Backing Up Trailer

[Mr. Dan]

I am so thankful I don't have the problems detailed here. The MAIN reason I don't is that my DW knows I can back into any site without my help. She does not believe I'm so "reverse direction challenged" that I can't do without her. We discuss the best place for the trailer before the backing begins. I tell her beforehand where I want my rear stabilizers to end up and she stops me when I get there. She always stands where I can see her in my big tow mirrors. If that's not level, I place boards/leveler blocks next to the tires on the low side. When I pull up, she moves the blocks in line with the tires and I back up until she waves STOP. No issues - we'll celebrate our 52nd anniversary in June.


OTOH, my DW's sister waves her DH into a site with the overriding goal of having their trailer dead center in the site even if they can't open their awning and/or slide-out. We place our unit on the site as far left as possible such that we have maximum patio space on the site (concrete/asphalt/gravel/etc.).

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by bedubya

I already knew I was a lucky man. My wife only uses 3 hand signals: 👈,👉,✋. 3 keys that work for me:
1. She's always telling which direction she wants the BACK of the traler to go.
2. I only use my mirrors, I do not turn to look back.
3. I keep my hand at the BOTTOM of the wheel. That way, left is left, right is right.
We use walkie talkies but very little.

all i want to add to that is a hand motion meaning forward and also


REMEMBER if you cant see me in the mirror I cant see you

[B and B]

Furion brand In Motion Observation Camera, Motorola GPRS Radios or mostly Apple iPhone DW on handset I am on Handsfree in my Ford Superduty F 350 truck.

No hands waving, no yelling, after we get around trees as we are 13 ft 3 inches tall she does move side to side and such I follow her in the back up camera where she stands in the middle of the site. Done well backing up 43 ft on 32 ft sites for two years. With a new Landmark on the way 2 ft shorter should be a cake walk.

[bareftn]

oh forgot to add dw (dam woman) has one job and one job only to yell stop right where I wanted


and never ever stand where I cant see her never ever stand in the middle of trailer or coach when backing up its a accident waiting to happen

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by bareftn

oh forgot to add dw (dam woman) has one job and one job only to yell stop right where I wanted


and never ever stand where I cant see her never ever stand in the middle of trailer or coach when backing up its a accident waiting to happen

LOL! You can tell that either you are recently single, or you are betting your DW never reads this forum. Good luck!

[D W]

In all my travels I have noticed that there are two types of couples. Those that have backing-in down to a science, and those that struggle. As I have witnessed, the latter is basically two people who for some reason aren't on the same wavelength and don't communicate well with each other. Tempers seem to flare, arguments ensue, and then we have traded profanities.

I will assist anyone who needs help, but in this scenario I refuse to voluntarily get involved. If things have already "gone south", a third party getting involved will only make things worse. Now, if I'm asked I will help.

For those that struggle, the only advice I'll give is that they should sit down and figure out the problem(s), and develop a system.

[NMWildcat]

X2 DW. I read your response and was shaking my head in agreement. Liz and I had one bad backing episode, ended up laughing at ourselves after we realized what we were doing, and vowed to never do that again.

Liz got so good at it, she is now the official backing assistant for our group for all the couple's who haven't figured it out. Makes for a much more pleasant first day. Now, if I could just get her to drive while backing, but I'm afraid I would be a terrible assistant anyway. She will pull our RV anywhere, but just won't back it in.

When in RV parks, it is still entertaining to watch all the methods of backing.

[steveB52]

We decide where we want the TT to end up, and I toss down a wheel chock where I want the tires. I back, DW watches, stops me if I'm going to hit something. We've been doing this for 25 years, works every time, no drama.

[67L48]

Originally Posted by bareftn

oh forgot to add dw (dam woman) has one job and one job only to yell stop right where I wanted [...]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

LOL! You can tell that either you are recently single, or you are betting your DW never reads this forum. Good luck!

I just assumed bareftn meant that his wife works at a facility that holds back water or maybe lives with beavers.


There are many varieties of this theme of shirt, which I think is a great idea:

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

LOL! You can tell that either you are recently single, or you are betting your DW never reads this forum. Good luck!

WRONG on both counts
I read to her all the funny ones on here and this one she knows about

I been driving trucks since I was 14 working in a nursery and been driving semis for over 45 years with trailers as long as 70ft
so knows to just keep her mouth shut when I am backing up and only yell stop if I am going to get to close to something that I told her that I may hit
I been in 38 states

so I think I am do an apology when you know NOTHING about me

if you don't believe me send me a message and she will call you and tell you

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by bareftn

WRONG on both counts
I read to her all the funny ones on here and this one she knows about

I been driving trucks since I was 14 working in a nursery and been driving semis for over 45 years with trailers as long as 70ft
so knows to just keep her mouth shut when I am backing up and only yell stop if I am going to get to close to something that I told her that I may hit
I been in 38 states

so I think I am do an apology when you know NOTHING about me

if you don't believe me send me a message and she will call you and tell you

Guess I hit a nerve in my attempt of a humorous response to your comments that most wives I know would take offense to.

It is good to know you are an expert backer and have your wife trained to keep her mouth shut.

[-lenny-]

My wife and I are both very happy with our system.

Stop, scope out site and potential hazards (Tree branches, vehicles on road, etc.)
Discuss where we want the rig placed in relation to hook ups, obstacles, and amenities such as patio.
If I can't see her in my mirrors, I stop. She realizes what the issue is and relocates.
She usually just watches for hazards and tells me when to stop, but if she points left or right, that's where she wants the trailer to go.
Then she will walk the dogs as I get utilities hooked up and slides out. No stress, no apologies lol.

[wildcatter]

I don't let mine help, she backed me into another camper on my blind side and then into a tree branch that took out the skylight, I want to stay married to this one so I told her to go visit our camping friends and if she doesn't like where I put it then she can stick it somewhere else (I would not recommend saying that last part to her, it didn't go over very well), but over all she excepted it and now I GOAL it. I have never hit anything until she told me she was going to help. I think she realized we could't afford all the damage. I should have learned with my ex, keep them away from helping with backing, at least doing it myself I am more aware of my surroundings.

[myxkp]

Originally Posted by timfromma

My wife is disabled and cannot help me. She either waits in the truck or at the site's picnic table and watches. Quite often, my neighbors see me backing up solo and offer to guide me. Otherwise, I will repeatedly get out of my truck to see gauge I'm doing. I find it quite helpful to mark the ground some way at where I want my tires to end up.

Yes, I've had my best success putting bright orange level links at the turn points and the rear most desired spot.
With markers on both sides it doesn't matter which angle I'm at, I can always see how I'm doing.

[Iwannacamp]

This subject is very entertaining, helpful and understood at the same time. Our problem is we don't get enough practice doing it. I can usually get in the driveway at home in one stab(it is a 90 deg narrow street with obstacles), but I have done it quite a bit. We usually have no issues at campgrounds.

We use cell phones on speaker 90+% of the time, but we have walkies if needed. I have the DW trained to give me chatter as we back in. I do not like the "too late" response and not knowing all is good. I have her tell me stuff like "keep coming" "a little closer/more" "your getting close over here" etc. It isn't perfect, but we get there. We used to feud over it, but I got her to follow my "suggestions" on what I needed and now she is my preferred way of doing it.

[dbledan]

I was backing into a spot for a BBQ once alone. My neighbor decided he would help me and moved the chock I had placed to mark my wheel stop point. I looked in the camera and realized I was getting pretty far back and stopped to find my marker again only to find that it moved while I was backing up on my blind side...

[bruspell]

Sounds sooooo familiar.

Pair of walkie-talkies.

Problem solved.


Bruce

[rblack22]

Originally Posted by njfishing

Admittedly, backing up is certainly not my strong suit but I'm getting better.. Problem is my DW is the excitable type... You know, the type that tends to over react to everything... You get a cut your going to "BLEED TO DEATH" or if it's a little cold you'll "FREEZE TO DEATH", you get the picture.....

As if backing up isn't hard enough she tends to make it a little harder and more nerve racking then it should be....

Here's the typical drill...

- We get to the site, get out of the truck and scope out where we want to trailer to rest.

- After negotiating with her for what seems like an hour on the best spot, I go back in the truck and get things lined up and she goes to the back of the trailer to guide me in... .

- As I make the approach and start backing up she starts motioning which way I should turn the wheel as if she was sitting in the driver seat. These aren't subtle hand moves, she's flailing her arms in big circles so hard her arms practically come out of the shoulder sockets.....

- As usual I'm not lined up right and she's running around the back of the trailer like a chicken with her head cut off continuing to flail her arms and winds up in a spot where I can't see her in the mirrors...

- I get out of the truck and calmly tell her she needs to be in a place I can see her and ask her not to tell me which way to turn the wheel since it's confusing, just point which way the back of the camper needs to go...

- I continue to back up, she continues to tell me which way to turn the wheel so I get back out of the truck and ask again...

- She says WELL YOUR TURNING THE WRONG WAY!! An argument follows that finally ends with me asking her if she'd like to back it in

- I explain once again all I need you to do is stay in a place where I can see you and point which way the back of the trailer needs to go...

- She finally obliges and we get the camper where we negotiated it should be

- I start to unhitch and level the trailer and she decides the trailer should be at a different spot on the site

It seems like every time we set up it's like Ground Hog Day.... Am I the only one with these issues :confused

I feel your pain

[kbrown1075]

My DW is great. We have a 42 foot 5'er. All I ask is that she stands where I can see her and stop me if I'm going to hit something. She complies. Now, I have to admit, when a couple like you and your DW come in, I casually move my chair to a good viewing location, crack a fresh beverage and enjoy the show!! I'll be sure to offer a beverage upon your successful completion!

[velvethippie]

It's not just wives!!

I love my SO dearly, but he is more trouble than he's worth when helping guide me into a tight spot. We have gone over hand signals a number of times, but it almost always ends in an argument ... he stands where I can't see him, and gives terrible signals. I do a much better job when I get to the site by myself

Edited to add, I'm the lady driver