Fifth wheel backing
First, I've been towing for 45 years, but it's always been a travel trailer. And, I was good, no brag, just fact. I remember parallel parking my van and 37 foot trailer at a parking area in Deadwood...
Forum Discussion
one_strange_texan wrote:
I have seen a lot of perspectives on this thread. It is surprising to me that more drivers are not receptive to advice from their spouses and insist on seeing it all themselves and getting out and looking. We use walkie-talkies. My wife knows she is steering the wheels of the trailer and I have taught her to keep her commands simple as in "back end to the left," "back end to the right," "straight back," and "stop" if I am about to hit something. I am the one who has to anticipate the delayed reaction of the fifth wheel trailer and the need to correct to follow it into the target area. It took some training to clue her into the need to avoid the editorial comments such as "You seem to be having a lot of trouble" and "I don't like this spot, it is hard to back into."
My question to these team backers is what do you do if the spotter is not available??
I use to return the 5er to the storage yard without the DW, and place it into the spot without too much trouble.
I have learned to use the mirrors and will get out and look as necessary, I love my DW, but to me backing into a space is a one person task. During the busy seasons DW only watches for kids and keeps them from going behind the 5er.
