Serious dilemma.

[Scott_85]

So my wife was going Thursday to pick up our new camper with a family friend and her dad since I am still overseas, well mother nature has thrown a wrench in that plan so now she has no one to go with her. So the question, she said she would go up their and get she has only ever pulled a 14' trailer, but I have taught her everything I know and she knows to take it easy leave lots of room in front of her and swing wide. The dealership is 2 and 1/2 hours away all interstate minus 4 or 5 miles.

Is it a good idea to go let her pick it up?

Would you let your wife do it?

Any tips if she does go get it?

[TakingThe5th]

Good to hear that all went well.

[Scott_85]

TakingThe5th wrote:

dapozer wrote:
Congrats on the new rig.

No way I would let her or anyone else do this by themselves and in bad weather. It not really can she do it or will the truck/trailer be well prepared, it is the safety factor of weather and something new. If there is a problem will she be able to handle it by herself? blown tire, loose tires, bad hitch, loose axles, ice and slip offs, etc.... I always bring a buddy when picking up something new that I have no idea about. Just wait until the next opportunity and have her go with someone. No reason to put stress on her just to bring a trailer home to sit.

X2. You would probably want her to help you bring it home (if it could happen that way) so why have her do it alone?

I would have loved to be able to drive and pick it up, but the fact that I am over 6,000 miles away made it very difficult. We had a family friend whom use to be a truck driver go with her and picked it up. They made it back just when the snow was starting to fall. All is well, the camper is now parked in a field covered with snow.

[TakingThe5th]

dapozer wrote:
Congrats on the new rig.

No way I would let her or anyone else do this by themselves and in bad weather. It not really can she do it or will the truck/trailer be well prepared, it is the safety factor of weather and something new. If there is a problem will she be able to handle it by herself? blown tire, loose tires, bad hitch, loose axles, ice and slip offs, etc.... I always bring a buddy when picking up something new that I have no idea about. Just wait until the next opportunity and have her go with someone. No reason to put stress on her just to bring a trailer home to sit.

X2. You would probably want her to help you bring it home (if it could happen that way) so why have her do it alone?

[Scott_85]

AUWing wrote:

Scott_85 wrote:
Thanks every for the comments. Let me explain a little better, She need to go tomorrow to beat the snow . . .

Why does she have to beat the snow??????

Cause it will be upwards of three weeks before she would be able to go get it again.

And this gives her several weeks of un-interrupted stocking of a new trailer - that's motivation :).

Thats been happening, I've been buy and she has been getting box after box. She told me she doesn't like camping anymore because of all the money I am spending.

[AUWing]

Scott_85 wrote:
Thanks every for the comments. Let me explain a little better, She need to go tomorrow to beat the snow . . .

Why does she have to beat the snow??????

Cause it will be upwards of three weeks before she would be able to go get it again.

And this gives her several weeks of un-interrupted stocking of a new trailer - that's motivation :).

[Scott_85]

avvidclif1 wrote:

Scott_85 wrote:
Thanks every for the comments. Let me explain a little better, She need to go tomorrow to beat the snow thats the reason she can't go Thursday and thats when the two other people are off. I asked her if she was alright pulling and she said she was ok. As far as the inspection goes she will have to do it on her own as I will not be stateside until April. As far as roadside assistance both the camper and my insurance both offer it. As I am typing this the former truck driver will be going with her. One thing I will do is teach her how to pull the camper and back it up. Thanks again everybody and I will be posting pictures tomorrow!!

Why does she have to beat the snow??????

Cause it will be upwards of three weeks before she would be able to go get it again.

[Scott_85]

DutchmenSport wrote:

Scott_85 wrote:
.... One thing I will do is teach her how to pull the camper and back it up. Thanks again everybody and I will be posting pictures tomorrow!!

If your wife brings the camper home, you won't need to teach her. She will have already taught herself!She will be riding a family friend was off and is going to go with her to drive.

(Something tells me you are right handed. I bet your wife is left-handed! If so, you just gotta go ahead and let "her" do whatever she wants, because her logic will never make sense to you. Don't ask me how I know ... married 29 years next month living with a left-handed person ... -left brain-right brain functionality you know!)I am the person that is left handed.

[avvidclif1]

Scott_85 wrote:
Thanks every for the comments. Let me explain a little better, She need to go tomorrow to beat the snow thats the reason she can't go Thursday and thats when the two other people are off. I asked her if she was alright pulling and she said she was ok. As far as the inspection goes she will have to do it on her own as I will not be stateside until April. As far as roadside assistance both the camper and my insurance both offer it. As I am typing this the former truck driver will be going with her. One thing I will do is teach her how to pull the camper and back it up. Thanks again everybody and I will be posting pictures tomorrow!!

Why does she have to beat the snow??????

[Johnny_H]

If she is ok with going to get then by all means go for it, but remember if something does happen and the trailer gets a scratch on it keep your trap shut. As for the inspection, if she is anything like my better half, the dealer would probably rather you be there. Mine caught things I wouldn't even have noticed. Remember she is used to having to do things in your absence on her own, which has a tendency to develop a very strong backbone, so be thankful for who she is and go on. I am willing to bet she will be just fine.

[loulou57]

I am sure a lot of us will be waiting to see this unit. Enjoy!

[DutchmenSport]

Scott_85 wrote:
.... One thing I will do is teach her how to pull the camper and back it up. Thanks again everybody and I will be posting pictures tomorrow!!

If your wife brings the camper home, you won't need to teach her. She will have already taught herself!

(Something tells me you are right handed. I bet your wife is left-handed! If so, you just gotta go ahead and let "her" do whatever she wants, because her logic will never make sense to you. Don't ask me how I know ... married 29 years next month living with a left-handed person ... -left brain-right brain functionality you know!)

[Scott_85]

Thanks every for the comments. Let me explain a little better, She need to go tomorrow to beat the snow thats the reason she can't go Thursday and thats when the two other people are off. I asked her if she was alright pulling and she said she was ok. As far as the inspection goes she will have to do it on her own as I will not be stateside until April. As far as roadside assistance both the camper and my insurance both offer it. As I am typing this the former truck driver will be going with her. One thing I will do is teach her how to pull the camper and back it up. Thanks again everybody and I will be posting pictures tomorrow!!

[Francesca_Knowl]

O.K., I'm also talking as a woman here, as an experienced tower, and also as the Chief Financial Officer of this Marital Corporation. NO ONE in this household would be permitted to expose a big investment like a brand new trailer to the hazards of 14 inches of snow combined with a whole bunch of can't drive-in-it yahoos that I guarantee would choose my rig to plow into when they lose control of their own.

Why chance it? This especially since as long as it remains in the dealer's possession it's HIS headache if somebody, including the weather, does any damage to it.


That said, and nicely I hope, I really must comment on the following:

Scott_85 wrote:


Would you let your wife do it?

Unless she's Down on Bended Knees begging for the keys, I think what you really mean to ask is "Would you EXPECT your wife to do this just because you think it's time to do so and you're not there"? 😉

[avvidclif1]

What's the big deal. If she's responsible enough to go get it then she should be responsible enough to decide about the weather conditions. If the weather is bad forget it. It's not a life threatening emergency if the trailer is not picked up.

I would advise her if she can't or hasn't tried backing it to not pick it up without someone along that can be a ground guide, no matter the weather. A 2 1/2 hour drive gives Murphy lots of places to make you HAVE to back up.