How do you know when you are at max angle on the trailer?

I know the feeling. My drive has a hump at the road and then starts down to the carport. Our "B" will drag the Propane tank and rip of the holding tank fittings if I try to cross it normally. My neighbor lets me cut across a small portion his yard if it isn't wet.

2oldman wrote:
Any chance there's a driveway across the street you could pull into to make it straighter?

I wish. 24' trailer and 20' truck. Normal 2 way street that becomes 1 way when people are parked on either side. Only luck I have on my side is a fire hydrant that guarantees the space 45 degree across the street is always empty.

Just sitting here at computer, I'm not sure if this will work or not...but, I would think, geometrically, as the trailer reached the "touchy" spot, the same landmark on trailer would be nearing outside edge of your side mirror. In other words, as you back and turn tighter the trailer become more perpendicular to truck and parts of the trailer would be appear to be going "off" the outside edge of mirror as they are further from center-line of truck.

Have a spotter stop you shy of actual contact (leaving some safety factor) and look for a spot on your trailer at very edge of mirror you can use as gauge when backing alone. You could do think in large parking lot pulling straight and testing the spots (one for each side) you picked. You would need to be pretty consistent on your seating position, too.

Or, this might be just some left-field thoughts :)

Any chance there's a driveway across the street you could pull into to make it straighter?

Other than actually watching out the back window, I dunno.

I will ask my spotter (DW) on the radio to take a look.

She will have no problem advising me, in succinct terms, exactly what the situation is.

In eight years, I have only backed up the trailer once without her. When I did I clipped the right side on the chain link fence!

Minor damage. Major embarrassment and a day or two of "I told you...."

I figure if I'm pushing the front of the TT sideways then I'm cutting it too sharp.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Put a strip of tape or some other marker on the trailer that you can see in your mirror when you get to the danger point.

Simple. I like it.

I was thinking of putting tape on the trailer triangle and looking in the rear camera for it but this is better.

I can simply keep looking at the mirror and when the tape is about to vanish behind the truck: It's going to hit.

Put a strip of tape or some other marker on the trailer that you can see in your mirror when you get to the danger point.

Along time ago I broke one of the taillights on a Suburban TV doing that. Basically it's a learning experience. If you look in the mirror and it looks really close it is.

I have the backup camera but it looks down on the hitch; no idea where the truck's rear sides are in relation to the trailer. Still very useful as I know that when I see the hitch coupler enter the driveway I have less than 2' left behind the trailer.

I have the extendable mirrors and I can see the truck's side and trailer but no idea how far apart they are.