In a campground with a sharp turn around at end of loop. Talking to neighbor and noticed everyone goes in on right side of turn around and comes out on left which has a tree on inside, some backing up to move trailer angle to make it. I asked why people don't go in on left and come out on right which looks to have more room. Neighbor said it takes more distance for fiver to turn going in a right hand turn verses a left hand. Huh? I say if all things same in a turn, truck wheels turned same angle, a fiver will track the same whether left or right hand turn. His answer was why then do trucks say watch for wide right turns? I tried to explain right hand turns on a road verses in the open with a trailer tracking the same to no avail. So my question, am I missing something for a fiver not to track same in a right or left hand turn?

Truck on road turning right has to swing wider to keep wheels off of the curb. No so with a left hand turn. Thus the sign on the truck. In an open space, it is not a concern...left or right is the same. Not knowing the exact placement of the "trees" in your situation, it would had to venture a guess.

They will turn the same angle right or left. Right turns often have a curb or power pole to avoid. In a left turn they may be farther away.

Pivot point is the same and the turn is the same. Funny how people can interpret a simple statement in different ways.I always make my turns to the outside edge all the way thru the turn knowing the trailer is always going to be inside the truck on the turn. Unless, of course, there are trees along the outside edge also. Then it is a decision whether to go there at all.

robsouth wrote:Truck on road turning right has to swing wider to keep wheels off of the curb. No so with a left hand turn. Thus the sign on the truck. In an open space, it is not a concern...left or right is the same. Not knowing the exact placement of the "trees" in your situation, it would had to venture a guess.You might know the turn since it is right above you in Old Federal COE on Lake Lanier at end of loop with site numbers in the 60's.

MY guess...the same as most in a store when pushing a shopping cart stay to the right when you pass???? Always exceptions though. IMO

Fiver following truck | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Jun 10, 2014
not Bpologna, El Toro Poo Poo :W
avvidclif1
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
Bumper pulls do not follow the TV, they track inside also. Just not as much. Try it sometime.
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
M GO BLUE wrote:
The fiver tracks the same as the truck whether a left or right turn...

Almost the correct answer..;)

Fifth-wheels "cheat" on turns - same amount RIGHT OR LEFT - whether it's a 40' commercial trailer behind a tractor - or a 40' RV 5th wheel behind a dually pickup..:S

"Bumper pull" trailers (TTs) track (follow) the same as the truck (tow vehicle).
Fifth wheel trailers do *NOT* "track the same as the truck".

The reason tractor-trailers have the *SIGN* on the back of the trailer is (as others noted) because stupid drivers behind the trailer will try to cut inside (pass on the right) of the trailer on a *RIGHT* turn ....as it looks like the tractor-trailer may be continuing straight.
Can you say....."CRUNCH"?

The extra space is required or the trailer wheels will go over the curb - taking out anything that happens to be there.....fire hydrant, signal pole, etc.

For a LEFT turn, the tractor-trailer has the traffic behind him cut-off.
He will still use up additional space (go wide) to complete the turn - but the drivers behind can't cut inside his turn..:W

OP: The guy at the campground is full of baloney (balogna)!!..:B

~
Travlingman
Explorer II
Jun 10, 2014
ChooChooMan74 wrote:
My theory why people would do this is, I personally think itbis easier to see how my trailer is tracking on the left side than the right side. And you mention that tree. Wouldnt that tree possibly be in the blind backswing area of the trailer?

The tree is on the inside of the radius of the turn. If you enter from the right, it would be on the inside on your left as you exit. There are trees on the outside of the radius as you enter and exit with the center of the turn having a slight drop off. Since this is an older campground it wasn't designed with big rigs in mind. The thing that doesn't make sense is why the tree, an old pine tree, hasn't been removed. Watched 2 class A's today, roughly 35 to 38 feet do turn, and both had to back up and realign to make it.

But back to original question, I couldn't figure out how someone thought a fiver would track different depending on if it was a left or right turn.
TXiceman
Explorer II
Jun 10, 2014
A 5th wheel trailer will ALWAYS cut well inside the tracks of the truck. The longer the trailer, the more it will track inside. So you have to swing wide on the truck to keep it from cutting corners right or left turns.

ken
Yosemitebobr
Explorer
Jun 10, 2014
To the left, you see better, to the right, you see a bit less. Same radius.
M_GO_BLUE1
Explorer
Jun 09, 2014
The fiver tracks the same as the truck whether a left or right turn...
ChooChooMan74
Explorer
Jun 09, 2014
My theory why people would do this is, I personally think itbis easier to see how my trailer is tracking on the left side than the right side. And you mention that tree. Wouldnt that tree possibly be in the blind backswing area of the trailer?
Coach-man
Explorer
Jun 09, 2014
I always thought you start backing on the side closest to your destination, i.e. When backing into a spot on your left, start as close to the left side as possible to leave room on the right to maneuver. From the post I am not sure where they are trying to back into.
0rion
Explorer
Jun 09, 2014
DennisG9 wrote:
path1 wrote:
MY guess...the same as most in a store when pushing a shopping cart stay to the right when you pass???? Always exceptions though. IMO

I always run into the ones walking beside thier cart and kids on the other side oblivious to any one else in the store.

As to th OP, maybe the come out on the left so the can see that side of the trailer next to the tree. ?????

you must shop at the same places we do. :D

how did you not laugh at him over the sign statement? No way I could've resisted that one. As far as the turn I think there's 2 reasons. One is that we drive on the right hand side of the road so in that situation it just feels more natural to go to the right. The other is when towing, at least for me, I like keeping obstacles on my side of the truck so I can have the window down and physically look at them. Just feels more accurate than looking in a mirror on the other side. I just have a much better field of view. Same with backing in. If I'm given the choice I'd much rather back to the drivers side versus the passenger side.