Trailer Length vs. Maneuverability?

[CaptnJohn]

WoW! Lots of good info here and some that ~~ I'm pulling out in the morning!
Seriously, started with a 19' TT in the 1970s ~ single axel and it was a bear. About every length TT after that. Then, right into a 35' 5er and sweet. Now a 43' 5er and sweetest!
All you have to know;
Take turns a little wider ~ prevent curbing and tail swing hits

[CampingMyLifeAway]

I purchased a rockwood A-Frame that is 21 ft and i'm having a really hard time backing it up in the campground and my driveway.Needless to say i've went thru almost all the swear words and have invented a few.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by CampingMyLifeAway

I purchased a rockwood A-Frame that is 21 ft and i'm having a really hard time backing it up in the campground and my driveway.Needless to say i've went thru almost all the swear words and have invented a few.

Even practice does not always make perfect but it helps. I had more trouble in the 70s with a 19' single axel than the 43' double axel 5er. Sometimes I lay it in 1st try,,, at other times I swear too.

[tyler811]

Originally Posted by mfen

I've been a tractor trailer driver with more than 1M miles under my belt. I've also been driving many sorts of trailers behind many sorts of vehicles since I was in my teens, and that was a very long time ago.



General rules of thumb:
Shorter two vehicle, longer trailer easier to work with.



By work with with, I mean to maneuver around obstacles and back up into places.


Well balanced rigs handle best.
long wheel base tow vehicles ride the best, and are the most difficult to back a medium or short wheelbase trailer with.


So...if you are looking to tow a 20 to 25ft trailer, a crew cab long bed truck (tow vehicle), will be your most difficult to back or otherwise maneuver.



Bumper pull v 5th wheel isn't going to make that much of a difference.


If you are going to pull a 35+ foot trailer, with slides (weight added) and height, then a crew cab, long bed, DRW will give you more confidence going forward, but still be more difficult to maneuver with, though with practice you'll get used to it, and be okay.


The key to driving any of these rig configurations is always, always, always, go slowly and be aware of your surroundings. Its much easier to alter the vehicle course going slowly than otherwise.



Also, designate one if any person to assist you in backing or going around an obstacle. Tell everyone else to "shut it". Its just to overwhelming to deal with to many drivers in your seat.



Be safe. Good luck. Practice, practice, practice.

Nice adivice here

[thebrakeman]

I would say maneuvering a trailer of any size is no harder or easier based on length. But with the longer trailer, you need to take more time and care, as it is less forgiving. Like someone said, if a significant amount of the added length is behind the trailer wheels, the back end is going to swing out further in a sharp turn. That means you need to be more careful when pulling into and through a gas station (for example).


Someone said a longer trailer is easier to back in. Perhaps that's because you'll see the back corner better in your side mirror.
I agree...get the camper you like, and can afford. The take your time learning to tow it properly, and carefully.


PS - We towed a 19' popup with a minivan for 7 seasons, and never had an incident. Went to a 27' with a short wheelbase SUV (current). 2 seasons with no issues, then 1 time I got in a hurry in the storage yard, and sideswiped someone's coupler because I wasn't concentrating.

[JimParker256]

We towed a 21-foot bumper pull trailer for a couple of years, and now have a 34'8" 5th-wheel. Both are dual-axle, and the fiver is just about 2X the weight of the other.

I find the 5th-wheel is MUCH more comfortable to pull on the road. Seems much more solid, even though it's at least 4 ft taller. And I also find the 5th-wheel easier to back into places. It definitely has more rear overhang than the bumper pull did, so you have to watch that...

The "length" thing (as commented upon earlier) can be deceptive. The bumper pull's overall length was a little over 28 feet hanging behind the bumper. Length was 21.5 ft, plus 5.5 ft for the frame, plus another foot for the load equalizing hitch (the ball was ~1 foot behind the bumper). The 5th wheel is 34'8" long, but front edge of the trailer is about 4 feet forward of the back of the truck's bumper, so it really only extends about 30 ft behind the truck. And thanks to the Demco Hijacker Auto-Slide 5th-wheel hitch, I can turn the truck more than 90º to the trailer without hitting anything.

And I completely agree with the GOAL thing: Get Out And Look!

My next "upgrade" will be backup camera for the fiver...

[CurtPutnam]

At this point, I want to thank everyone who has posted in this thread. A lot of good information has surfaced and some resurfaced. It has and will help as we decide whether or not to reconfigure.