Help with Backing Up

For final placement the DW will sometimes stand where she wants the left rear corner of the trailer to go. Now I have a target.

My suggestion is to walk the site with her. Show her what you are wanting to know about. Mark where you want the wheels to end up. Show her where you want her to stand. If she gets out of view, stop the truck, get out and go look at what she is looking at. (My wife finds that annoying because ‘people will think I’m not doing my job’ to which I reply I’m trying to help you learn a difficult job. )

Spotting is a difficult job for someone who has no idea how the trailer actually responds to steering wheel movements in the truck.

Another suggestion is to find and print out a sheet of hand signals. Make sure both of you have it in view when parking. Another think I’ve done is let her spot for one of our friends. She seems to take his suggestions as just that. Sometimes she sees my suggestions as criticism.

Most important of all. Try to make sure she understands that you are not criticizing, just trying to help her make both of you better at the job of parking.

And if she makes suggestions on how you can help her understand what you want, danged well do them. This is a two way street and the “I’ve been doing it just fine for 30 years attitude” is a clear message you don’t need or really want her help.

How far do you pull up from where you want to start your turn when backing?

Thanks and Happy RVing

I've been pulling trailers all my life. I have no problem backing a trailer of any size - except that I cannot see behind the trailer and when backing at an angle, I cannot see much of anything. Relying on my sense/ability, and jumping out every few feet to check progress I can eventually get positioned where I want.

It sure would be nice if I could get my wife to help me with this, but she seems absolutely clueless. She will stand behind the trailer, where I cannot see her and make signals. Given a radio, she waits until I've gone too far in one direction to tell me I've gone too far. I've tried to patiently explain these things to her, but she just doesn't seem to get it.

Does anybody know of a training video or site I can point her to that would help her understand how to communicate properly?

Are we there yet?

2012 Ram 3500 4x4, "Clifford, the Big Red Truck"
2017 Forest River Salem Cruise Lite 251SSXL TH "Homie"
2014 Arctic Cat Wildcat Trail "Artie"


I'm married to her sister!!!

Sorry, apparently I'm not allowed to post relevant content.

seagrace wrote:
"I agree with both of Gdetrailers posts completely. You really do need more practice, and she should try backing up also. I am not being condescending, so please don't take me wrong. With practice you both will get much more comfortable. The camp site isn't the place to practice though."

Some of these posts make me sorry I asked. I'm thinking for some of you, English must not be your first language.

I know how to back a trailer, okay? And no, I'm not being "condescending".

One CAN say the same thing about one NOT LISTENING :R .

Backing a boat and a RV ARE two different beasts.

Wheels on a boat trailer are further back than a RV, the two different tire positions create a way different amount of "turn" reaction..

But, hey, you obviously are an expert so carry on trying to "teach" your wife and be frustrated at the results..

Not sure as to why you bothered posting the question :h .

Just saying, my DW acts more as an "advisor" to tell me to stop, letting me know BEFORE I hit anything.

We always get out and scout out the site, then we discus where the trailer is to land, then it is just a matter of acting on our discussions.

If you know your mirrors you CAN get the job done with one person and rarely ever have to leave the cab.

My inspection station that I take my TT to yearly has a pretty difficult spot to park in..

Have to back the rig up a steep hill into their parking lot..

Sometimes they want me to just park in front of a garage door which is dirt simple and sometimes they want me to make an addition 90 degree turn in their lot and into a service bay..

The inspection mechanic has asked if I drive semis on multiple occasions.. He tells me that even most semi drivers have a hard time making that turn and fitting it into the service bay.

But, hey, after all, you are the "captain" of your rig so carry on.

Sorry, apparently I'm not allowed to post relevant content.

Put some markers where you want the tires to track if you cant see where you want to go. I have put pieces of tape down, rocks etc, then just ise the mirrors.

RoyF wrote:
For me, there is no substitute for getting out of the truck to actually look things over before backing. I may have to do that more than once to check for trees, picnic tables, etc.

My wife's signals are very useful on when to stop. I rely mostly on my own judgement for the steering, but I don't tell that to DW.

X2 on this

If I'm backing in to a tight site I usually pick a spot I want to start our TT turning.

I tell my wife to stand about 2 feet outside that spot so I can see her in my side mirror

If I run over her I know I turned too sharp


All joking aside it takes patience. And she is a huge help. I have finally gotten the point across to her that if she can't see my side mirror I can't see her

I do all the driving of our big rig. But when we get to our destination, I hop out and DH does the parking/backing. Sure, I can do it, but it takes longer. He said it's because I give better, more understandable hand signals than he does. He is dyslexic and that may have something to do with it. We use totally silent hand signals. . . I know how to keep in his line of vision and it's pretty much flawless when we do it. No yelling, screaming, or radio noise.:C

Dale