Towing 101 - Frustrating!

[AgirlAndAgun]

So, I bought the camper, had a hitch installed, and have been practicing towing and parking.

Blah. Does it get any easier? I have no problem towing. I can hook her up, batten her down and drive around, no problem. I know my jack-knife warning area, stop distance, blah, blah, blah.

I parked it once in the driveway, and it took me about 30 minutes to do it. I have a cement pad aside of the garage where I keep it, and if I swing it too wide, I'm going to take out the garage. If I swing it the other way, I'll take out landscaping/trees.

Today I was so frustrated I called my dad to come and park the effin'thing.

The way I see it, I have viable 2 options at the moment, camp in pull-through spots only, or list it on Craig's list. LOL

It does get easier, right?

[-JD-]

Yes, but every trailer is a bit different to "tow" especially in reverse (factors of tongue length, overall length, and axle-hitch length) - just as every vehicle turns differently depending on wheelbase, overhangs, and steering angles.

Two suggestions:

Lots of practice.

Put a front receiver on your vehicle (It CAN be easier to maneuver when you can easily see the trailer). On the downside it means hooking up twice.

[camper]

When you back up into the spot, rather than keep your hands on the top of the steering wheel where you normally would, put them on the BOTTOM.

That way, you move your hand to the right, the trailer will move to the right. Move to the left, trailer moves left.

Doing that will make things a LOT easier as you won't have any 'quick correction' when you realize the trailer is going the wrong way than where you intended.

Also, try to position the trailer so that you're backing in as straight as possible.

It just takes practice, but you'll get it. Take it to a big parking lot and setup cones with broom handles sticking out of the top so you're not worried about hitting anything important.

camper

[wis bang]

Pull forward away from where you need to go until the trailer and vehicle are in line. As mentioned above hold the wheel on the bottom.

Stick your head out the side window looking backwards & drive the trailer...occasionally check the other side but set things up so you know you have room and drive the trailer looking only from one side.

The shorter the trailer, the quicker it turns. Try to stick to level ground as slopes complicate things. A front mounted receiver will help get into the tight spots.

When in doubt, get out and look. Better to check one more time instead of hitting that tree.

Practice. Empty parking lots are good places to practice.

[Robert Kayland]

Eh... girls don't have that backing-up-a-vehicle gene... let alone with a trailer!



(fast forward to 0:47)

[AgirlAndAgun]

Eh... girls don't have that backing-up-a-vehicle gene... let alone with a trailer!



(fast forward to 0:47)

L.M.A.O! So, shall I list it on Lancaster or Reading Craig's List?

[JoeWilliams]

When you back up into the spot, rather than keep your hands on the top of the steering wheel where you normally would, put them on the BOTTOM.

That way, you move your hand to the right, the trailer will move to the right. Move to the left, trailer moves left.

snip
camper

What he said. It's how the Air Force taught me to back up a tractor trailer, a skill for which I had no use then, or since, but if I can ever afford a trailer I'll be able to back it up LOL.

[Lady Beretta]

http://forum.pafoa.org/lounge-108/33...-101-help.html

Lots of good advice in the thread. I had to learn to back up my horse trailer (which I could do in a short distance OK but not in a zig zag and I CAN NOW).

[tes151]

Pull up far enough to get as straight a shot as you can. The shorter the trailer, the harder it is to back up due to reaction from steering. Once it's reasonably straight, just move the wheel slightly to make corrections. Oversteering is what causes you to get way out of whack with smaller trailers such as campers. The post about putting your hands at the bottom of the wheel should help to not oversteer also.

[AgirlAndAgun]

http://forum.pafoa.org/lounge-108/33...-101-help.html

Lots of good advice in the thread. I had to learn to back up my horse trailer (which I could do in a short distance OK but not in a zig zag and I CAN NOW).

Thanks, will do! I will also try the hand in the 6 o'clock position. Tomorrow. I'm towed out for today. I'm the only person I know that can kill a tank of gas backing in and out of her driveway.