backing in my rv

[mrmjbenn]

WE recedntly bought a travel trailer. when getting ready to back into a site where is the best place to position the rv before starting to back in to the site. Any suggestions or pointers will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mrmjbenn

WE recedntly bought a travel trailer. when getting ready to back into a site where is the best place to position the rv before starting to back in to the site. Any suggestions or pointers will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

The easiest way I find is to be at an angle to the site if there is room in front. If not then you have to pull past the site and start to back in and would probably have to pull forward and back to get the unit going in straight. If your forward of the site straight on the road you have to be careful not to turn in to tight so you don't jack knife or hit your cab if it's a 5th wheel. Go to a empty parking lot and set some markers or cones up and try til you get comfortable in backing up. You will get the hang of it. Don't over turn your wheel. If it's a tight area like most State Parks, it will take a lot of jockeying back and forth. Also have a spotter behind you and make sure you can see them in the mirrors. Before you start get out and make a plan in your head on the area and best way to get it in with the clearances you have front, back and sides.

[fonzie]

Here's a good video to start with.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSyylWzrOX0

[tenttotrailer]

Originally Posted by mrmjbenn

WE recedntly bought a travel trailer. when getting ready to back into a site where is the best place to position the rv before starting to back in to the site. Any suggestions or pointers will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

The pivot point of your TT is the back axle, that is why you need to be a bit past your site entrance. You say you bought a TT, so unlike a 5th wheel, you can turn so much and jack knife your rig and literally cause damage to the "A" frame. Practise practise.

Kevin

[Glindz233s]

I'm still practicing but I get family to help and Walkie talkies help. Take your time. Don't feel like you need to rush if someone is behind you. They will usually be patient.

[acadianbob]

X2 on the walkie talkie!

[Boso]

Best advice I could give anyone is to quit backing while turning the longer the trailer the more that pays off stop turn then go again you loose feet because tt has to react

[MtnGuy]

Do "The Scoop" !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLtfrBWzNCw

That convertible sounds like it has a diesel engine.

[oxcamper]

Go to a large empty parking lot like a state park, mall, etc and practice, practice, practice. Go ahead, make plenty of mistakes, you'll soon get the hang of it and be a pro.
Practice makes perfect.

[Stormrider151]

We ditched the walkie talkies and just started using cell phones. We still have them in case there's no signal but that hasn't happened yet. Rule of thumb when backing. Small rig=small moves. Big rig =big moves. If you have a short wheel base TV (SUV or jeep) it doesn't take much steering to move the truck and camper. If you have a long wheel base TV (pickup truck) it takes a little more steering. Oddly enough, the bigger the rig the easier it is to back up. As others have said Practice.

[Big Bill]

in learning which way to turn the steering wheel,,, place your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel , move your hand in the direction you want the rear of the TT to go, I didn't watch the videos it may be in there, good luck and happy camping

[Terier]

Originally Posted by tenttotrailer

The pivot point of your TT is the back axle, that is why you need to be a bit past your site entrance. You say you bought a TT, so unlike a 5th wheel, you can turn so much and jack knife your rig and literally cause damage to the "A" frame. Practise practise.

Kevin

I jack knife my TT while backing up. Next door neighbor kept saying "keep going....you're ok" during a sharp turn. When I went to unhitch I noticed missing paint spot on the TT and then found scratches on my new truck.

Originally Posted by Big Bill

in learning which way to turn the steering wheel,,, place your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel , move your hand in the direction you want the rear of the TT to go, I didn't watch the videos it may be in there, good luck and happy camping

This can make a big difference for me along with small slow movements or adjustments. Not sure why but backing up and turning to the right tends to be easier for me than backing up and turning left. Someday I will try the scoop method.

[Big Bill]

another lession is don't trust any one you dont know ,granted there is a lot to watch even when guiding, I did and smashed my front air, a suggestion for not jackknifingis is cramp the TT then put a piece of tape on the TT for max turn or maybe something on the TT will line up with the side of the TT again happy camping

[KyDan]

I've suggested our method here from time to time but no one else has ever said "this
is how they do it too"..... But this works for us!! Once we arrive at the CG or other
parking spot I get the trailer started and then we swap places. My dear wife gives lousy directions-- things like "go that way" or "get over" do not help me as I think "which way???". So I walk and talk and she drives. She is the perfect voice activated remote control. I walk around and look at the angles and tell her exactly
what to do. (This may be the only time she ever does exactly what I tell her to do!!)
I say things like turn left or center your wheel or all the way right now back slow....
it works every time.

We have a shed at home where we typically park the trailer within 2 inches or less of
the wall on one side so we can get the door open on the other. It's very tight. We've never so much as scuffed a gutter.
This works in the dark when I'm using a flashlight and she is literally backing blind too!
Try this method especially if you've ever arrived at a destination and wound up stressed over a tight hard to get in spot. You don't want to be mad at each other just when you've arrived and it's time for lawn chairs and cold drinks!

[RSchleder]

A basic mistake I see all the time is the driver 'hugs" the wrong side of the street/road they are on when getting ready to back up. If your going to be turning the trailer to the left into the camp spot, hug the left side of the street/road your starting from. Stay to the right if your backing the trailer to the right into the spot. The reason the starting point ( left or right side of street) is important is because if you start on the incorrect side of the street, the nose of the tow vehicle will swing TOO FAR into or off the opposite side of the street your on. Typically, there will be other camper units or objects on the opposite side of the street that will be in your way.
This may sound like a minor point, however, you'll be amazed at how important it becomes on a narrow RV park street!

[Oaklevel]

All very good suggestions. I have five trailers they all are different & all back differently to a certain extent. Practice & don't worry too much about it. Take your time & do not feel bad that you do not get it right the first try.

[vinmaker]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

All very good suggestions. I have five trailers they all are different & all back differently to a certain extent. Practice & don't worry too much about it. Take your time & do not feel bad that you do not get it right the first try.

I agree. Who said you have to do it on the first shot? I say relax and adjust the RV in the spot as many times as you wish. It is your home spot while your there and you are the one who has to like it.

Vin.

[B and B]

Brought home my Fiver yesterday, mirrors were dirty from winter salt and this alone made for problems backing up into my driveway. I am looking for a way to mount a large 6 inch convex mirror on top of my stock ford towing mirrors for this very reason. Visibility.

[ferguson65]

I will offer this, since I really haven't seen it posted yet. The first place I position the truck and trailer is in the middle of the road. I then get out and survey the site for obstacles, hookups, and a general idea of where I want the trailer to be.

I always try to get the truck and trailer angled in the road if I can. I'm dealing with a CCLB truck and it takes some room to maneuver it. If I can't, then as stated before get close to the side of the road your trying to back to. Slow and steady, look twice and watch your spotter. My DW is a horrible spotter and usually tries to guide me from a blind spot, or directly behind the trailer.

All in all, practice makes perfect. I'm very good at backing up, but just sold my 24' gooseneck for a 10' dump trailer. It reacts fast and is much more challenging than a longer trailer. The 37' TH we pick up next weekend should feel much more "normal".

[jewhitehead]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

A basic mistake I see all the time is the driver 'hugs" the wrong side of the street/road they are on when getting ready to back up. If your going to be turning the trailer to the left into the camp spot, hug the left side of the street/road your starting from. Stay to the right if your backing the trailer to the right into the spot. The reason the starting point ( left or right side of street) is important is because if you start on the incorrect side of the street, the nose of the tow vehicle will swing TOO FAR into or off the opposite side of the street your on. Typically, there will be other camper units or objects on the opposite side of the street that will be in your way.
This may sound like a minor point, however, you'll be amazed at how important it becomes on a narrow RV park street!

Couldn't agree with this more. I pulled into CG in Las Vegas and it appeared as though I had plenty of room. Even though I pulled forward into an empty site, the CG was so tight that I still had to ask a guy to move his car so I didn't hit it. Thankfully, the guy next to me acted as my guide since my wife didn't understand why I couldn't see or hear her when she was on the opposite side of the trailer.