Help with Backing Up

[seagrace]

Sorry, apparently I'm not allowed to post relevant content.

[Rice]

toedtoes wrote:
I agree. Not just women though - I've known men who haven't a clue about towing/backing a trailer and have no desire to learn.

That's who would be perfect for sitting in the driver's seat and doing nothing more than following instructions. They can be of huge assistance without having to learn anything.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Rice wrote:
The only flaw in your execution that I see is that by staying in front of the truck, you weren't able to see what was going on in back.

I should have mentioned this was a very open site with only one obstruction. The pedestal and I had it in view the entire time. No trees, no picnic table cover, no drop off or embankment. If she went off the pad, she had at least a hundred feet to get stopped.

Not a site I would have chosen for a multi-day stop. We were not even unhooking that night before moving to the Texas State Good Sam Rally early the next morning.

One of the lessons we wanted to work on was which way the truck steering had to turn to make the back of the trailer turn or straighten out.

[toedtoes]

Rice wrote:

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
Yesterday at a COE Park we tried some of the suggestions on this thread.

I had the wife park the rig. I stayed near the front of the truck so we didn’t have to yell to understand each other. We walked the site and the approach before we started backing in.

Went very well. We both learned some things. Going to do more of that in the future.

Personally I think if she does enough parking, she will be a better spotter. I was surprised by how much different it is spotting than driving the truck.

Thank you for posting this. I wish people would at least try switching places before pooh-poohing the whole idea. They might be like you and learn something, although admittedly, that's pretty hard when you already know everything.

The only flaw in your execution that I see is that by staying in front of the truck, you weren't able to see what was going on in back. Using walkie-talkies would allow you to communicate easily while also having a spotter able to look at everything.

No one has pooh-poohed the suggestion to switch places and have the spotter doing the backing. Everyone has agreed that's a good idea. It's the suggestion that the backer should behave as a trained monkey that is questionable.

[toedtoes]

I agree. Not just women though - I've known men who haven't a clue about towing/backing a trailer and have no desire to learn.

You have to do what's right for your circumstances.

[mat60]

Great ideas but not all women want anything to do with this to start with and we have 30 years together so I guess I don't understand why with a back up camera and me getting in and out if I need to that I cant do it alone. I think after a while she will offer to spot for me but I'm not going to tell her what she should do until she is ready. What works for some may not work for others.

[Rice]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
Yesterday at a COE Park we tried some of the suggestions on this thread.

I had the wife park the rig. I stayed near the front of the truck so we didn’t have to yell to understand each other. We walked the site and the approach before we started backing in.

Went very well. We both learned some things. Going to do more of that in the future.

Personally I think if she does enough parking, she will be a better spotter. I was surprised by how much different it is spotting than driving the truck.

Thank you for posting this. I wish people would at least try switching places before pooh-poohing the whole idea. They might be like you and learn something, although admittedly, that's pretty hard when you already know everything.

The only flaw in your execution that I see is that by staying in front of the truck, you weren't able to see what was going on in back. Using walkie-talkies would allow you to communicate easily while also having a spotter able to look at everything.

[mat60]

Great point. Slow and taking the time would be quicker than pulling ahead 3 times to get it right.

[pasusan]

^^ Exactly!

In this case I am the spotter and all I can ever hope for is go-it-slow and turn the wheel slow-er.

[tomman58]

One important thing that is overlooked.... you hardly need the gas pedal. I mean there is no advantage to hurry up backing in. Take it slow and the adjustments needed can be implemented easily.

[DownTheAvenue]

There are two things married couples should not do together.... first, hang wallpaper (thankfully, wallpaper is not as fashionable now), and back a trailer.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

They say a yacht is a hole in the water the owner tries to fill with money.

There is a reason RVs are called land yachts.

——————

Yesterday at a COE Park we tried some of the suggestions on this thread.

I had the wife park the rig. I stayed near the front of the truck so we didn’t have to yell to understand each other. We walked the site and the approach before we started backing in.

Went very well. We both learned some things. Going to do more of that in the future.

Personally I think if she does enough parking, she will be a better spotter. I was surprised by how much different it is spotting than driving the truck.

[mat60]

I thought I was pretty good at backing a trailer because I pulled many different types for many years but the longest enclosed trailer I have is 21FT and my new TT is 27FT with tung. Its 28 with spare tire. What I'm getting at is it a big difference from what I'm use to. I see you need to start getting the trailer turning allot sooner than I'm use to when backing. At first I was thinking a back up camera is something I don't need but I now see its one more thing to spend some money on. I must say I have had a great time doing it but everything adds up. I'm wondering ,,does it ever end or is it like any other hobby.

[john_bet]

I have the same problem backing up a school bus,especially in the dark. I just look before I back and trust my skills. Not dented one yet.

[wa8yxm]

I have backed both trailers and a class A into campsites.. WITHOUT A SPOTTER.

NOW.. I do not like doing it that way Way easier with a TRAINED spotter but even when I had a spotter training was beyond my or her ability. So I wound up using another method. (I had her stand where I did not want to go)

Worked well.. Now I choose site carefully.

There are many "Tricks" for backing a trailer.. Alas, i don't use 'em, I put brain in reverse as it were. but that's because I've been backing trailers for ..... over 50 years. Starting on a farm with farm trailers. Some of which I had to back around an "S" curve between two buildings with less than 4 Feet clearance total (both sides combined)... Several times a day.

Now that's how you learn to reverse.