Relevant to the recent (closed) post on backing up with a toad attached:clickyWe observed someone doing just that today, and it was rather horrifying! The fellow was leaving the campground and stopped on his way out to dump off his trash. Unfortunately, he pulled into the 'In' lane, rather than the 'Out', and after realizing that and stopping, he just parked and completed his mission. Then, we watched to see how he'd get out of the predicament, one where he had a too sharp right-hand turn to get properly oriented to leave. What he did caught us by surprise:He backed up, with no one in his toad. For about half the distance he had to back up, everything was OK, but then the front wheels of the toad began to pivot. Very quickly, they pivoted to the max, began to skid, then the whole toad was skidding, 4 wheels down! He finished backing up, made his turn and left -- the whole thing happened too quickly to run out to alert him as to what was happening.Hopefully, he made it to his destination safely ... It's hard to imagine the stresses on his tow apparatus and the chassis of his toad when the whole vehicle was skidding across the pavement!

I have backed up my 38ft fiver with my Jeep behind it on a couple of occasions. Just have my wife get in Jeep and start engine and hold steering wheel so the front end won't pivot. Don't try it without power steering on.

Dachristianman wrote:See, it can be done. :-/TomYeah, the guy just went twice as far as he should have.Had he stopped, straightened out, and resumed, it may have worked the entire way...

DH has backed our jeep from 3 to 5 feet on two or three occasions...verrrrry slowly and watching the wheels of the jeep all the time. But only when the wheels were pointing straight ahead already and we just backed straight up.

Surely he was informed prior to that not to reverse. Chose to anyway.People of that sort don't respond well to information so I would probably not intervene.And maybe he read on the internet it's OK to do that.

Watching someone backup with a toad attached | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

Daveinet
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
There is a simple solution. IF you are backing straight up, lock the steering wheel. That will keep the wheel straight and prevent it from slamming one way or the other. The other solution is to put the motorhome in neutral, start the car and pull the motorhome back with the car. Second method is only advised if you are on flat hard ground. Don't try to pull the motorhome on soft dirt or up a hill. You should be able to roll the motorhome without stepping on the gas, but just idling backwards.
slickest1
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Some people have enough trouble going ahead yet alone backing up.
SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
viajante wrote:
Won't backing with the tow attached damage the tow bar ? When my tow bar was first installed, I was told that backing would damage the tow bar.

No, tow bars are a triangular rigid connection between the MH and the towed.
When towing, the MH exerts primarily pull on the towed, guiding it. When braking, or on downhill grades the towed exerts push on the coach, when the towed's brakes are not engaged or equal to the braking power of the coach.
How is the little pressure of backing slowly, for short distances, going to exceed even the smallest % of the forces that tow bar absorbs and transfers at highway speeds to both units in extreme hills and even panic stops?
As I have posted before, backing is doable, without damage, to the educated.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
I watched a guy back up a Jeep CJ one time for about 50'. He had a 24' RV and a home made 12' foot long triangle tow bar. I had to go out and tip my hat too him. The longer the tow bar, the easier it is to back up.
viajante
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Won't backing with the tow attached damage the tow bar ? When my tow bar was first installed, I was told that backing would damage the tow bar.
Jagtech
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Dale.Traveling wrote:
It can be done but very, VERY slowly and once the toad steering wheel starts to move you've gone as far as you can and it's time to unhook.

X2...this is the real answer in almost every case. Know when to stop, and don't go any further!
Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Dec 30, 2014
It can be done but very, VERY slowly and once the toad steering wheel starts to move you've gone as far as you can and it's time to unhook.
Dachristianman
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Mr.Mark wrote:
Dachristianman wrote:
See, it can be done. :-/

Tom

Tom, I don't think anyone is saying it can't be done but most people don't have the skill that you do.

I might consider rolling straight back for a very short distance but I don't have the talent of any serious backing-up and really don't want to risk the damage that 'might' happen.

To each his own as they say.

Safe travels,
MM.

I was saying this tongue-in-cheek. If anyone is crazy enough not to have a spotter and risk this sort of damage to their rig, toad, tow system, they deserve whatever happens. On the other thread, the OP had asked if it could be done, and this post answered that question, although in an "anything is possible" type way.

Tom
Mr_Mark1
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Dachristianman wrote:
See, it can be done. :-/

Tom

Tom, I don't think anyone is saying it can't be done but most people don't have the skill that you do.

I might consider rolling straight back for a very short distance but I don't have the talent of any serious backing-up and really don't want to risk the damage that 'might' happen.

To each his own as they say.

Safe travels,
MM.
bullydogs1
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
I had to do this one time in the line for a Flying J..I was straight and toad and was straight..I had to back up just a few feet so I could get over...inched back about 10 feet and I was fine...Only time I ever did it or will do it because I was totally straight..watched toad the whole time.

Forum Discussion

Watching someone backup with a toad attached

26 Replies

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

Fitness Watch??

Watch out ---------

Watch That Diamondplate!

People Watching

Bidet attachment