Backing up a 5'ver.

Paul Clancy wrote:
Step 1 - Ignore the audience. Sad that some take pleasure in others frustration.

Ha ha... Come on, nothing is more entertaining than setting up a lawn chair and a six pack at the local boat launch on a busy weekend.

GoPackGo wrote:
What does this mean - "The 5er makes up for it in additional turning angle." ??

Thanks, Tim

A 5er with proper hitch can go to a 90* turning angle. Can't do that with a TT or bad things will happen.

John , I find the biggest problem when I first learned to back our fiver was that it takes a little longer for the fiver to react to the command of the TV , much longer BUT, BUT once the fiver gets moving in the right direction you want it to, it is almost to late and then your fiver overreacts to your TV command . I find that once I notice the fiver even hinting of going in the right direction I want it to I may do one of two things. 1) Try and get the TV to get the fiver back in line, which hardly ever works) 2) Once the fiver starts moving the way I want it to go , I stop ,pull ahead a bit and know now that I have got the fiver and the TV in the sweet spot where they are working together. Once you learn how to back the fiver , it totally screws up your ability to back a bumper hitch trailer . Well, not really, but the fiver becomes easier because of the slow reaction time and the bumper hitch trailer takes off on you right away. Just remember , if the fiver starts taking off to sharp in any direction ,you will want to , pull ahead a bit and then try again . It is almost impossible to correct the over reaction without first pulling ahead . Life is Good

I always pull 1.5 times forward than you think is needed. Remember for the five wheel to turn backing the rear axle of the truck has to move the opposite direction on the payment, which is unlike a bumper pull trailer.

Chris

in addition to all the great advice given already, this seems to help me the most.
Z-Method

Step 1 - Ignore the audience. Sad that some take pleasure in others frustration.
Step 2 - Good coms with spotter (frs radio is great) and tell them you will not proceed unless you either see them in mirror or hear them on radio. Also work out what is meant by left right etc. and let them know to get you turning before 1 foot to the end of the spot as the trailer reacts slowly. If you have a stranger approach and try to take over from spotter say "thanks but my wife (son etc)and I have a system and we'll get it figured out".
3. As said pull well forward of the sight to the side of the road the sight is on -as the truck will swing wide. Hand at bottom of wheel and turn the wheel in direction you want the trailer to turn as you back in.
4. FORGET the macho - in other words you don't get points or a better holiday for a one backin attempt. Pull forward to straighten all you need to. Perfectly fine and far easier than hooking up later for a do over. Many of us do this seasonally or rarely and don't drive truck for a living. Lets see the truckers or full timers do what you do for a living.

It does get easier.

John&Joey wrote:
OP here again,

Let me ask you guys another question. With my Class A I could back it up into a spot on the first attempt. With a trailer I can back it into just about anyplace without making a show of it.

Now with this new to me 5'ver it seems like I make a half dozen (or more) attempts at getting into a spot. Plus this is not a tight spot either that I'm backing into. If I had my A I could whip it in there, drop the levelers, hook up, and be having a cocktail in under 5 minutes.

So the follow-up question I have is how many attempts (normally) do you have to do backing these 5'vers into a spot. Should I just assume it's going to take longer?

Practice makes perfect. You can get to the point that you typically back your fifth wheel into a camping spot on the first attempt.

Once your comfortable not very long. Have avoid spotter, my 14 year old son is mine, and it is so much easier. He has backed me I to sights that I thought we could not get into to on the first try. Use a radio between the two or cellphone. Practice, practice, practice it will become second nature.

GoPackGo wrote:
What does this mean - "The 5er makes up for it in additional turning angle." ??

Thanks, Tim

When comparing a 5ver to a tt, he is just stating that although a fiver has the disadvantage of being less responsive to the tow vehicle it has the advantage of greater clearance so being able to pivot on the hitch to a greater angle. With a long box truck and fifth wheel there is adequate clearance to "jack knife" the truck and trailer to over 90 degrees.

OP here again,

Let me ask you guys another question. With my Class A I could back it up into a spot on the first attempt. With a trailer I can back it into just about anyplace without making a show of it.

Now with this new to me 5'ver it seems like I make a half dozen (or more) attempts at getting into a spot. Plus this is not a tight spot either that I'm backing into. If I had my A I could whip it in there, drop the levelers, hook up, and be having a cocktail in under 5 minutes.

So the follow-up question I have is how many attempts (normally) do you have to do backing these 5'vers into a spot. Should I just assume it's going to take longer?