Newby to towing Fifth Wheel
We go pick up our new fifth wheel today and we are a bit nervous. Our RV days have always been with a travel trailer, and we are not sure how complicated living with a fifth wheel is going to be versu...
Forum Discussion
The only real difference is when backing into a spot, it's slower to start turning but you can turn much sharper (kind of a wash in terms of manuverability).
The way to mitigate the slow to start is use an S-curve approach:
- I could care less which side I'm backing into, the geometry is no different and you guide is doing the directing.
- Approach the site, drive on the side of the road as close to the site as possible.
- As your rear truck tires pass the site (you may need to adjust the starting point depending on your rig dimensions), turn hard away from the site and continue forward.
- When you run out of room, turn hard back toward the site and continue forward until the rear of the trailer is just past the site.
- If you've done it right, the rear of the trailer is turned toward the site by 20-30 degrees and the truck is at a 20-30 degree angle to the trailer.
- Since there is already an angle between the truck and trailer, you have gotten past the worst of the slow to start turning issue.
- Back it up the same as a bumper pull.
The way to mitigate the slow to start is use an S-curve approach:
- I could care less which side I'm backing into, the geometry is no different and you guide is doing the directing.
- Approach the site, drive on the side of the road as close to the site as possible.
- As your rear truck tires pass the site (you may need to adjust the starting point depending on your rig dimensions), turn hard away from the site and continue forward.
- When you run out of room, turn hard back toward the site and continue forward until the rear of the trailer is just past the site.
- If you've done it right, the rear of the trailer is turned toward the site by 20-30 degrees and the truck is at a 20-30 degree angle to the trailer.
- Since there is already an angle between the truck and trailer, you have gotten past the worst of the slow to start turning issue.
- Back it up the same as a bumper pull.
