Mastering the ancient art of backing up aka can I use my caster?

[ScooterDiva]

I'm a new 154BH owner and where I store my TT I have to park between 2 cars. I havent mastered the ancient art of backing up completely and the site is narrow, so it takes me a long time to get it straight.
The TT came with a caster and I was wondering if anyone uses it to even the TT out.

[greenenvy1]

Are you referring to the caster wheel on the tongue jack? If so I use to use it all the time with the old pop up. Worked great at campgrounds to position it just where I wanted it. Hook up your trailer and find an empty parking lot and practice backing it into a parking spot. It will come with practice.

[Threebutchers]

OOOOoooo.... very risky if the area isn't completely flat and smooth. That's about 3,000# that can get quickly get away from you. The other problem I found is that the TT tongue is often too low to install the caster (when hooked to the TV).....and certainly too low to travel with it installed.

[greenenvy1]

good point threebutchers!

[lx22f/c]

Originally Posted by Threebutchers

OOOOoooo.... very risky if the area isn't completely flat and smooth. That's about 3,000# that can get quickly get away from you. The other problem I found is that the TT tongue is often too low to install the caster (when hooked to the TV).....and certainly too low to travel with it installed.

X100 it will get away from you fast and no way to stop it. Can you move to a different spot that will make it easier?

[jmactootall]

Questions for the more experienced people.
Could the breakaway cable be pulled to engage the electric break if absolutely needed? Not saying it should be a common practice but a just in case while practicing. Maybe try and if trailer gets away pull breakaway once and give up because if it gets away once ; it will again.

[exjay1]

I would not count on it to stop. I'd keep practicing backing up in a empty parking lot until mastered. Its not hard, just take your time dont feel rushed and it will come naturally.

[Bobsanchez44]

Originally Posted by ScooterDiva

I'm a new 154BH owner and where I store my TT I have to park between 2 cars. I havent mastered the ancient art of backing up completely and the site is narrow, so it takes me a long time to get it straight.
The TT came with a caster and I was wondering if anyone uses it to even the TT out.

I hope what I am about to write, makes sense to you and others new at backing a trailer! Many moons ago, when I was learning to back a trailer an experienced "trailer backer upper" :-) said the following words to me and as a result I immediately and significantly improved at backing a trailer. All he said was, "As your backing, FOLLOW THE TRAILER [with your drive vehicle]"! Let me know if this helps! It immediately clicked for me!

Another trick is to place an orange highway cone as a target of where you want the back left corner of your TT to end up. This gives you and anyone guiding you a target, the ame target! :-) Hope that helps!

[Bivwack]

One way of backing a trailer is get the trailer in the direction you want it to go.Line the Tv w/ the tt, make sure the steering wheel is straight(front wheels). Put one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, which ever way you move your hand the back of the tt will go. So move your hand to the left the back of the tt will move to the left. While looking through the side mirrors give it a try just a foot, go slow so you can recover if you need to go the other direction. Hope that helps...

[exjay1]

For some reason the hand on the bottom never really caught on with me. Im use to backing boats down ramps and pulling around utilitiy/landscape trailers etc. I typically just hang out the window and look back at the trailer and check the direction of the front TV wheels as i back into a site. Always a good idea to drive by the site and get a good look at what your backing into (check for hook-up locations, trees, picnic table, stray kids etc)

[Ladywendolyn]

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...hin-rods/28563


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