Backing a new TT

[paverdave]

And always remember that if your wife is the spotter, never and I mean never yell at her...she will never spot for you again and the camping trip is over..I learned a long time ago to keep my mouth shut.....

[tomkatb]

Ditto Dave. Speak softly to the spotter.

With our fiver I have learned to get the trailer about 3’-5’ past the opening. 3’ from the left edge of the road to back to the left.

Go slow.

[Jim in Halifax]

Put your hand on bottom of wheel and move your hand in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cavie]

If possible always back to the left (Drivers side ) and you will never need a spotter.

[madatme]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

Ditto Dave. Speak softly to the spotter.

With our fiver I have learned to get the trailer about 3’-5’ past the opening. 3’ from the left edge of the road to back to the left.

Go slow.

i agree with tomcatb, it works everytime for me also, check the surrounding first then pull up just past the pad, put it in reverse and go for it, oh ya if its a tight squeeze i butter the sides real good and slide it in

[Villagerjjm]

I back up my 30 foot Rockwood Ultra Lite 2604WS without any help. I do it solo. I will plant a brightly colored reflective pole at the spot I want the visible side of the trailer bumper to be. I then proceed slowly until my goal is achieved. Using the pole is quite effective as compared to guessing at positions.... as the dents in my aluminum gutter show as testament. 😳😄

[FORKLIFMAN]

Dave hit the the nail on the head! Wife is correct even when she is not!............. The word is Practice practice practice! if you can get cones and set your self up , boundaries, to give you a situation more like what you will get into? In a big open parking lot or what ever clear area!


Cheers David

[myxkp]

Lots of good advice so far Ben.
I'll just add what helped me the most.
1. Back a little till it seems to drift too much and pull forward till you can see the target again. Repeat until completed.
2. Place those bright orange leveling blocks along the side you'll be watching (preferably the left).
If you follow them in, maintaining a uniform distance, the other side will be fine. (Assuming you looked at the target site left and right sides and overhead)
Every one has something that works for them and you'll find what works for you. I started, with permission, in an empty loading dock area behind the local target store.

[Martsing]

I very rarely use a spotter. One trick I learned is to swing the TV in towards the target area then pull away so that the rear of the camper is already angled a few feet in the direction of the target. Of course that is predicated on having enough room to make that little modified swing. I also pull PAST the target by several feet and begin to swing the stern in early.

Occasionally, we arrive after dark. I will lay a flash light on the ground where I want the tires to go (don't run it over!!).

It's not perfect. Sometimes it takes me much longer than other times.

Every camping location is different.

Marty

[spicercars]

Originally Posted by AtexInTx

I got a 19 ft and was really concerned about backing it up. I was ready to commit to the possibility of committing suicide at some point if need be. I got into one jam and eventually got it parked AFTER I told myself that I would never be able to do it.


Here's the key. Do NOT freak out. Do NOT get in a rush. Take it one baby step at a time. Do NOT be quick to call for help or even run off and commit suicide. Like they say here, practice, practice, practice and don't rush things.



Tell yourself that if it takes two hrs when it should only take 2 mins, commit to two hrs.

Not cool! I lost two very good friends to suicide and its no laughing matter.

[overeasy]

Heck get out and walk the tire track to see if you can always see the drivers window and mirror of the tow vehicle. I drove tractor trailers for over 30 years and if I wasn’t sure I did and it sort of showed me where The tow vehicle might have to go so I could keep the tt in sight, or at least my for first readjustment without pulling all the way out giving up half my work. Someone mentioned the axle location at a different place and you will learn that. One of my first thoughts on your size being 10 ft longer is the swing will be larger so go back to the empty lot with cones or bags of flour and Mark were the swing is this way than that way and the other way by getting out and look. The next part of advice is important. The time it takes to get out and look even twice is less time that the guy waiting for you to back in is small compared to the time it takes to get out and look at what you did not see combined with the time it takes to back in again after you figure out how to not do any more damage. I learned a lot of this the hard way and some with accepted advice. But you will figure the best way for YOU to do it and then do it that way and that way every time. It really is fun.

[MainelyUS]

Originally Posted by Jim in Halifax

Put your hand on bottom of wheel and move your hand in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bingo... you got it...takes the confusion out of witch way to turn the wheel[emoji106]

[MainelyUS]

Originally Posted by paverdave

And always remember that if your wife is the spotter, never and I mean never yell at her...she will never spot for you again and the camping trip is over..I learned a long time ago to keep my mouth shut.....

I agree with you, here is our solution: DW is my spotter and what really helps us is her iPhone is Bluetooth to the TV. We both can talk while concentrating on the task at hand. She is always in my mirror or in front of me. Plus we walk the site before backing in.

[dacheedah]

spotters are good and I like a visual reference like a couple small weighted traffic cones on either side. You can get these in most home centers and they are very useful. Once you get used to them you can put your bumper right on the corner of it. Just remember that less steering inputs, roll your shoulders back ro relax and there is no rush.

Find an empty parking lot with no poles or ballards and it's a great place to practice and all the drivers should practice. As a former emergency vehicle operator instructor I will remind that the approach and techniques can vary and the common goal is to put the trailer in the same space. I always want my wife to be comfortable backing her way and I will be my way. No raising your voice and when someone does a job well simply compliment them!

[Villagerjjm]

The feeder (tractor trailer) drivers at UPS have to be able to squeeze into spaces with 3 inch clearance on both sides between trailers. Trailer length does not matter. It is 2 inches with the package cars. If you touch you get charged with an accident.

[kromaine]

Wife & I just use our cellphone [s] talk when backing up. The driver & spotter are on the speaker hands free.

[sunnyinfla]

Practice in a empty parking lot on sundays...

[wabakami]

Three important items:
Learn to use your mirrors; I've seen too many people sticking their heads out the windows or craning to look through the back window.

Watch where the back of the trailer is tracking; watching where your TT wheels are going is all fine and dandy until you punch a tree limb through the rear side or back-end of the TT, use both but watch where the back-end is going too.

And most important - GOAL, Get Out And Look; amazing how many drivers don't get off their fat arse and walk the campsite first.
Pull-up, walk around the site, plan your approach, look for large rocks or short posts you could sideswipe (especially the right side, they may be below your site-line), look up for tree limbs, etc, then get in your vehicle and spot your RV (this is a good time to check where the hook-ups are). GOAL as many times as needed until you're spotted where you want to be.


A couple of other pointers; if you need to move another few feet ahead or backwards just open your door and look down before moving, pick a rock or mark on the ground and move whichever way you need to that many feet, much more accurate then looking out your window.

Use your power mirrors, especially your right side one, scan sideways to see where the rear-end is tracking, keep adjusting as you need to see what's going on.

And don't let the impatient drivers rattle your nerves because you're blocking the road. If you panic and move too fast and hit something, well, you'll be the joke around the campfire tonight.

Geoff
.

[05Pappy]

Also, installing a back up camera might help you.
I've found that the longer the trailer is, the easier it is to back up... Graduated up sizes 5 times myself.

[mmmartin33]

Agreed. Thank you for saying this.