QUESTION FOR LONG TT OWNERS

[RDSR6]

I am considering buying a Shadow Cruiser 313BHS with an overall length of 35'5". I have towed car haulers and a 24' hybrid camper borrowed from a friend but never anything nearly this long. My TV is an F250 CC with a short bed so the overall length of my rig will be between 56-57' long. Obviously I would have to watch getting stuck in some tight places and be careful on some turns just like when pulling any trailer. My real question is how much trickier is it pulling/maneuvering the longer trailer compared to the shorter ones? Will it be a considerable difference in managing turns and backing into spots?

Thanks in advance for any input.

[mosseater]

Also remember, when turning past obstacles on the inside, the trailer will track closer to the inside of the turn than the truck by quite a bit. Do not straighten out the rig as soon as the truck gets clear of a post, curb, sign, tree, etc. Maintain the arc of the turn until the trailer wheels get past the obstacle. I see so many people want to straighten her up as soon the the truck gets clear and that only levers the trailer axles even closer to the inside of the turn. Think about the hitch ball being the pivot point and what that means.

[RDSR6]

Thanks for all of the advice. I purchased the camper Friday and had to pull it home through bumper to bumper rush hour traffic in Atlanta with no issues whatsoever. Hopefully we will be putting it to use and taking our first trip in 3 weeks if all goes as planned.

[4X4Dodger]

FrankShore wrote:
Not much difference.

One rule to remember and print it into your brain!

Your pivot point are your rear tires on the rig. If they clear an object, you're good to turn

Turn before that and you're in a world of hurt!

With all due respect I'd like to clarify what you said to be sure others dont misinterpret it.

The PIVOT POINT is the HITCH point not the rear wheels of either the TV or the Trailer.

If you mean that if your REAR Wheels on the Tow Vehicle clears something then you are OK. I have to say this is not true in all cases it depends on how far rearward the trailer axles are from the hitch point.

My 31 footer TT tracks almost exactly on my rear wheel line of my TV. It is actually about 2" outside of that. On longer trailers that distance will increase. On *some* 5th wheels it may track on or over the line depending again on where the trailer axles are.

The easy way to test this and know for sure is take your rig to a flat dirt parking lot and make a continuous big turn (about 90 deg) and then go back and measure the two different tire tracks.

If you mean that the pivot point is the TRAILER axles, well it is true you will clear but you may not have this much room to make every turn and you should really know where your trailer tracks.

[Crabbypatty]

Last year we upgraded to a longer & heavier TT. Admittedly the first trip out from the dealer, it certainly was a long way down that mirror. We had a 27 now a 30. But the 30 is really 34' so it was longer, taller and heavier. Both of these are towed with a 2500 Suburban. So far maneuvering hasn't been an issue and we have camped in wooded parks with big trees as well as over the sand on the beach. I was more nervous going outerbeach as it was so heavy. But alas airing down to 20psi like the older lighter TT and it pulled just fine.

If anything I am a little more cautious due to the weight and size. However we love it and made a good choice as well as a good match with the TV. Last I used the Reese Dual Cam Sway 1200/12,000# hitch set up and it works just fine.

Happy Trails

[pira114]

Biggest mistake I see people make is on one lane roads with a sharp right turn. They'll either under steer and cut the corner or over steer and end up in the oncoming lane.

Usually, the lane is wide enough to keep the centerline. Older back roads are sometimes not. When in doubt, slow down a lot. This will give you a lot more reaction time and also will alert other drivers that you need extra room. If there's no obstructions, under steering is the least bad of the two.

[old_guy]

if you are going to make a right hand turn think ahead and move over to the left a little, just like the truck drivers do to make that right hand turn. in other words take up half the left lane just enough so no body get to the right of you and you take off his fender.

[Scooter86]

RDSR6 wrote:
Do you typically look for truck stops over a standard gas station?

I prefer truckstops when towing, but have used more conventional stations plenty of times. Paying a little more for convenience and easy access is just fine by me. I do use the GasBuddy app and usually you can see pics of the station beforehand as well.

[MarkTwain]

RDSR6 wrote:
Do you typically look for truck stops over a standard gas station?

Always look for a Truck Stop fuel station as 1st. choice. If you have to use a regular gas station, carefully drive around the station checking for length and width of drive ways and structures, especially overhead heights of overhead structures. If possible, park on the street and walk around before you pull in.

[6_7_tow_rig]

Nope, I get diesel wherever is convenient, no need to plan out routes or anything crazy. Ours is about 36 feet then 20 feet of truck. Never once been in a predicament that made me nervous.

[RDSR6]

Do you typically look for truck stops over a standard gas station?

[Scooter86]

My current rig is about the same size as yours. I did have trouble at one gas station that just wasn't set up for trailers. My fault as I pushed my luck a bit and was getting low on fuel. Otherwise the longer trailer hasn't been much of an issue. I make sure to book appropriate sites, and there are plenty of parks within a few hours of me that can accommodate. You will get the hang of that longer rig in no time.

[mosseater]

A bigger concern beyond the length on the road has been when we don't get a perfectly flat site front to back, you have to prepare while backing in, and get all four tires up on blocks. Otherwise, by the time the tongue jack gets down low enough to get her level, the bottom entry step in on the ground. Very disappointing to find out after you've unhitched. Other than that, our 34' has not been a problem across America or in PA State Parks. Once you get used to it, you won't think much about it anymore.

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

Our TT is 35'. Hooked up is right at 56' overall length. I have found the only really tricky spots are fuel stops when the particular place is unfamiliar and crowded.
The tail swing is an issue to be aware off, but I'd say that anyone generally comfortable with a 20 to 24 foot trailer will find adjusting to a 35 footer will be fine with just a little time / practice.
I will say the one spot that always makes me edgy is at-grade highway crossings. Seems like when I pull up to that situation the traffic will not allow a straight shot through and the TT seems too long to stop in the middle for fear of hanging the tail out in travel lanes. I have been confronted with that and decide to make a turn and double back so that the stop in the median is at least on an angle that keeps both ends well out of the lanes.

[DutchmenSport]

Nope! I went from an 18 footer, to a 31 footer, to a 35 1/2 footer. My current overall length of truck and trailer is now 58 feet and I've not noticed any real difference. As with any trailer, you have to watch the trailer wheels tracking when turning to make sure the trailer is not turning into something and you have to watch the tail of the trailer to make sure when it swings it does not hit anything. Other than that, there's no difference. You just need to be a bit more conscious of the extra length and make a little wider turns. Navigating in traffic has not been any problem for me. When you start to move over ... car drivers will either give you all the room you want and need or zoom around to get in front of you. Hold your position and just make your move.

Bottom line, no difference, just have to be aware of the length.