any advice for a stupid person (me)lol hooking up to a trailer ball

[SuzzeeeQ2012]

We've been dealing with this for years. Every time we go to back up to the trailer ball, and I'm helping, I CAN'T DO IT. It takes 5 times back and forth for him to get on the ball.

We DO have a backup camera, but he says he can't really see in it very well (black and white and everything blurs or something).

if I'm standing at the left so he can see ME, I can't see the BALL and if he needs to go left or right. So, I end up going back and forth 50 times and he goes forward and back till he gets on.


Well, tonight, he went BACKWARDS instead of forward and the trailer ended up on the ground.

I hate doing this! I suck at it.

argh

[Muddydogs]

First its not all your fault. The driver should be able to line up and get close to the ball with only needing a little left, right help as well as when the ball is under the hitch. Use the outside mirrors to get squared away then a good backer will be able to use the rear view mirror to finish getting lined up. On my truck I look in the rear view mirror and line up the head rest on the back middle seat with part of my trailer graphics on the front of the trailer, at this point I am with in 2 inches of the ball either left or right depending on how I hold my mouth. Wife gives me a little left or right direction and stops me when I am there. The wife and I did have our backing problems and still do sometimes.

I do have a back up camera now and I do say they are marriage savers, best advice I can give is a new camera would make a great Fathers Day gift.

Another suggestion is have him hook up by himself a couple times. Getting in and out of the rig 20+ times to check where you are at sure makes a guy take note of what he should be seeing in the mirrors.

Same with backing, if a driver needs to be told which way to turn the wheel or which way to push the trailer they need more practice. Standard rule when I am backing is make sure I don't hit anything and if I am going to hit something then yell very loud, other then that keep your hands in your pockets and let me do my thing because I know where the trailer needs to go and I know how to get it there it just may not look like it until I'm done.

[coolmom42]

DO NOT stand between the MH and trailer unless you are positive hubby knows you are there and the MH is fully stopped. Crazy accidents happen!

Stand where he can see you in the driver's side mirror. You turn facing the hitch, close to but not behind the MH bumper. between Set up a system of hand signals.

YOUR HAND straight up means STOP. IMMEDIATELY.

Your hand pushing towards you means he needs to move the rear of the MH left, away from you means he needs to move right. Stop him, and check as needed.

First thing is to get lined up and straight with the ball.

Then get the distance right.

Hold your hands vertically in front of you to indicate the distance. Move them together as he gets closer. Stop him as needed for you to step forward and check.

It will take several steps especially if he can't see what he's doing at all.

A better camera, and some clear markers on the ball & MH, would be a big help getting lined up, although he will need some help on distance.

If you can get it done in 4-5 increments that's pretty good.

[rcmiller32]

Check out this web site. www.iballhitchcam.com

It is held on by a magnet and can be moved around to find the best place for it.

I use it every now and then. Had to adjust the camera on the back of the motorhome, for seeing the car on the dolly. Leaving no camera for backing up. I just stick it on the rear bumper tube and adjust it to the view I want. Works better than trying to explain to the wife what I want.

[Chris_Bryant]

Buy a Tongue Twister

As long as you can get him even with the ball, you can easily adjust side to side.

[Dave_H_M]

Maybe both of you put your cell phones on speaker so you could maybe just talk him in in the ball?

[WyoTraveler]

All good advice except one. NEVER NEVER stand between a movng vehicle and another object. You can become crushed. Just takes one slip of the foot. Standing along side is just as easy. Hooking up to a trailer with a MH can be difficult.

[tragusa3]

Is the backup camera up high on the motorhome? Great for seeing surroundings, not so great for hitching. Our F150 has a camera on the tailgate that has 3 levels of zoom. I can very clearly get a view of just the ball. No fuzzy. No black and white. No confusion. I hook up first time...EVERY time.

I say install a second (and high quality) camera right at the ball. You'll eliminate hassle, and your roll in the job.

[gbopp]

micpib1 wrote:
Just stand nearby with a look of total disgust and cross your arms in front of you. I have seen that in RV parks several times, it must work really well. JH 🙂

:B :B :B

[hotbyte]

5 or 6 times sounds about right to me 🙂 You're doing fine!

We have similar issue with backing motorhome up to boat trailer. One thing that makes it worse is the long rear overhang. It takes just a little steering adjustment to swing the ball a long distance.

Are you using any means of voice communication? Mic on camera, cell phones, walkie talkie, etc.

[Jebby14]

have dh guide and you drive.

[Anmacc2]

A convex mirror on the back drivers side of the MH. Delivery trucks in bad neighborhoods have them so they can see if someone is lurking behind their trucks. OR a much better back up camera, perhaps not Bluetooth would work better. My friend, when he's hitching up his car to the MH, drives the car to hitch up, not the motor home. This isn't your fault, or your DH. It's a difficult task. I'm a TT person myself but hope this helps.

[micpib1]

Just stand nearby with a look of total disgust and cross your arms in front of you. I have seen that in RV parks several times, it must work really well. JH 🙂

[MitchF150]

Yeah, that's a tough deal there.. What kind of trailer are you hitching up to? Is is possible to get a wheel on the tongue jack and you can move it around a bit once it gets close?

Good luck!

Mitch

[wnjj]

SuzzeeeQ2012 wrote:

wnjj wrote:
Can he see you out the back window? What I found that seems to work for anyone I've directed back is this:

-Stand by the ball.
-Hold one hand up edgewise with your pinky toward the truck (think half of prayer hands).
-As the truck backs, tilt your fingers left or right as needed to direct.
-When within a couple feet of the ball, hold your thumb and index finger wide apart, then slowly and proportionally squeeze them smaller as the ball approaches. Your finger should touch your thumb right as the ball is under the coupler.

It's a huge motorhome with no window in the back 😞

Bummer. Then the next advice is to have him back REALLY slowly so you have time to get him to correct. That or get a better backup camera.

The thumb and finger thing still works when you hold your left arm out past the side. You may still have to step side to side a lot.

[SuzzeeeQ2012]

wnjj wrote:
Can he see you out the back window? What I found that seems to work for anyone I've directed back is this:

-Stand by the ball.
-Hold one hand up edgewise with your pinky toward the truck (think half of prayer hands).
-As the truck backs, tilt your fingers left or right as needed to direct.
-When within a couple feet of the ball, hold your thumb and index finger wide apart, then slowly and proportionally squeeze them smaller as the ball approaches. Your finger should touch your thumb right as the ball is under the coupler.

It's a huge motorhome with no window in the back 😞