This is the honest truth: I grabbed the steering wheel at the bottom and turned it in the direction I wanted the trailer to go, and it went in the opposite direction. I swear this happened several times today.
For those of you who want the gruesome details: I am 68 years old and have never towed anything. Now I am trying to back up my 21 foot Camplite to fit into a storage space, and it was not pretty. In fact, my husband and I were working for several hours this afternoon in a vacant parking lot with dismal results.
A man came along and told us he has towed all sorts of trailers for all of his adult life and took pity on us. Pity! He was right! What we were doing was PITIFUL. He owns a factory, and told us to follow him. Then he backed our Camplite into a spot next to his Dutchstar. It will sit there tomorrow while I make arrangements with the dealer to bring it back to fix some latches that won't close and have the Camplite winterized.
I can't impose on this fellow any further. Does anybody here have any words of advice?
go slow and take your time.......make little movements.....
Practice makes perfect.
agree......you must practice or you will run into issues in the future.
[p][font face="comic sans ms" size="4"]This is an art, not a science. Practice and more practice is the answer. You mentioned that the trailer went the opposite way that you thought it was going to go. Steering from the bottom of the wheel moves the back of the trailer in the desired direction, not the front of the trailer. Start with small movements, try this exercise in a large parking lot: Hand in the neutral position, centered at the bottom of the wheel, turn wheel 90 degrees clockwise, (1/4 of a turn), and back slowly holding the wheel in this position for 1 or 2 seconds then return the wheel to it's neutral position. Your trailer should going in a slight arc to the drivers side. You should be able to see your progress in your drivers side mirror. Oh, I forgot to tell you to set out a cone or cardboard box to serve as a target to aim for. If you're arcing too much you'll want the rear of the trailer to swing the other way. Move the bottom of your wheel 90 degrees counter clockwise for a second or two then return to the neutral position. Go very slow and make a lot of corrections, don't let the arc become too acute as it will require a lot of wheel correction to straighten the arc. The idea behind this exercise is to get your hand and eye coordinated with the trailer movement. Good luck [/font][/p]
I can imagine a 21 foot trailer being intimidating as a first backing experience! It helped me to have learned/practiced on small trailers. Even a riding lawn mower with a little garden trailer would help get the feel of what happens when backing. In the end, you'll get to be good at it with practice, so don't give up!
[quote source="/post/4313/thread" timestamp="1413802699" author="@sandroad"]
I can imagine a 21 foot trailer being intimidating as a first backing experience! It helped me to have learned/practiced on small trailers. Even a riding lawn mower with a little garden trailer would help get the feel of what happens when backing. In the end, you'll get to be good at it with practice, so don't give up!
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That is exactly what I did; used a lawn tractor with the small utility trailer. In the end though, it was definitely just practice. My driveway has a curve in it with the house on one side and a tree on the other. It was very frustrating at first, but now it isn't bad. The key for me was to realize I can't make it in in one motion. NOTHING wrong with partially backing in and pulling forward to reposition, and doing that repeatedly. Also, as stated above, SMALL movements of the wheel, holding it at the bottom. When turning one direction, when the trailer begins to move, start turning the other way. It takes a LONG time for the trailer to react to steering wheel movements.
Ditto what everyone else said. By the way, a garden tractor with a little trailer is way harder than an RV because the wheelbase is so short. Finally, there are many videos on youtube you could watch to give you some ideas but as everyone else said slow and easy and lot's of practice.
I really appreciate your comments. We thought we had a plan. Started out with 2 lines of cones 30 feet apart. I told my husband I just wanted to put the trailer between them. I did that - twice. Then we moved the cones to 20 feet apart - and that is when I fell apart.
I told my husband I wanted the entire trailer to stay between the cones, but the right corner of the trailer, the one on the passenger side, kept swinging wide. The longer I tried, the worse things got.I was exhausted by the time the fellow who helped us got there.
I totally agree with the lawn tractor idea if you have one.
A 21' long trailer is difficult as a learner.
You might consider going to your local rental store and rent an 8' or 10' box or flat trailer to practice with. Prolly run you $50 for half a day, which will be plenty and you can do it several times.
The big advantage is that you'll be able to turn around in the driver's seat and actually see over the top of the trailer where it is going. You really can't learn this by looking at your side mirrors.
As others have said, backing is an art.
Here is one thing that may help until you develop that art: A trailer turns while backing depending on the angle between the TV and the trailer. Start your turn by increasing the angle to make the trailer start to move the way you want it to move. But after it starts moving in that direction, decrease the relative angle to let the TV follow the trailer in an arc. Go slow and work the wheel back and forth to get a feel for how it works.
It just takes practice but can be done. When we return our trailer to the storage yard, we have to back into a 10' wide spot. That leaves about a foot on either side. Any more than about 2' off and I hit the adjacent trailer. Very infrequently I can make it in one smooth arc. But mostly it takes 4-5 fore and aft corrections to get it in the middle of the slot without hitting anything.
David
You have offered me some options. When I take my Camplite back to the dealer on Wednesday, I am going to talk to the technicians about this. I was also considering hiring someone to teach me. I googled truck driving schools and there are several in the Chicago suburbs. I thought some hands-on training might help.
The storage site I reserved is 10 feet wide, with trailers on each side. I can't go near it until I can control backing up. My husband has to work while I am planning to head to Louisville with the trailer where I have another storage place lined up for November. We have a home in Louisville. It is all on me right now to get comfortable with towing and backing.
Eventually I want to head to Florida so I can use the trailer during the winter. My husband is going to take about 10 days vacation in January to join me. I want to make it to Florida before the roads become slick and icy.
Leslie I my only advice about backing is I just want to say that you should go slow and not rush backing. I actually think with a bit more time behind the wheel towing navigating turns, exit ramps etc. youwill gain confidence and relax a bit behind the wheel with that trailer behind you and backing will get MUCH easier. I remember when I got home towing my trailer for the first time my back was all tight from nerves. Now I am completely at ease. If you think a driving school will work for you I say go for it.
Tlbones, when the dealer finished up my trailer on Friday, I towed for the first time in rush hour traffic, cars and trucks passing and cutting in front of me. I thought that was fearsome, and it went OK. Leaving the Wal-Mart on Saturday morning traffic was a piece of cake compared to Friday evening. Thanks for the encouraging words.
This may not be helpful, but you might consider selecting drive-through campsites for a little while as well. Not having to worry about backing into a campsite with the world gawking will make your first few outings less stressful and help you get comfortable with the new rig. It narrows your options as there are fewer of these spots, but if it is available...
Quote from: @sandroad" source="/post/4313/thread" timestamp="1413802699I can imagine a 21 foot trailer being intimidating as a first backing experience! It helped me to have learned/practiced on small trailers. Even a riding lawn mower with a little garden trailer would help get the feel of what happens when backing. In the end, you'll get to be good at it with practice, so don't give up!
I've actually found short trailers to be just as frustrating as larger ones. They tend to jack knife too quickly in my opinion to be effective teachers.
Leslie,
You will get it, I'm sure. First time I had to back up a large trailer I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My biggest take away from my experience is that you will want to think three steps ahead. Nothing happens immediately when backing up so be sure to leave room to make corrections. Also dont forget about your TV, its easy to get into a tight spot and forget that the front of the TV needs room as well. I've almost taken out a few objects this way.
Like others have suggested using a big parking lot to get a ton of practice time is the best advice anyone can give. This is a skill and like most skills they cant really be transferred without actually doing it.
[p][font face="comic sans ms" size="3"]Leslie,[/font][/p][p][font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"]
[/font][/p][p][font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"]Pinstriper has the right idea, choose pull through sites until you get good at backing. First of all get a campground book, see this http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=2014+good+sam+rv+travel+guide+%26+campground+directory&sprefix=2014+good+sam%2Caps%2C266&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A2014+good+sam+rv+travel+guide+%26+campground+directory , and carry it in your TV. As your trip progresses you'll have an idea of where you'll be stopping for the night. Peruse the book and call ahead to see if they have any level pull through sites available. Even if you arrive after the campground office is closed you'll be assured that your spot will be waiting for you. If I'm just overnighting I like a level spot so I won't have to unhook the TV, just the 12 volt cable. I don't even drop the stabilizers, I just hookup shore power, water, and sewer. If you wake up in the morning and it's raining, it's just that much less you have to do to get out of Dodge. And, I recommend this item if you ever hook up your rig in the dark, see this http://www.amazon.com/PowerCap-Mens-Cotton-Twill-Lighted/dp/B004X76O6U/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1413957047&sr=1-1 , I got a pink one for the DW, as she is the primary dog walker, and she loves it. [/font][/p]
[p]Best video I have seen on backing up a trailer. It is on a big truck but the lesson learned applies to any trailer.[/p][p]
[/p][p][a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pACYTXk_DQ8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pACYTXk_DQ8[/a][/p][p]
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If you have a smartphone, pull down the Reserve America app. It shows a photo of the specific campsite you are reserving and you can see the angle and situation when deciding which to pick. At least it does for all our state parks. Haven't looked elsewhere around the country. If there's a map available that is good, too. Many sites try to put the pad orthogonal to the road, but that's a harder cut in reverse, and can be blind if there is vegetation. Choose a site on a curve where the angle will appear more acute, but will actually be less in reverse.
KOA has an app, too. Dunno if it's any good.
Too bad there isn't a book - "Backing up for Dummies"
The service manager at the dealer spent a few minutes in the Jeep with me backing into a space and explaining how he does it.
I have made progress. No longer am I in absolute terror when I back up, now it is controlled panic. I am now able to back up into a space that is 30 feet wide, and not be on an angle.
I read all of your posts, and I watched funpilot's video. I sat in my Jeep as two men backed my Jeep into a parking space. I have been putting all of this together.
I found a place to store the trailer outside. They told me I wouldn't have to back up. THEY LIED. The space is at a junction of two driveways, and I have to back it up with a slight adjustment to the passenger side as I back it up. Fortunately for me, the storage space is 30 feet wide, so I can manage this. So far, we have found 2 private campgrounds that are still open with pull-throughs.
The directions for backing up in the RVing books I have say to follow the directions of your spotter, which in my case is my husband, and to grip the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand, and turn in the direction you want the trailer to go. These directions did not help. I managed to get the trailer sideways in a 30 foot wide driveway following these suggestions.
Now I use my husband as a warning system for when I am about to hit something. I figure out which way I want the back of the trailer to go and use both hands on the wheel to turn in the opposite direction of the way I want the back of the trailer to go. I turn the wheel much further than when I only had one hand on it, move only a couple feet at a time, and adjust the turn of the wheel before moving another couple of feet. I also move forward and back a lot. It is not smooth at all.
If anybody has any more suggestions, I would appreciate it.
[p][font face="comic sans ms" size="4"]Your confidence is up, and it sounds like you're doing just fine. Everyone does it a little different. And, the way that you do it the best is the correct way to do it. Happy camping, James [/font][/p][p][font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3"]
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You are not alone. We all went through that backward-forward-backward-forward stage and still do when in new places. My wife and I often bicycle around a local lake in the summer and stop at the boat launch for a break. The wide variety of backing skills are really evident at a boat launch. Pretty soon you'll be so good at you'll be giving others advice.
Quote from: @james" timestamp="1413787814" source="/post/4312/thread[p][font size="4" face="comic sans ms"]This is an art, not a science. Practice and more practice is the answer. You mentioned that the trailer went the opposite way that you thought it was going to go. Steering from the bottom of the wheel moves the back of the trailer in the desired direction, not the front of the trailer. Start with small movements, try this exercise in a large parking lot: Hand in the neutral position, centered at the bottom of the wheel, turn wheel 90 degrees clockwise, (1/4 of a turn), and back slowly holding the wheel in this position for 1 or 2 seconds then return the wheel to it's neutral position. Your trailer should going in a slight arc to the drivers side. You should be able to see your progress in your drivers side mirror. Oh, I forgot to tell you to set out a cone or cardboard box to serve as a target to aim for. If you're arcing too much you'll want the rear of the trailer to swing the other way. Move the bottom of your wheel 90 degrees counter clockwise for a second or two then return to the neutral position. Go very slow and make a lot of corrections, don't let the arc become too acute as it will require a lot of wheel correction to straighten the arc. The idea behind this exercise is to get your hand and eye coordinated with the trailer movement. Good luck [/font][/p]
[quote source="/post/4312/thread" timestamp="1413787814" author="@james"][p][font face="comic sans ms" size="4"]This is an art, not a science. Practice and more practice is the answer. You mentioned that the trailer went the opposite way that you thought it was going to go. Steering from the bottom of the wheel moves the back of the trailer in the desired direction, not the front of the trailer. Start with small movements, try this exercise in a large parking lot: Hand in the neutral position, centered at the bottom of the wheel, turn wheel 90 degrees clockwise, (1/4 of a turn), and back slowly holding the wheel in this position for 1 or 2 seconds then return the wheel to it's neutral position. Your trailer should going in a slight arc to the drivers side. You should be able to see your progress in your drivers side mirror. Oh, I forgot to tell you to set out a cone or cardboard box to serve as a target to aim for. If you're arcing too much you'll want the rear of the trailer to swing the other way. Move the bottom of your wheel 90 degrees counter clockwise for a second or two then return to the neutral position. Go very slow and make a lot of corrections, don't let the arc become too acute as it will require a lot of wheel correction to straighten the arc. The idea behind this exercise is to get your hand and eye coordinated with the trailer movement. Good luck [/font][/p][/quote]
This is the best description I have read. My wife and I were not doing so well. A fellow camper by the name of Gram offered to back it in. I agreed, if he would explain it as I watched. His lesson helped us out in a really big way. Thea write up is very similar to his lesson.
Thanks for all of the input. We are using orange plastic traffic cones to help me back up. I am making progress, backing more smoothly. I can back into a space 20 feet wide without the back corners of the trailer going out of bounds. Next up: backing unto a space that is 10 feet wide. Now that is scary.
[quote source="/post/4362/thread" timestamp="1413983382" author="@funpilot"][p]Best video I have seen on backing up a trailer. It is on a big truck but the lesson learned applies to any trailer.[/p][p]
[/p][p][a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pACYTXk_DQ8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pACYTXk_DQ8[/a][/p][p]
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[/p][/quote]Thank you. I have had trouble using the "Bottom of Wheel Description" . This is actually the same, but I find it easier to visualize as I look it the mirror. They both work, but people have different perspectives.
[quote source="/post/4763/thread" author="@leslie" timestamp="1415071387"]Thanks for all of the input. We are using orange plastic traffic cones to help me back up. I am making progress, backing more smoothly. I can back into a space 20 feet wide without the back corners of the trailer going out of bounds. Next up: backing unto a space that is 10 feet wide. Now that is scary.
[/quote]I have noted the RV community is always very helpful, on the forums and on the road. It is one of the things that makes it such a fun and pleasant hobby (or lifestyle as the case may be).
Many of us have had issues and backing up trailers, and many have received and given assistance. It is one of the things that if you do not get a handle on you might give up and go home thinking it is too hard.
Of all of the threads and conversations I have had on this topic, the most useful piece of advice I have found is the following:
[span] [/span]Keep your windows down (walkie talkie or not) and keep your partner in sight. If you loose sight of your partner stop immediately and put the tow vehicle into park and wait. Do not start until you see your partner. If he or she does not appear, turn off the engine and go and fine them, (the probably cannot hear you). It turns out that backing up accounts for a lot of accidents that can be avoided if we follow this rule. It is a nice way to tell your partner you care.
Mission Impossible just might be turning into Mission Possible. I have been working every weekend, when my husband can help spot for me. This weekend, I told him I wanted to back into a campsite without his help, and I DID IT! He stood and watched, ready to give me a holler just in case it looked like I would smack a tree, but backing in went just fine. That doesn't mean I can just whip that trailer right around into a campsite, but I can do it by myself. I am going to Florida this winter. Maybe my husband can get away from work long enough to join me for a little bit.
[quote source="/post/4986/thread" timestamp="1415676759" author="@leslie"]Mission Impossible just might be turning into Mission Possible. I have been working every weekend, when my husband can help spot for me. This weekend, I told him I wanted to back into a campsite without his help, and I DID IT! He stood and watched, ready to give me a holler just in case it looked like I would smack a tree, but backing in went just fine. That doesn't mean I can just whip that trailer right around into a campsite, but I can do it by myself. I am going to Florida this winter. Maybe my husband can get away from work long enough to join me for a little bit.[/quote][p]I know I speak for everyone else here, who had very little to do with this, but we're real proud of your accomplishment ![/p][p]
[/p][p]I had occasion this weekend to back our trailer into a 14' wide bay in my barn for the first time. Since the driveway is not straight in, it's about 150' of backing in, then 50' of "S" curve where you cut it one way, then the other to go straight back at the end.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I finally had to tell Mrs. Pin that I just needed her to holler if she thought I was about to hit the barn. I set out wheel chocks to mark each side about 10' out from the barn itself. I figured I could always see either one or the other marker and lined up on those, until she decided to help by moving one of them out of the way.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Ya gotta go with what you can see. Hearing helpful comments like "a little more" and "almost there" are not helpful. I need "3 feet, 2 feet, 6 inches".[/p][p]
[/p][p]I told her I couldn't hear her over the motor and just used the chocks.[/p][p]
[/p]
[quote source="/post/4988/thread" timestamp="1415679523" author="@pinstriper"][quote source="/post/4986/thread" timestamp="1415676759" author="@leslie"]Mission Impossible just might be turning into Mission Possible. I have been working every weekend, when my husband can help spot for me. This weekend, I told him I wanted to back into a campsite without his help, and I DID IT! He stood and watched, ready to give me a holler just in case it looked like I would smack a tree, but backing in went just fine. That doesn't mean I can just whip that trailer right around into a campsite, but I can do it by myself. I am going to Florida this winter. Maybe my husband can get away from work long enough to join me for a little bit.[/quote][p]I know I speak for everyone else here, who had very little to do with this, but we're real proud of your accomplishment ![/p][p]
[/p][p]I had occasion this weekend to back our trailer into a 14' wide bay in my barn for the first time. Since the driveway is not straight in, it's about 150' of backing in, then 50' of "S" curve where you cut it one way, then the other to go straight back at the end.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I finally had to tell Mrs. Pin that I just needed her to holler if she thought I was about to hit the barn. I set out wheel chocks to mark each side about 10' out from the barn itself. I figured I could always see either one or the other marker and lined up on those, until she decided to help by moving one of them out of the way.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Ya gotta go with what you can see. Hearing helpful comments like "a little more" and "almost there" are not helpful. I need "3 feet, 2 feet, 6 inches".[/p][p]
[/p][p]I told her I couldn't hear her over the motor and just used the chocks.[/p][p]
[/p][/quote]I have pretty much the same situation with my driveway. I have about 150' back in, with an s curve around a tree (about 40 feet). I am now at the point where my wife helps me get the camper through the gate (12') and then she goes in the house and starts doing what she needs to do. I have now established various reference points I use and am able to back the camper in fairly easily and then park it to the side on a concrete pad. Sometimes it is much easier doing it yourself since sometimes the spotters instructions may differ from your approach or what you see.
Now that I have practiced driving in different situations, including on an interstate highway, and now that I can back up by myself, I asked my husband when he wanted to start driving and learning to back up. His reply was that, after watching what I was going through, he wanted to wait until he retired!
I have put pressure on myself to get up to speed as quickly as possible because if I wanted to go south this winter, my husband would not be able to get time off from work to share the driving - or the backing up.
Support from posters here has helped me through this process. Thank you.
I've only backed the camper once since we got it a few weeks ago. Our driveway is a short one but 2-wide at the street opening to 3-wide at the house. Trying to get the trailer into the 3rd spot. Here is what helped me (besides removing the basketball pole and a bush:) :
http://www.marops.net/portfolio/trailer-reversing-game
It's an awesome little game that drove me crazy until I had the "aha!" moment when I finaly understood what to do with the front wheels in different situations. It really helps me to have a visual in my head of all the angles involved with the wheels, TV and TT. Hope this helps someone else. I watched YouTube videos and other tutorials but could never see all the moving parts in one view. This game does just that.