fifth wheel backing trouble

I’ve been backing 5th wheels into that spot since 1997 and we are in and out four or five times every year, sometimes more so I’ve had a LOT of practice. After I took out a telephone pole is was easy with my first one, a 28’ HRC. The second one, a 31’ Alpenlite with a longer kingpin to axles length, was more of a challenge but I always got it in, it just sometimes took a lot of tries. Obviously I go very slow. The new rig is a 35’ Forest River and the kingpin to axles length is about a foot longer. Envision an upside down L. The driveway is the long leg. It’s 15’ wide and has a fence on the passenger side (when backing up) and a tree on the corner of the driver’s side. You are backing around the tree, to your left so the rig is visible to the driver which helps hugging the corner. You are backing into the short side of the L with the house behind you. The short leg is just wide enough to be able to open the slides with less than a foot clearance but it’s a little wider (~20’) where you first enter it. I have friends with trailers who have looked at our 31’ Alpenlite in its spot and they say, like Breaker did, “WOW!!!! I would never get that in there.”

Try looking at some backing videos on YouTube - maybe help, maybe not - but it's "free to you" !!

:W
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pcm1959 wrote:
From my own experience, the one most valuable thing I've learned when backing is go SLOW. Doing so allows more time to correct or make adjustments without having to pull forward again.
My RV driveway at home is on my blind side. Once the right side of the RV starts to turn-in, I stop and adjust the passenger side mirror all the way out and I'm able to see. I do have a back-up camera but I have never embraced it as I just don't find it clear enough and it not wide angle enough.
As others have said it just takes practice.

Often getting into a tight place I have found no shame in jackknifeing to angle past what need to be to go up a drive, then crank hard, pull forward, and cut again to get in front of trailer.

Solarman wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
My gate is narrow and the turn is tight. Dropping the 5er a couple times to reposition the truck works best for me to reduce stress of jack knifing or hitting the corner of the house.

Thanks, Super Dave. That did the trick. I might have been able to get it in with a bunch of tries but just dropping it once and repositioning the truck made it easy... well, not exactly easy but possible.

Never owned a 5th wheel RV, but have experience with a semi-trailer.
Never once have I seen a place that was to tight to work the tractor, but have room to hook/unhook.

From my own experience, the one most valuable thing I've learned when backing is go SLOW. Doing so allows more time to correct or make adjustments without having to pull forward again.
My RV driveway at home is on my blind side. Once the right side of the RV starts to turn-in, I stop and adjust the passenger side mirror all the way out and I'm able to see. I do have a back-up camera but I have never embraced it as I just don't find it clear enough and it not wide angle enough.
As others have said it just takes practice.

garyp4951 wrote:
5th wheel dolly

Those things are WAY too expensive (less expensive options available) and I wouldn't trust them on a big 5th wheel. That guy in the video sure doesn't need one to get that small 5th wheel into that spot. Easy with just the truck.

Super_Dave wrote:
My gate is narrow and the turn is tight. Dropping the 5er a couple times to reposition the truck works best for me to reduce stress of jack knifing or hitting the corner of the house.

Thanks, Super Dave. That did the trick. I might have been able to get it in with a bunch of tries but just dropping it once and repositioning the truck made it easy... well, not exactly easy but possible.

schlep1967 wrote:
If You can drive it out you already have a road map for putting it in. Next time you pull out have the wife follow along right at the inside rear wheel with a can of spray paint. When you come back you should be able to follow that line with the trailer wheels and put it back in.

5th wheels follow a slightly different path going forward than when backing. Backing they get pushed out and forward they get pulled into the corner. So mark the trailer wheel path and forget about the truck path. Chris

Yeah, I envy you guys those forklifts. All the RV dealers I've used have them.

Don't feel bad about your backing issues. I work for an RV company and we have shows every month where my job is to park all of the trailers with a forklift. With the forklift I can spin those 40 foot 5th wheels around on a dime and get them lined up with military precision. Sad part is when I go to maneuver my own 40 footer, with my truck, I suck.