer when by myself. haha

[donjuanss]

timarti

Something to help with thinking about which way to turn the wheel put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel (6 O clock). then if you want the trailer to go left just move your hand left and so on

[Cajun Po-Boy]

DW said nope...that's why there's roadside assistance! LOL!!!

[BOBFIDY]

Originally Posted by timarti

Baby steps! I (the DW) first started hauling my small horse trailer with a station wagon, so I got familiar with hooking up and backing and could do it all myself. Then we got the F-150. First time I drove it I felt like I was driving a house, and I have to sit on a cushion to see over the steering wheel, LOL. At that time we also had a wee Trillium fiberglass trailer, which actually looked pretty funny behind the Ford, it was so small. I really wanted something bigger, but was nervous about towing it. However, if it was gonna happen, it would be me, since I am the designated driver due to DH vision limitations. We bought our 24' and it has been fine, although not without nerves! Actually easier to back than the 12', less tendency to jackknife if you blink! I can manage the WD hitch, and all the setup, etc. I am still crap at backing toward the blind side, but I found practicing at home with cones as a reference where I wanted the TT wheels to end up was a big help. Getting to the point where I don't have to constantly think about which way to turn the wheel to make the back end go where I want it to! I still try to reserve pull-thru sites, though . Brave to do a long drive the first time. Kudos to you!

but I found practicing at home with cones as a reference where I wanted the TT wheels to end up was a big help

Great idea. The idea of looking at the parking spot and thinking about where you want the wheels to wind up helps me a LOT.
GREAT TIP.

[asquared]

Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun

DW said nope...that's why there's roadside assistance! LOL!!!

Roadside assistance will not get your rig home from the campground 400 miles from home. They will not be the one hooking your rig up, driving it all the way home and backing it into its main parking place after primary driver had an injury or illness. They will get you and your rig to a safe place when broken down on the highway. Dh and I can do all of each others jobs but after 2 incidents w/ the awning (neither really bad) I'm not allowed to touch it anymore.

[Terier]

Ditto about letting her learn at her speed! Getting used to the TV will help but until then she might be uncomfortable at the thought of towing. Might try letting her do a little of towing slow in a controlled area (empty parking lot or around the neighborhood when things are quiet). I was more at ease when driving in an area I knew because I knew what to expect.

After breaking camp if the campground is pretty empty it wouldn't hurt to have her drive through a pull-through site or two before you take over on.