Ever have issues backing the trailer up?

Something I was taught 50 years ago was to put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel when turning. the direction that you move your hand is the direction the trailer goes when backing. Try it sometime.

Single axel trailers naturally want to turn. You have to constantly correct as you back. Which makes them squirrely to back.
Two axel trailers naturally want to go straight. You have to force them to turn.

Practice, I went from a 10 foot popup box to a 31 footer.
Take your time , also I park the RV and a do a walk around to plan a strategy .

now I can hit the spots on first attempt in most cases. Also, as the cost is the same and no one actually measures . I request a 34 foot spot.

the wife is real picked up a sense of what I am doing. the last time we where some where , the spot was so big that I skipped the walk around. It took me 3 attempts to park it. So next time no matter what I plan to do the walk through.

Its also a personality thing , my wife used to drive and park the camper a bunch. but she will get all self conscious and pissed. I never do . so when she is towing and camping without me I spend the 3-4$ extra for a drive through and call it a day.

That's great Profdant!!!

A short single axle trailer is really fun to back up -- very squirrely. After much hilarious trial and error, DW somehow developed a sixth sense of what I should do -- I just sit behind the wheel, she gets out and waves her hands, and magic happens. The same thing happens when it is time to hitch up -- smooth as silk.

So I wrote this song about her, called "Hitchball Wizard" -- to the same tune as "Pinball Wizard:"

Ever since I was a camper
I've worked with my hitch ball
From Glacier to the Tetons
I've tried to hitch them all

But I ain't seen nothing like her
In any campground at all
That’s my own DW
Sure plays a mean Hitch Ball

She stands like a statue
Becomes part of the machine
She can see my bumper
Always hitches clean
She plays by intuition
That coupler neatly falls
That’s my own DW
Sure plays a mean hitch ball

She's a Hitch Ball Wizard
There's got to be a twist
A Hitch Ball wizard
She's got such a supple wrist

How do you think she does it?
(I don't know)
What makes her so good?

She never gets distracted
Can't hear the neighbors yell
Doesn't see the taillights flashing
Brings me in so well
Always gets it hooked up
Never missed the ball
That’s my own DW
Sure plays a mean hitch ball

I thought I was
The Hitch Ball Star
But I just handed
My Hitch Ball crown to her

Even on my little trailer
She can beat my best
She simply leads me in
And she just does the rest
She's got crazy waving fingers
Never seen her fall
That’s my own DW
Sure plays a mean hitch ball . . . .

c3saving wrote:
This is a challenge each time we go off on a camping adventure. I've written a little bit about our experiences and a link to a video to help explain how to do it properly.

Backing up your trailer

Enjoy!
Carrie

I've watched a lot of their videos over the years. I've always liked these two. They're really good at making helpful videos for those who are just starting out. They always have really good tips for those who are experienced as well.

slugo4449 wrote:
The best way to back a trailer is to not get into a hurry.

X3. When you're in a hurry corners get smashed, awnings get ripped off, and trees jump out at you. Slow and easy while thinking about every movement before you do it.

This thread sure hits the spot: last weekend we went to a local campground, I got backed in to the spot, no problem. I got everything unhooked and hooked up..awning down, going to take it easy. We noticed the big 5 wheels coming through the campground and then one stops at the spot next to ours. He tried to get it backed in, close for the size of his rig. He was in the bushes next to ours...truck and trailer blocking the road. Several came out to try and get him backed into the spot...didn't work. The left rear slide out was hooked up in a small tree near the fairing. We chopped out the bush, then a tree was way to close on the left rear, almost ready to take off a drain or the aft slide out cover. Truck was un-hooked, trailer still blocking the road so maybe he could tow out the other direction. Nope....truck cab too close to the trailer..about an hour later the truck was hooked where it was before, a guy next door got on top and pushed on the tree as the truck and trailer was slowly moved forward, it cleared. He slowly got out of the brush, turned around somewhere and then came back to a pull through below our spot. I have been doctoring my hand....ivy got me...moral of story. Sometimes the rig is just too big for a campground that is not 5th wheel friendly. I had to use my hatchet to chop out the small tree that was hung up in the fairing.

fitznj wrote:
Practice and patience.......................

I have 3 trailers: Boat, 8ft landscape and 27ft TT;
The boat trailer has the wheel close to the rear and swings slowly and does not react quickly to steering inputs - took some time to get used to.

The landscape trailer has a short distance from tires to hitch and jack-knifes easily, so less steering input required.

The TT is the easiest to reverse, the distance from tires to hitch is the key. I can sneak the TT into some really tight campsites - something I don't think I could do so easily with the boat trailer.

If you have problems, find an empty lot and practice.

Gerry

The longer the distance from the hitch to the axles, the easier the trailer is to back up. They are usually more stable on the road, as well. The short coupled trailers can be a real pain to back up.

Make sure only the driver backs in the trailer. The spotter is only there to make sure you don't hit stuff. Once you figure that out you will stay married, become relaxed and back it in like a pro!