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Old 04-30-2021, 02:12 PM   #21
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When backing towards an exact spot of where you want to stop, such as away from a tree, post, ect.or just the very spot you've decided you want the camper to be, ... first, the spotter and the driver must be in sight of each other with the mirrors, voice or hand signals are find as you approach that spot, such as waving "come on, come on, come on", but when the distance gets down to a couple of feet or so, spread your hands to show the remaining distance and bring them together as the camper closes in on that spot even down to the last few inches, ... doing that sure helps the driver know how much more is needed, instead of waving "come on, come on" when you're ten feet away and still waving "come on, come on", when you're only six inches away, ... the same practice helps when pulling onto leveling blocks, prevents over shooting them and actually driving off of the blocks and having to do a "do over", ... try it, I think you'll find this helps a lot, ...
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Old 04-30-2021, 02:16 PM   #22
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Go to a big empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice.
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Old 04-30-2021, 02:52 PM   #23
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I sometimes use a string of led awning lights laid parallel with the power post as a marker.
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Old 04-30-2021, 03:42 PM   #24
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Hand signals - I browsed the web and found a document that has a drawing of what are commonly used hand signals for construction workers - gave that to my DW and went over when and how each should be used.
I'm also in the camp of if you can't see my eyes in a mirror, I can't see you. When I loose sight, I just stop and wait until she gets to where I can see her.
Whenever possible, we both do a quick walk-around of the site to decide where the trailer needs to end up.
Finally, I use the hand on the bottom of the steering wheel method to turn. Move my hand in the direction I want the back of the trailer to go.
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Old 04-30-2021, 06:05 PM   #25
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I am often alone in backing into a site. I thought my Furrion backup camera might help but it seems I'm always turning in the wrong direction - even when I think I'm straight. Is there a trick to using the backup camera or should I ignore it when backing up?
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Old 04-30-2021, 06:39 PM   #26
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I will start with the fact that I am not good at backing in the trailer. I go slow and steady and still have troubles but with time I have gotten better and assume I will continue to improve. Our trailer is a Roo 233s. 25 feet including hitch and we pull with a Ford truck short bed.

My question: what advice do you have for how the observer should help. Where to position themselves. What method to give directions. What hand signals. Etc.

Break out the cell phones and communicate if you have service. Another suggested to tell the Mrs. that if she can not see you in the mirror you cannot see her.
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Old 04-30-2021, 06:55 PM   #27
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I think the best advice I can give to you is Don't and I mean Don't yell at you wife.....if you do, it will be the last time she is going to help you....and don't ask me why...I now use a orange cone and put it where I want the rear of trailer to be...
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Old 04-30-2021, 07:03 PM   #28
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go with the head sets it will be the best $400 bucks you ever spent
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Old 04-30-2021, 07:16 PM   #29
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I think the best advice I can give to you is Don't and I mean Don't yell at you wife.....if you do, it will be the last time she is going to help you....and don't ask me why...I now use a orange cone and put it where I want the rear of trailer to be...
Instead of cones I use the Mrs. Have her stand where I want the TT and put it right at her feet.
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Old 04-30-2021, 09:48 PM   #30
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Cell phone 2 second delay

While backing in with cell phone communication I hit a tree branch, my son said didn’t you here me I said stop, while he spoke there was a 2 second delay on my cell phone, ok not using cell phone again
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Old 04-30-2021, 10:15 PM   #31
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My wife and I have been together for 10 yrs now. she was very easy to train lets say.

look over the site and make a plan
first trip of the year make sure of the hand signals
clinched fist is stop
Don't yell
point which way you would like me to go
Do not wave
stay in sight
keep looking around

most of all kiss when your done!!

she is an awesome spotter.

we love to watch others and I ask her what are they doing wrong??

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Old 05-01-2021, 09:54 AM   #32
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A lot of good advice. Eye contact, take it easy, and being able to hear one another. Another thing I insist the DW to do is to look up for branches. A lot of times people forget this. Al
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Old 05-01-2021, 01:46 PM   #33
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You will get lots of help with this but I will offer one piece of advice! I often tell my wife............if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you! She uses hand signals to help me.
It’s been over 30 years and many different trailers; car, boat,travel. I still can’t convince her that I can’t see her when directly behind the trailer! 🤬🤬🥃🥃🥃

I wish you better luck 👍👍👍
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Old 05-01-2021, 02:16 PM   #34
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Reminds of a time many years ago, our friends were backing into the site next to us and his wife got out to guide him with her puppy in her arms. I hear a crash as he hit the post at the rear of the site and I looked over to see that his wife was gone. Turns out someone in the next site had asked about her puppy and she naturally went over to show them the pup.


No damage to the trailer, so after a few cocktails all was well and I had a story to tell.


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Old 05-01-2021, 11:21 PM   #35
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I can relate to the slight lag time with cell phones. Happened to us a lot.Click image for larger version

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Old 05-05-2021, 02:10 PM   #36
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My wonderful wife has this bad habit of saying left while she is signaling right and visa versa. So my solution was to have her say either passenger side or driver side. We got a lot better backing in.
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Old 05-05-2021, 03:51 PM   #37
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I have to brag on my wife. She not only drives the rig, but is the best backing guider I have ever seen.
She has trained many couples (especially the men) in how to back and give/follow signals. She regulary helps guide everyone in when we have our big group gatherings. Many folks wait until she is available to help them back in.
We had one fight when we first started RVing while backing into our property after a long day and after dark. We realized how goofy that was, had a laugh and vowed to never do that again.
After scoping out the spot, she will stand by the driver window and ensure they are lined up correctly and far enough out to start backing. Then she will tell them which way the back of the trailer needs to go. If they turn the wheel the wrong way, she corrects them. She tells them to go slow and make small steering wheel movements.
When getting close, she will tell them to stop and she will walk to the back of the RV and again signal via mirror which way the back needs to go and when to stop. So only a few signals, left, right, holds her arms out to show distance to stop, and stop. Easy. Very few pull up and try it again episodes when she is guiding.
But we are surprised at the number of couples we meet that will not help each other back.
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Old 05-05-2021, 04:40 PM   #38
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A lot of good advice. Eye contact, take it easy, and being able to hear one another. Another thing I insist the DW to do is to look up for branches. A lot of times people forget this. Al
My DW was a greater spotter for backing...except for this one thing. She would often forget to look UP! We had a Class A that was 13' tall, so we would often hit things (branches, wires, etc) that other RVs would not.

Like with anything...practice makes perfect - and of course, good communication. I've seen too many couples who are trying to "help" each other with this basic RVing responsibility, and they don't have their signals or the meanings of words on the same page. You would think left means left, and right means right...right? No. Do you mean the back of the RV goes left, or the steering wheel turns left? Those will do opposite things while backing a trailer.
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Old 05-05-2021, 06:02 PM   #39
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Our solution is that my wife stays in the passenger seat until I shut the engine off. No miscommunication, no arguments. My wife has no real idea how to back a trailer and no desire to try to figure it out. The few times I did have her try to guide me it looked like she was waving her hands in both directions at once so I just gave up and do it myself. I GOAL, then back it in. With the trailers we had in the past I may have GOAL’d 2 or 3 times. The Motor home with the rear camera makes it a lot easier to back it in right.
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Old 05-06-2021, 06:10 PM   #40
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I would suggest just doing it the easy way. Get an inexpensive wifi action camera from menards, use the included suction cup to put it on the back of your trailer. Watch the image on your smartphone or tablet while backing up. If it is confusing looking at it on the dash(movements will be backward), just hold it so you are looking at it towards your trailer.
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