Save a marriage. (Backing Up a Trailer)

[Dropnaduece]

Originally Posted by bansai

I like this thread. My wife has taken over every truck I've ever owned for her daily driver, leaving me with the econo-car (which I don't mind at all in the city). When I switched out our 250 diesel for the 150 ecoboost, I drove it for 3 days before she took that one over too. I love it. There's something pretty cool about a 100 lb vegetarian woman driving a 'mans' vehicle with authority that just turns me into butter. I am still the back seat driver when she's driving 'my truck'.. I can't help it, but she does just fine with it... 300K accident free miles on several trucks her friends cannot believe she actually drives. I just have to teach her how to back the TT in to our tight camping spots and it's all gravy from my perspective. I've decided though that next time I buy a truck, I'm not trading 'her's in. I want one too. If I'm lucky I'll get my F150 back in the process.

Funny funny - I drove my new Eco boost for ten days and got a $280 speeding ticket for the first time in almost 20 years. Fastest truck I have every driven then the wife took it and I have not seen it since driving the 07 Honda CRV but I do get good gas mileage. Lol

[BuddyRay]

I'm another lover of the Ford Backup Assist - but not for the RV - It won't work with a 5th wheel. I use it with my boat trailer. I can back a trailer fine - but frankly, keeping it perfectly straight going down the LONG narrow ramp is always a challenge. With the backup assist, once you're going straight, it will keep the trailer that way and you can literally ZIP down the ramp.

One thing about having help backing a trailer that I haven't seen discussed yet is reaction time. My wife and I make a great team EXCEPT she never seems to understand how many feet it takes to get the RV to change direction. I'll be backing in and have to get the rig into a pretty tight turn. As we all know - to straighten it out (or even to get it headed the other direction) takes some time/distance. My Wife will direct me back into the campsite and then get MAD when I don't "keep it straight." She just doesn't get the idea that until the TV is straight with the RV, it's not going to stop turning some. So you have to plan ahead and start straightening the rig out well ahead of time so it ends up straight where you want it.

[cekkk]

DW and I switch off who guides and who drives, mostly determined by the weather. She hates the cold temperatures. She drove a school bus, so a different type of vehicle is not a problem for her. And we've had 5 different types of trailers, so plenty of practice over the years. We use hand signals, no yelling. Plus, I've found having well intentioned "volunteer helpers" are to be avoided.

[JohnWedell]

I have 8 small orange cones from Walmart. I set them up as a landing strip and follow them in. DW never gets involved. Some people use a rope.

[North of 49°]

Originally Posted by bansai

Edit, I don't get all the acronyms people use for their husbands / wives, whatever... I'll just call her my wife, and she can call me her husband it that's ok. SWMBO. DW DH, DWTF.. Spouse ok still?

DW = Dear Wife
DH = Dear Husband
SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed
DWTF = ...well, I'll leave this one for the censors

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by BuddyRay

snip...

One thing about having help backing a trailer that I haven't seen discussed yet is reaction time. My wife and I make a great team EXCEPT she never seems to understand how many feet it takes to get the RV to change direction. I'll be backing in and have to get the rig into a pretty tight turn. As we all know - to straighten it out (or even to get it headed the other direction) takes some time/distance. My Wife will direct me back into the campsite and then get MAD when I don't "keep it straight." She just doesn't get the idea that until the TV is straight with the RV, it's not going to stop turning some. So you have to plan ahead and start straightening the rig out well ahead of time so it ends up straight where you want it.

My wife gets it for the most part, and will give me enough head-way.

Surprisingly enough, it's my DAD I have a problem with in this department. He and I have been backing trailers together since I was just a boy. This year, we finally got into a deer lease. One afternoon I'm helping him fill his feeders by backing the truck up close to the feeders and filling them from a standing position out of the bed of the truck. So you have to get CLOSE to the feeders. What my dad doesn't understand is that when the tires of the truck are on top of a rock (the terrain out there is best suited for goats, and hearty ones at that), you're going to get a little extra roll when you come off it. So he's telling me I have a couple inches until I'm in the right spot, I roll off the rock and hit the feeder! Bent the leg, but not too bad. I told him that next time, where I was is close enough! I can't stop the truck in 3 inches while rolling off the backside of a rock! Even if I'm power braking it's tough!

[ALJO]

Anyone who's not in control of their rig shouldn't be on the road.
If you need an extra person to guide you in a campsite you need (truck) driver education to learn it. Man up or women up and learn it to do it by yourself. Members here have given enough hints. And how slower you back up how easier it is to control your combo.
If things goes wrong who's at fault?................The "driver"

[bansai]

One of the places I worked at when I was younger had a docking bay that gave professional truck drivers problems. We didn't revoke their man card if they needed a spotter on that one. Usually the driver that didn't ask for a spotter took 4 times longer to park, than those that did. I guess it's like a guy stopping to ask for directions in some peoples mind. Asking for a little help doesn't make you less of a man. They blamed us for having a cruddy dock, we laughed and told them to learn to drive, but the fact remains even the pros can use a spotter from time to time.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by bansai

One of the places I worked at when I was younger had a docking bay that gave professional truck drivers problems. We didn't revoke their man card if they needed a spotter on that one. Usually the driver that didn't ask for a spotter took 4 times longer to park, than those that did. I guess it's like a guy stopping to ask for directions in some peoples mind. Asking for a little help doesn't make you less of a man. They blamed us for having a cruddy dock, we laughed and told them to learn to drive, but the fact remains even the pros can use a spotter from time to time.

Right?!!

I'd MUCH rather have another set of eyes on what I'm doing. Sure, I'm capable of doing it myself, and have MANY times. But it sure is nice to have another set of eyes watching out for something I might have missed.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by bansai

One of the places I worked at when I was younger had a docking bay that gave professional truck drivers problems. We didn't revoke their man card if they needed a spotter on that one. Usually the driver that didn't ask for a spotter took 4 times longer to park, than those that did. I guess it's like a guy stopping to ask for directions in some peoples mind. Asking for a little help doesn't make you less of a man. They blamed us for having a cruddy dock, we laughed and told them to learn to drive, but the fact remains even the pros can use a spotter from time to time.

The company I worked for for 32 years (and now pays for my pension) made it mandatory to use a spotter for even a car whenever one was available. if you had a backing accident and you didn't use a spotter when one was available, you were toast. The same was true if you had an accident backing into a space, even with a spotter, when you could have avoided backing in the first place (such as pulling through from the other end of the space).

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Right?!!

I'd MUCH rather have another set of eyes on what I'm doing. Sure, I'm capable of doing it myself, and have MANY times. But it sure is nice to have another set of eyes watching out for something I might have missed.

X2!

Having a pair of eyes with a clear voice saves a ton of trial-and-error.

[bankr63]

Heck I worked as a ramp agent at the local airport. Took turns at driving the pushback tractors, and wing walker (signal person). No shame in having a spotter when you are backing up a million$ plus aircraft with 50-200 souls on board. And there was essentially nothing to run into...

[KCSA75]

Originally Posted by glsimms

The main thing is to avoid "campground sex". You know when you hit that tree or picnic table and you say WTF you doing? And they say well Eff you and so on, you get the idea.....

Originally Posted by Doboy Dawg

Kiss method, keep it simple. Place wife behind trailer back up until screaming stops, park trailer and enjoy peace and quiet.

When I saw the title to this thread, I figured it might be good for a laugh, but these crack me up. Campground Sex....

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Just this weekend, DW offered to drive us home from the CG. She never offers to drive, so I was ready to jump on this opportunity. I told her the first part of the drive was a bit technical (winding roads and lots of hills), and that if she wanted me to, I would get us out of that and into the flats, and we could switch out. We never stopped, so I drove us all the way home ...

I told her next trip (in two weeks), she's driving; I need a nap!

Wife doesn't need to be backing up the camper, but she'll drive to or home from the campground pretty regularly. Particularly if we're going for the weekend and leaving after work. Her driving gives me a chance to unwind.

[woblyknees]

We experienced the same issues. I solved it by going on Amazon and purchasing a back up camera and monitor. Installed the camera on the back of the trailer and ran the wires up to the tongue. I also wired it "hot" so I can use it in drive when passing to check for clearance when lane changing. Approx $50 for the set up. Way cheaper than a divorce.

[secal48]

As I said I'm perfectly comfortable backing into a site. But the DW has the final say about the precise angle in the site that we stop at so the her view out the slide out window is what she wants. And she saves me time by eyeballing the slide and making sure it won't hit a tree. Training in how to back up is a good idea for newbies but it is an art rather than a science and every trailer behaves differently.
On another post in this string regarding SWMBO, I never realized we had so many Rumpole fans here.

[dave89]

I fixed this problem. I do it alone. Most of the time I go out without my wife and set up. I know that not everyone can do it. Even when she's with me, I don't have her involved with backing the unit in. I always look the site over and come to a conclusion of where the camper will land. I've gotten very good at putting it where we'll both like it placed.
On the other hand, my daughter and her husband use 2way radios to communicate during the backing of their camper. For them, it works great. They have worked out the wording they use to where nobody yells anymore.

[charles_cincy]

The US Army requires ground guides when moving vehicles, forward or backward, in assembly areas or motor pools.

My man card is quite secure even after asking my wife to spot for me.

[CrazyDawgMom]

After reading a lot of the comments on this thread I'm now wondering if any of the wives or lady friends actually pull and/or back in the TT's or motorhomes? This seems to be a male oriented task, lol. I am learning to pull our 43' toy hauler and my next lessons will be on backing. My spouse is VERY good at the backing but I'm a control freak and want to learn for myself.

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by CrazyDawgMom

After reading a lot of the comments on this thread I'm now wondering if any of the wives or lady friends actually pull and/or back in the TT's or motorhomes? This seems to be a male oriented task, lol. I am learning to pull our 43' toy hauler and my next lessons will be on backing. My spouse is VERY good at the backing but I'm a control freak and want to learn for myself.

I tow and back both a double axle trailer and a single axle trailer. Two axles is a whole lot simpler. The single axle trailer dances to it's own tune sometimes.

Find a large parking lot and practicing is a good plan. That said, I have to admin t that when I first got a camper, I played a little bit with my kids ertle tractors and a toy manure hauler. Still there is no substitute for practice.

My very worst parking experience was in a pitch black campground with a site that was at a right angle from the loop road. I couldn't see anything behind the trailer, there were lots of trees and a giant boulder on one side of the site entrance. Horrible. Finally I dug out two flashlights, turned then on and laid them on either side to the site entrance pointing backwards towards the rear of the site - sort of like runway lights. I managed not to hit anything but have to admit to getting out about 6 times to check as I inched into the site. There was beer after - several.

[CrazyDawgMom]

Originally Posted by Janet H

I tow and back both a double axle trailer and a single axle trailer. Two axles is a whole lot simpler. The single axle trailer dances to it's own tune sometimes.

Find a large parking lot and practicing is a good plan. That said, I have to admin t that when I first got a camper, I played a little bit with my kids ertle tractors and a toy manure hauler. Still there is no substitute for practice.

My very worst parking experience was in a pitch black campground with a site that was at a right angle from the loop road. I couldn't see anything behind the trailer, there were lots of trees and a giant boulder on one side of the site entrance. Horrible. Finally I dug out two flashlights, turned then on and laid them on either side to the site entrance pointing backwards towards the rear of the site - sort of like runway lights. I managed not to hit anything but have to admit to getting out about 6 times to check as I inched into the site. There was beer after - several.

Thanks for the advice. Our trailer has 3 axels so just getting comfortable with towing has been a challenge. I am looking forward to learning to back it. But, I realize conquering that in an empty parking lot is very different than backing into a campground site with real obstacles! I'm envious that you have that skill .