1st Time Pulling TT Home

Sounds like you did fine for your first time out. You didn't hit anything so it was a success. As to backing up, that only takes practice. I was taught like the OTR trucker above to put hands at the bottom of the steering wheel with palms facing up. If you want the back end of the trailer to go right, move the steering wheel to the right, etc. It's more intuitive this way IMO.

As to getting the trailer unhitched from the ball, what you described is a very common problem. (We assume you had the latch at the top retracted and pinned back.) Usually, raising the tongue with the jack will allow you to jump on the bumper and pop the ball out. Sometimes I've had to lower the tongue back down and "bump" the truck forward or back to get the ball unstuck. By bumping I mean just putting the truck in gear forward, then in reverse is enough to "bump" it and get the ball unstuck. You're doing great, just need a bit more practice. We all started out in the same place.

Our daughter just bought a 24 foot TT. She had never pulled anything before. When we got to her home she put it in park, hopped out and said here you go Dad, put it right here. She and her partner and My DW and I will be going camping with them with our class A in a couple weeks. I will then teach her how to back up into the camp site. Lucky for me I was an OTR driver. AS mentioned when backing up put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and make small adjustments at a time. NEVER let anyone hurry you. They may laugh but don't worry , they probably did the same things when they first started out. I know truckers laughed at me when I first started out driving and they said they had the same problems.

Welcome to the fun of camping.

ScottG wrote:
Probably the biggest mistake new people make is cutting corners and having the trailer run over a curb. Take them wide and watch n the rear view mirror. Go very slow at first so he can get the feel for how far out to take the corner.

I started off making left turns whenever possible. They're much easier with wider turns. My first time towing was also we we bought our TT 2 years ago. The dealer set everything up and off we went. Took the much longer way home for the experience. I then practiced backing in a parking lot.

Enjoy your new trailer. Stay calm & tow on!

Something to help you with backing up, this has worked great for me since I read it in a boating mag.

1. When backing place your hand at the bottom (lowest point) of the steering wheel, then push the wheel in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go. Don't be afraid to "Palm" the wheel, it keeps the movement continuous.

2. Once the back of the trailer starts to move in the direction you want, start to straighten out! this will save the Jack Knife!!

3. Practice, it will get easier.

I had never hauled a trailer before buying my 5th last fall. I am very careful and do watch turns and backing is coming along fine. I still get a little nervous when I first take it out but that soon goes away. The scariest time for me was driving through Las Vegas the second time out. I worry about seeing signs too late and worrying about which lane I should be in for the next exit. I did fine bot traffic is a bummer when you are not used to it. One friend told me the most important thing is to go your own pace and don't worry about people behind you.

think you did great for complete newbies.. even when I slide the hitch thingy back to release ball, sometimes I have to jump on bumper of truck. Do be sure you get (if you dont have already) an electric tongue jack and use it to raise and lower tongue while hitching and unhitching.


My brother laughed at me one day when I was having trouble getting hitch to set on ball and used PAM cooking spray on my ball. I couldn't find any WD40 or Silicon, and was trying to get my trailer hooked up and home before too late when I was exhausted from a family emergency.

It's now Sunday afternoon, my hubby's blood pressure is down, and the TT is on the driveway. Phew!

We got to the the RV lot and bought our distribution sway bar from them and had to pay $114 for them to install but we wanted it done right being first-timers. Also at their store, we bought our Viper sewer hose (they came down $20). I didn't know this didn't come with TT (though hubby did). After our walkthru, hubby driving it around w/tech (just in the parking lot), and signing papers, we left. I felt so bad for hubby as every time we approached an intersection where he had to turn one way or the other he freaked out if there was a car opposite us where we were turning. He did a great job. After we finally got on the interstate I think he breathed a little bit easier.

Next battle was needing gas. We did fill up before we picked up the TT but we had to drive 3 hours from home to the RV dealer and w/pulling the TT, we were running low. First place we pulled in the pumps were the ones facing toward the building. Hubby freaked out trying to figure out how he was going to pull out since there was not much distance from the pumps to where you had to turn in front of the building. He tried to get in one but to keep the TT far away, the truck was too far from the gas hose. Aggravation! He started to pull ahead to the pump now freed up but at an angle he couldn't do it. Aggravation again! We drove around to the back of the building (which was a truck stop too) wondering (we are newbies and I guess idiots) if you could get "gas" where the trucks get diesel after seeing motorhomes filling up and not sure if they used gas or diesel. Nope (you are saying "duh, obviously"). We left that station with no gas but after pulling out, the gas light comes on in the truck. We head down to a station 5 miles away and THANK GOD they had parallel pumps to the building so it was easy to pull in and out.

Next adventure - parking on the driveway. Ok, this was not meant to be. After several attempts in a neighborhood subdivision and nearly jack-knifing each time, I came up with the idea to drive through our front yard, pull truck onto the front (near house) of driveway and swing trailer around (without hitting the corner of the house). It worked. By this time is is pouring down raining, 6 p.m., and we do not unhitch but go in the house.

Sunday morning we drive to Camping World to buy our BAL X-Lock chocks (extended for our TT) and ended up coming out with a cover (got a deal for $259), the chocks, and some odds and ends, way to much.

Then it was back home and time to unhitch from the truck. Hubby put the chocks on - no problem. Undid the distribution sway bar - no problem. Unhook trailer from truck - problem! We could not get the ball to come out of the hitch. We tried over and over and over cranking up and down and up and down and the truck just seemed to rise but the ball would not release. Finally, in desperation, hubby suggested we unpin the trailer hitch shank bar from the truck and drive the truck out of the shank. It worked. So now the shank is still attached to ball hitch. Neither of us realized that the ball hitch, when unlocked, slid back to release the ball (again, newbies at this) and we ended up getting it off. Oh my - what an ordeal.

Hubby leveled the TT and we FINALLY got to go inside it, look around, sit down and relax with the radio on. We plan to take it out in two more weeks for a weekend. I hope we can do better then. :)

CarpFishermanAndWife wrote:

rjxj wrote:
As Rock said go to a parking lot. When you get there pull into a spot and get out and see if he is centered up. Put some item on the ground and try different ways of turning around it. Picture that item as being a steel post in a gas station.

You will be fine, have the gas tank full, allow lots of time for the parking lot, hang out in the parking lot and relax before taking off.

Funny because he did think about filling the truck up right before we stop for the trailer and I didn't think about that. I'm just glad I don't have to pull the thing.

And tip number 2!
You should 'definitely' learn how to tow the TT. Irregardless if you ever drive it while you are traveling.

Just the nature of the beast of RV'ing, we are always away from home.
You never know when an emergency will arise that will necessitate you being able to drive the truck and TT. :C

As you get your feet wet RV'ing keep an eye out for Club and/or Manufacturer Rallys'. They have some very nice ones that put on instruction classes available to learn all that there is related Rv'ing, your rig, maintenance and driving classes.

One of the biggest problems that does happen is the spouse never learns about the RV or how to drive it. Which severely complicates the situation when an emergency happens on the road. Something maybe as simple as getting the truck and TT 'off' the road to a safer spot during a medical emergency.

Soooo, after your first time out, find a parking lot for you to practice with the TT also! :W

The RV dealers that I know of will set up your WD hitch and your brake controller as part of the sale. By setting up, I meaning dialing in your existing equipment. That doesn't mean they know what they are doing. You are still responsible once you climb behind the wheel. Happy trails.

Thank you everyone.

You want a good laugh now? My husband was installing his brake system in his truck laying backwards under the steering wheel with his head going in between the brake pedal and under the dash to look for the plug. He turned his head a certain way and got his head stuck! He said he panicked for a few seconds (I was at work). He soon realized he could depress the brake pedal with his hand to give him more room to get out (no big head jokes please - LOL!). :D

He bought the Tekonsha P3 brake controller system and got the pigtail to match his truck so had no problems - other than getting his head stuck. Ha ha ha.