Newbie questions

Koder,

Find a large vacant parking lot, especially those with islands between the parking spaces. Practice making turns in both directions. Also, practice backing. If there are no islands in the parking lot, set out a few orange cones in a pattern(something like a traffic intersection). Take a family member, or friend with you to act as a spotter.

First, spent some time making left and right turns with the wheel cut as far as it will go to see if the trailer would jackknife going forward.

Next, try the same in reverse both to the left and right. Make sure your spotter is watching closely as to not run the trailer into the back window or cab of your truck.

Finally, after learning your limits of the combination, practice backing the trailer into a parking spot several times. This will help you while backing into a campsite.

Backup, manually apply the trailer brake, come to full stop, and with the trailer brake still fully and manually engaged pull forward slowly. If you have slop in your hitch, it will be apparent. The slop can be in the head to pin connection, slider mechanism (if applicable) or the mount through the bed to the frame.

bpadamson wrote:
1. You will not only be concerned about how far from the pump; but how much space in front. I can usually put the rig about as far away as possible (and still rich the nozzle) and be able to make the turn.
2. Depends on the turn. the 5th will cut the corner more than your rear end. I swing wide, as wide as possible and and make all the allowances I can. It is still something I find takes lots of paying attention.
3. Don't you hitch, I have a B&W slider and it makes some noise at start and stop simply from the nature of all the parts.
Do you hear it only at start and stop? Could be the hitch, or not. It is worth spending some time with the windows down and listening I would think.
4. That is not many hours if it is original with your Fuzion
5. I don't know how your mirrors are, mine are just shy of seeing down the side of the 5th. Our is 8.5 wide, I think an 8' I could see down the side. That being said, I don't have any problems as one is seldom perfectly straight all the time so you can get good views from one mirror or the other most of the time. I would not go the extra for the side mirrors. It depends on your comfort level or experience. I have driven so many wide trailers that I have learned to compensate and stay vigilant.
The newer rigs have them available for a price and if buying new I probably would not order them, just my opinion.
Ours is under the hay cover for the winter, looks like you may be able to use it this winter from your picture... have fun.
-brent

Thanks for the reply.
I will forego the side cameras for the time being.
I'm going to jump in the truck bed and have the wife do a couple of stops in a parking lot somewhere to see if I can determine where the clank is coming from.

joebedford wrote:
I think the advice "wait until the last axle clears" is pretty good rule of thumb. I'm very paranoid about the back end swing ever since I made a tight left turn and the back right of the rig smacked a parked car. I was pretty inexperienced then but it was an expensive lesson to learn. Now DW spots for me if I'm not sure or I may get out two or three times to check myself.

Thanks. I clipped one of those steel posts protecting the gas pumps with my motorcycle trailer recently so I'm back in paranoid mode, lol. Luckily I only destroyed a hubcap.
The rear end of the TH swings pretty wide. I'd hate to hit anything with that.

ScottG wrote:
My suggestion is that if you cannot see the back end of the trailer, have someone spot for you.
I always have my wife back there if there's any doubt.

Thanks for the reply.

I see you have the 2003 Cummins. How fast do you go before you take it out of the tow/haul mode when hauling on the interstate?

I think the advice "wait until the last axle clears" is pretty good rule of thumb. I'm very paranoid about the back end swing ever since I made a tight left turn and the back right of the rig smacked a parked car. I was pretty inexperienced then but it was an expensive lesson to learn. Now DW spots for me if I'm not sure or I may get out two or three times to check myself.

Number 2, Ever notice simi trucks with "Caution this vehicle makes wide right turns". You need to do the same. Stay over to the left as far as possible. There have been times I've put my left blinker on and moved partialy in the left hand lane to make a right hand turn on a tight corner.

1. You will not only be concerned about how far from the pump; but how much space in front. I can usually put the rig about as far away as possible (and still rich the nozzle) and be able to make the turn.
2. Depends on the turn. the 5th will cut the corner more than your rear end. I swing wide, as wide as possible and and make all the allowances I can. It is still something I find takes lots of paying attention.
3. Don't know your hitch, I have a B&W slider and it makes some noise at start and stop simply from the nature of all the parts.
Do you hear it only at start and stop? Could be the hitch, or not. It is worth spending some time with the windows down and listening I would think.
4. That is not many hours if it is original with your Fuzion
5. I don't know how your mirrors are, mine are just shy of seeing down the side of the 5th. Our is 8.5 wide, I think an 8' I could see down the side. That being said, I don't have any problems as one is seldom perfectly straight all the time so you can get good views from one mirror or the other most of the time. I would not go the extra for the side mirrors. It depends on your comfort level or experience. I have driven so many wide trailers that I have learned to compensate and stay vigilant.
The newer rigs have them available for a price and if buying new I probably would not order them, just my opinion.
Ours is under the hay cover for the winter, looks like you may be able to use it this winter from your picture... have fun.
-brent

My suggestion is that if you cannot see the back end of the trailer, have someone spot for you.
I always have my wife back there if there's any doubt.