Towing Question.......

[jimmyg75]

So it has been a really good camping season here in Ohio. We have used our new Whitehawk 28DSBH about 12 times already. We are new to the camping scene and are enjoying every minute with the kids on our trips. That leads into my question....... i tow with a f150 with the factory towing mirrors fully extended, my problem is i struggle to see the right rear of the trailer. this makes it difficult on freeway driving and when i try to merge into the right lane, i really hesitate to make that move because i cant fully see the corner of my trailer and judge the distance between the back of my trailer and any cars in that lane. i could not image how much more i would struggle if it were not for the mirrors but i was wondering if any body else dreads this not being able to see the right rear and how they may make these lane changes with confidence. This is the first trailer i have towed where i cannot see the entire distance of that right side......
thanks everyone!

[Ustabslim]

Hopefully your not just driving in the left lane as a lane you use all the time. It's for passing only. If your in city driving where you end up in a middle lane and have to merge to your right to get into the correct lane it can be tough. It takes experience to be able to judge the distance. When passing I look for shadows sometimes to help me. I tow faster than most and normally I can see them when clear with no problem. I have a camera installed on the rear of my old camper and the picture is in my mirror. Makes it really nice as i triple tow most of the time. (Golf cart..Utv..boat according to where were headed) I will put a camera on my new one when delivered on 8-24. I tried the wireless ..not much good. I use hard wired one now. I use a coaxial male to female to make connection and disconnection easy. I run the cable under the camper thru what ever assessable area I can find then I take the rubber strip that hides where they screw the corners etc. together off, place the wire in that area and then install the strip back as I go in with the wire.

[Subaru297]

One of the best quotes I have read was related to this question on RV.net.

Paraphrasing here but.....

"When I signal I am not asking for permission, I am stating my intentions."

If you think you are clear just change lanes slowly. They will move. Otherwise a gentle swerve will let you see the back end of your trailer or what is behind you. And I mean a very gentle weave. No crazy serving to scare whoever is in the lane you want!

And yes, shadows help sometimes. If the sun is just right.

[Ustabslim]

Yes, a gentle squeeze can do wonders. Driving thru Dallas there are lane changes you have to make within a 1/8 mile..I mean across several lanes to get into the lane you have to be in take take the correct road or take a 10 mile detour. Rear camera has saved me lots.

[eldermike]

Its always easier to move left. If traffic is moving slowly then so am I. These two things help me when I am towing.

[robkelly]

Agree with all of the above. Even with the mirrors extended I've also found that I have to adjust my right mirror differently (wider/out further) when towing vs. standard driving.

[clutch]

The co pilot can be a lot of help in heavy traffic.

[Camper_bob]

One tactic I've always tried to employ, towing or not, is to be in the lane I need to be in as early as possible. I'll follow a slow poke for 2 miles or more just so that I can be in the lane I need to be in with plenty of time to spare. But like Texashighsheriff mentions, sometimes you have to do it on short notice, and when you're in heavy traffic, that can be difficult. If need be, I'll signal as early as I possibly can, then I'll start nosing the truck into the lane I'm going for, most of the time, people will slow down for me or move out of the way. For the most part, my regular mirrors can see the lane next to my trailer, I can lean forward or back a little to get even more view of that lane, and then I depend on my co-pilot to help me out with that side. My towing mirrors (clip on extensions) are only good for seeing down the side of the trailer and some of what's behind me, nothing to the sides is visible in those mirrors.

[SawBuck]

Originally Posted by robkelly

Agree with all of the above. Even with the mirrors extended I've also found that I have to adjust my right mirror differently (wider/out further) when towing vs. standard driving.

Robkelly makes a good point about mirror adjustment. I recently found that I did not have my mirrors set correctly on our TV and car. I had the side mirrors adjusted to see largely behind me (in my lane), and often checked the side mirrors to see what was behind the car. I would quickly turn my head left or right the check the lanes beside me before changing lanes. I saw this video and changed the car's mirrors first. It took me a week or so to get used to not seeing the side of the car in the side mirrors. It's amazing how much it improved my view of the lanes beside me. The same is true with the TV and trailer - I can actually see past the rear of my trailer with stock mirrors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwzUE6PHk4U

[mcfarmall]

I've been adjusting my mirrors like Sawbucks video for many years and it really works. One thing I notice is that when a car in the left lane is approaching and it disappears from the center rear view mirror it will just appear in the left side mirror. That is how I know that I can see everything behind me.

[Camper_bob]

I never understood why you would want to adjust your side mirrors to see behind you, that's what the one on the windshield is for. So I have been adjusting my mirrors per that video for as long as I can remember. Even with the side mirrors adjusted that way, I can still see behind me enough to make due if my rearview mirror is obstructed due to a load or a trailer.