Turning a FW around in a Culdesac

[way2roll]

We keep our FW in a storage area about 5 mi from our house. It's not terrible, but loading for trips, water etc, gets to be a bit of a pain. It would certainly be easier to bring to the house to load. We live in a gated community, and getting through the gate, while tight, is manageable. But we live at the end of a cul-de-sac. In order to back into my driveway I will have to circumnavigate the cul-de-sac. I used to do it with our 30' MH but that's completely different. Our FW is 30'. My truck is long with the 8' bed and I can make the trip around it, so my thinking is I should be able to do with the FW in tow. I've had it near 90 degrees before so that isn't really an issue. But I certainly don't want to jackknife it. Any thoughts on this? The alternative is to make a right hand turn on the main street across from ours and back the whole way down the road - about 1/8 mi. Less risk with this approach and do-able, but my backing up skills are still intermediate at best. Thinking that would be a long process.

[4x4ord]

I probably don’t worry enough about things but why not just pull in frontwards and try going around the cul-de-sac. If you don’t like the way the tires are scrubbing simply back out … turn into the cross street and back up your street.

I once was travelling down the highway with a 90 foot long 14 foot wide piece of equipment in tow when I thought a coke and burger would taste pretty good. I drove into the next town going right through their downtown area and found a McDonalds. I pulled into the parking lot and low and behold there was a place just right for me to pull into. The hardest part was constantly ignoring the voice of reason that kept nagging me from the front passenger seat.

[Dtank]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Big Firetruck can do it you can also.

What's "big"?

100" aerial w/tiller = yes...piece of cake! (Tractor/trailer with steered rear wheels).
The steered rears make the/a big difference between him & them.

The 85' Snorkel (48' 6" long) I drove, would not.

Among other reasons, that's why FDs in communities with PRD (private residential developments - narrow streets & cul-de-sacs) go to aerial apparatus with tillers for their Truck Companies.

OP - save your equipment! Practice making "adjustments" as/if needed.

:W

.

[Veebyes]

Got a neighbours driveway that can be put to use in breaking down that 180' turn?

[Njmurvin]

I have a similar setup as described. I can manage the turn if no one is parked on the loop I have to make. Last time I attempted this, there were two cars parked and I gave it a shot anyway. Big mistake. I got it around. But it tested my nerves and skills to the hilt. Next time that happens, I'll be trying the back-in method.

[Cummins12V98]

BarneyS wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
snip... When I was part way out I looked at the second trailer hop up and over the curb that it was 8" from when parked. Glad I had my Motorcycle secured well.

That is because of the long extension of just about all trailers behind the axles. For the newbees, that is called "tail swing" and if you are not careful it can get you in trouble.
Barney

It was a real eye opener for sure. Nice to pass that info along.

[BarneyS]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
snip... When I was part way out I looked at the second trailer hop up and over the curb that it was 8" from when parked. Glad I had my Motorcycle secured well.

That is because of the long extension of just about all trailers behind the axles. For the newbees, that is called "tail swing" and if you are not careful it can get you in trouble.
Barney

[Cummins12V98]

"I always go by, if I can drive the truck and turn it around with out having to back up I can do it with the 5th wheel as the 5th wheel tracks narrower"

Good point!

On another note if double towing the back trailer rides outside the RV. I was parked along a curb double towing. I cranked hard left to cross traffic and head the other direction. When I was part way out I looked at the second trailer hop up and over the curb that it was 8" from when parked. Glad I had my Motorcycle secured well.

[pyoung47]

It is stressful on tires and wheels. Spread some sand on the street before your maneuver.

[StirCrazy]

I always go by, if I can drive the truck and turn it around with out having to back up I can do it with the 5th wheel as the 5th wheel tracks narrower. so if you want to know if you can do somthing try it with out the 5th first and see how much room you have.

Steve

[SweetLou]

valhalla360 wrote:
If you can get the truck 90 degrees to the trailer without hitting the cab, should be no problem swinging a U-turn in the cul-de-sac.

Your other option, is quite viable also. I assume it's low volume so traffic shouldn't be a problem to back down the road. Just take your time. Since 5th wheels are slow to start turning when backing, you generally have plenty of time to correct. 660ft isn't far. Worst case if it starts to get away from you, pull forward 20-30ft to get it in line and start backing again.

Do it a few times and your skills will improve.

With out reading all this stuff you don't need to know, just back it down as Valhalla says. It's not rocket science here and have a spotter as you back so you don't hit a parked car. I do it all the time and I am good enough to not really need the spotter. I use one just in case a neighbor pulls out of driveway. Easy. If you can't back this down with any kind of trailer, I would rethink Why I have one.

[way2roll]

OP here, I ended up backing it down the street. Not as bad as I thought. Thanks for all the responses!

[rhagfo]

way2roll wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Well we always kept most needed stuff loaded in the 5er year round, just had to load perishable food mostly.
What is your position on the cul-de-sac? Just before going full time we lived in an end unit townhouse. I needed to install a correct Track system and wet bolts, the townhouse driveway was at the 3 o'clock position on the cul-de-sac. I was able to swing around and nose into the driveway at the 9 o'clock position, then back down the other three units, with the front of the 5er just past the next door neighbors garage door.

We are at the 11:00 position, so not much of a turn while backing in. Not straight, but not too exaggerated either. I've backed in far worse places. The rub is the long section of street I'll have to back into but it is what it is.

We we hosted a coastal park in the winter, the site was angled the wrong way. The normal way would be drive down the road to a round about and back to do a short back in to the site. I found it easiest way to pull into the day use and then back about 300’ down to the site.
I have always used the hand on the bottom to the wheel and push the direction you want the tail of the 5er to go, just take take it slow and easy.

[ACZL]

We as well live on a Cut-De-Sac and it's a LARGE one at that. Coming down the street into it, we are 1st on on right or 3:00(?). Just go slow when making your turn. Now, you didn't say if your staying parked in street or backing into driveway. With ours and driveway has a pitch to it, I come in clockwise so I'm backing into d-way on driver's side. Mind you I'm probly pushing 55'-60' in total.

OP you said that your C-D-S is 52' in diameter, yes that's tight, but still doable as long as you go slow. As others have said, the trailer will track to inside either way you go. Just swing it wide so front of truck is closest to mailboxes or side of blacktop if no mailboxes. If staying in street, so door of coach is facing your house, the RV will be closer to center of C-D-S just nature of the beast.

Our town has many C-D-S's and some are small. So small in fact that a Mack Granite 10 wheeler with a 1 way front snowplow, wing and salt box/spreader goes around as best they can and will have to push snow up onto lawn, stop, back up and reposition himself to complete the turn. I know this cuz I'v been the wingman operator for him. Pain the azz w/o a doubt, but can be done. Granted the Mack's don't turn worth a **** anyways, but that's besides the point. Point is, even on a small C-D-S, you can do it. Just takes practice.

[Thermoguy]

5th Wheels turn around great - I have turned around in much smaller spaces, mine is 32' length. Even if you have to jack knife, you are not going to hurt the tires. I have done this and I have LT tires, not ST. They are fine. I park next to a building and have to turn very sharp in the lot to get it there, no issues and I have a short bed. Sometimes have to turn wide, straighten out, then turn again, but always get there. I jack knife all the time on gravel and have done it on cement, so it will not hurt the tires or the axels. However, with that large of space, you probably won't even be close to a jack knife.