Pulling into your site

[h20ski]

We have a pair of walkie talkies in the truck. My DW has nooooo problem talking. So when we get to a camp site I turn them on (make sure you turn them ON. You can guess why.) and send her off. This way I don't have to see her when backing up, because believe me I will hear her and she will tell me exactly where "she" wants the camper. LOL

[ittle dew]

We just got our first camper this year and by the third time out my wife was a pro at backing me in to hook up. I think she has only missed by about half an inch, once, since then.

Backing into the sight is a different story. She forgets that yelling "right" to me means move the trailer to the right, not the truck. Sometimes she yells right just to verify I am moving correctly regardless of apparent direction. All while hiding in my blind spot and using hand signals for the squirrels. 

[Pkdennis0504]

We do the same thing with walkie-talkies, but we use "driver" & "passenger" instead of left and right.

[fivecodys]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I pre-cut a dowel (actually an old broom handle) for exactly the distance my slide takes. I keep it in an outside compartment. It is easy to run the dowel along the side to see if it hits anything.

Even DW can do it quickly and let me know if I need to shift left or right without getting out of the cab.

I do the same thing Lou except mine is a piece of grey PVC.
I painted the ends red.
I place one end of the pvc pipe against whatever sticks out the furthest and then I place my tires about an inch away from the other end.

I went one step further and marked same pipe with the height of the bottom of my slide.
I use this as a gauge to make sure the slide will clear any obstacles that may stick up from the ground like a water hook-up or a rock.

Bill

[trudinator]

Originally Posted by DF5.4

The one thing I have to keep reminding my DW is that if she can not see my mirrors, I can not see her. She get a little upset with me because I will stop moving until I can see her when backing into a site.

Now, where have I heard THAT before? LOL. And I keep telling my DH that I won't let him hit me or anything else, so as long as he keeps going straight back, he's okay. Sometimes you just have to move to look at the other side, etc. But I get the "argument."

[tkephart1]

We solved this problem the DW backs in trailer and the DH gives the directions, and DW looks through the mirrors to make sure DH is right on with the directions! This works so much better! So far this year only had one crazy campground with a road so tight and a fence next to the road, and had to back in at a somewhat stupid angle. The sourpuss campground guy insisted on directing, and I insisted on us not ever getting that site again!

[follow-the-road]

Hey, hadn't thought about using doweling or string. Surveyor tape would work too. Great ideas!! Walkie talkies are saving our marriage. I just tell my DH which way the backend has to go and how far. So far no fist fights. Trouble is, I was so used to yelling the directions that I still yell into the radio.

[rracer5]

To everybody in the TV backing up the TT. PLEASE DO NOT MOVE UNLESS YOU CAN SEE YOUR HELPER !!!
Case in point, my father-in law was in the car one day waiting for my mother-in law to come out of the house. He was thinking of moving the car closer to the sidewalk for her to get in (they lived in an apartment complex). Something told him to get out of the car to see where she was and to his surprise, there she was laying on the ground BEHIND THE CAR!! She had slipped on a patch of ice and struck her head and was laying there dazed. She was OK but it scared the bejesus out of him that he could have backed over her.
So, don't move unless you see your helper. They could have tripped walking backwards directing you in or while running from one side to the other checking for clearance.

Just my word of caution.

[fonzie]

For hooking up trailer I use wireless camera. For backing into campsite, I use 5 soccer orange cones that I put where I want my trailer tires to follow as I can see them in the outside mirrors. Also use one cone where I want the back of the trailer to be when I need to stop. DW will let me know when to stop. Easy and no issues.

[rbarrieau]

Pulled up to my site this SAT. and and a guy comes running to help.
Tells me to pull a U turn and attack the site from a different angle .
Worked out real well ,was jacking in less than 10 minutes..
Turns out as He was backing into his spot the day before he damaged his front bumper on his newer truck when the bottom of it dragged on a rock in a hill directly in front of his site---while some other camper was watching him (clown). The guy actually said ( "cut it a little short HUH.")
Some people are do- gooders and actually DO GOOD>
And some people are useless- Just got to identify them sooner.

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by fonzie

For hooking up trailer I use wireless camera. For backing into campsite, I use 5 soccer orange cones that I put where I want my trailer tires to follow as I can see them in the outside mirrors. Also use one cone where I want the back of the trailer to be when I need to stop. DW will let me know when to stop. Easy and no issues.

Great idea!

I"m getting better - backed into a site in ohio friday night and typical of the ohio i remember as a kid a ditch ran along the road with a 10' or so area where you had to fit everything - or end up in the ditch. I got it in with no help whatsoever and kept everything (including the TV) out of the ditch.

When I got home to place it in my yard I put it back in the same place - OK, 6 inches to the right (on boards for the winter instead of in the 'tire ruts) and fore/aft I ended up 2" farther fore than when I left. Putting it on the boards was a lone-affair - everyone else had run off to a baseball game. I did the cone thing (see, this post is relavent! ) and I have my mirrors set to see (if I lean a bit) the tires on the trailer to watch for 'ditches', curbs and the like.

[flyrotor]

And to think this thread didn't make it to the jokes and humor section! It's quite comical reading all the posts and knowing that we all have those moments.

[KPAWK]

Wow there is some funny stuff here! I think the worst is at night after work and driving for a few hours when all tempers are at their ends; it seems most everyone is already parked and enjoying their site except for us... Since I`m usually working DW normally pulls our TT to the site and sets up the way she wants it. I join after (luckily she pulls and parks better than most). When applicable I offer to help, it seems to be about 50/50 with yes or no. Ive met a lot of really great people this way.

[Lifetimer]

Since I camp with just my DD. I always ask at check in for help in backing in. Never had a problem, they are so used to helping people that I usually get it on the first try.

[great white]

Only time I've had another camper come over is after parking to ask "how did you do that in one try?"

I tow airplanes as part of my job.

After you're towed a couple C-17's, Airbus 320's, C-5 galaxies or starlifters, a 35 foot bumper tow is small potatoes.

The wife?

I learned a while ago to let her jump around and do what she thinks helps. She genuinely wants to do a good job. So I let her do what she thinks and thank her for her help after every tow, whether it helped or not.

As long as I can see her in the mirrors (ie: not run her over) it's all good........

[Namchief]

Originally Posted by essness

When my wife and I travel by plane it's almost always to a place on water. We like to pack a cooler and go sit by a boat launch. Never fails to entertain us for a while................

Had a guy 25 years ago I guess back up his boat and trailer on the ramp get out of his car and then watched as the vehicle either came out of park or the brakes let loose. Tow truck came and got everything out.... Year later he does the exact same thing but this time after the car and boat were both in the water the cabin next to our landing came out and told him it was not that bad matter of fact someone last year had done the same exact thing!!!!!

[kandl]

Originally Posted by great white

After you're towed a couple C-17's, Airbus 320's, C-5 galaxies or starlifters, a 35 foot bumper tow is small potatoes.

Concur - pulling/pushing aircraft around goes a long way in complimenting the dexterity required to maneuver a TT into that "no way it's gonna fit" location - especially for those of us that in the old days were versed in the ability to back a 60 ft fighter into an alert hangar. Two pivot points between the mule/tug and the aircraft is rather challenging. The significant difference though is that when moving an aircraft one rarely relies on mirrors - that's what the tow crew is for. My DW has never been on any aircraft tow crew that I've been party to but she certainly has the credentials because she can holler "STOP" with the best of em!

[kbrown1075]

Originally Posted by essness

When my wife and I travel by plane it's almost always to a place on water. We like to pack a cooler and go sit by a boat launch. Never fails to entertain us for a while................

When the DW and I lived in FT Lauderdale, we had a trailer boat for many years. I was brought up on the water in CT, and had always had a job related to boating and can put any size boat anywhere it can fit. When the DW would hop out of the TV at the ramp, there was always a "good samaritan" there to help the "clueless" young lady. Well, as soon as the door of the TV would shut, I would quickly pull up to line up the ramp, into reverse, and start down the ramp. The DW would reach up for the dock lines draped on the deck, and as soon as the fenders on the trailer would touch the water, applied the brakes, the boat would slide off. The boat would have enough momentum for the DW to tie her off out of the way of others using the ramp. I would start pulling up the ramp as soon as the boat started sliding off. Average ramp time was less than 30 seconds (we preped in the parking lot). We would set up the bimini top, start the engine, and be sitting there enjoying a beer while the "good samaritan" would attempt to launch their boat (usually had time to have a couple beers).

I feel that if someone LOOKS like they are having trouble, offer assistance, just don't go providing it. Caos may be part of the plan!

[SaskCampers]

Originally Posted by kandl

Concur - pulling/pushing aircraft around goes a long way in complimenting the dexterity required to maneuver a TT into that "no way it's gonna fit" location - especially for those of us that in the old days were versed in the ability to back a 60 ft fighter into an alert hangar. Two pivot points between the mule/tug and the aircraft is rather challenging. The significant difference though is that when moving an aircraft one rarely relies on mirrors - that's what the tow crew is for. My DW has never been on any aircraft tow crew that I've been party to but she certainly has the credentials because she can holler "STOP" with the best of em!

And you are pushing vs backing it up. Loved playing the put 2 104's in one shelter in Germany in the middle of the night after a 3 day alert with a 3 person tow crew. Lucky more tails never got bent. But doing a/c towing sure does help with the figuring out angles etc. DW keeps an eye on things to make sure we have clearance but I can usually put the trailer where I want it on the 1st try (I do say usually) unless there are some crazy objects in the way. We usually try to get pull throughs when we can though if we are only staying for the night.

[essness]

Originally Posted by kbrown1075

When the DW and I lived in FT Lauderdale, we had a trailer boat for many years. I was brought up on the water in CT, and had always had a job related to boating and can put any size boat anywhere it can fit. When the DW would hop out of the TV at the ramp, there was always a "good samaritan" there to help the "clueless" young lady. Well, as soon as the door of the TV would shut, I would quickly pull up to line up the ramp, into reverse, and start down the ramp. The DW would reach up for the dock lines draped on the deck, and as soon as the fenders on the trailer would touch the water, applied the brakes, the boat would slide off. The boat would have enough momentum for the DW to tie her off out of the way of others using the ramp. I would start pulling up the ramp as soon as the boat started sliding off. Average ramp time was less than 30 seconds (we preped in the parking lot). We would set up the bimini top, start the engine, and be sitting there enjoying a beer while the "good samaritan" would attempt to launch their boat (usually had time to have a couple beers).

I feel that if someone LOOKS like they are having trouble, offer assistance, just don't go providing it. Caos may be part of the plan!

The key it seems is prepping the boat WHILE you wait your turn, not once it's your turn! We live a block from the lake and I choose to keep the boat in the garage rather than in the water. We prep the boat in the drive and then head to the launch. I cant tell you how many times we sit and wait for the person in front of us to get their turn, they back the boat down, struggle with getting it off and tied to the single deep pier, then they start unloading the coolers, dog, kids, and gear into the boat
Which of course turns me into "that guy" that needs to ask them why they didnt load up the boat while they waited for the previous 2 boats to launch.
We, like yourself, take about 30 seconds to launch and maybe 3 mins to pull out. We do it often, and we think it through. It's a single launch with only a single depth pier. So, you have to wait for the one in front of you to completely clear before you can launch.
My wife weighs in at about 120-125lbs and there is always someone there that wants to help her tend the lines especially when I "pop" the brake to get the boat off the trailer.
None the less, it's always entertaining to sit at any launch, anywhere in the world anjust watch the interaction between the people