boba
new york
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we went from a 32 ft 5er to a 40 ft motorhome. we took the course at lazydays and after went to a big parking lot at a local school and both my wife and i took turns driving,backing and parking between cones(simulated backing into a campground spot). it helps but really driving it on the road is what eases the effort. it is 4 years later and we would never go back to a 5th wheel. i wonder what a tag would drive like :>)
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Driver25
Pennsylvania
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Johno02 wrote:Probably one of the best things is the tape gunsight on the drivers windshield. Get on a deserted road, or a parking lot, with white center lines. put the rig with the left tires close to the white line, then go sit in the driver seat. Get someone else to put a small tape on the windshield lined up with where the white line is. Then go driving. Just keep the tape on the white line, and let the right side go where it may. The left side will be right, aned the right will take care of itself.
I'm still a newbie myself, but I can vouch for this 100%. When I put the tape on the line I've got no worries about where the vehicle is in the lane. No back and forth to the mirrors just to keep straight, and you can see the tape with eyes still on the road. Can't say I'm comfortable yet, but the tape as gone a long way towards making that day come.
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Driver25
Pennsylvania
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boba wrote:we went from a 32 ft 5er to a 40 ft motorhome. we took the course at lazydays and after went to a big parking lot at a local school and both my wife and i took turns driving,backing and parking between cones(simulated backing into a campground spot). it helps but really driving it on the road is what eases the effort. it is 4 years later and we would never go back to a 5th wheel. i wonder what a tag would drive like :>)
The problem I found with going to the local school is that it is bus-sized with no obstacles, unlike the rest of the world. Still, a good start.
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2Rovers
First Star to the Right.........
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First, go to a large empty parking lot and put cones out to help learn your turning, backing, etc. (if possible)
Second, consider buying a pamphlet, "Drive Your Motorhome Like a Pro" at Drive Smart, P O Box 3690, Silverdale, WA 98383-3690.
I have no affiliation with them, but we purchased one years ago (for me, DW) and it helps seeing pics and understanding turning radius, braking, visibility, etc.
This pamphlet was very useful.
I think sometimes we forget that the freedoms we have are freedoms not because of celebrities. The freedoms are because of ordinary people who did extraordinary things, who loved this country more than life itself.
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sc3283
St Louis
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Learn to trust your backup camera. Do this by putting something behind the RV such as a bucket or cone. Position it so it shows to be furthest from the RV per your camera....take a measurement on this distance and note it....now back slowly towards the bucket/cone. Get out and check your distances occasionally and see where cone/bucket is located when your camera shows it to be closest to the rear of the RV. If your cam screen has markings on the screen, make note of how close to the object you are @ each of those markings. Mine is dead on...15' is furthest as shown by camera and when camera shows I'm an inch or 2 from touching the cone, I actually am....Knowing how much clear distance you have behind you will sure make backing easier
04 D-Max Crew Dually
96 Monaco Dynasty 36'
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Shot-N-Az
Va
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Excellent thread!
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Sandy Korners
Marathon, FL
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Any one that has the courage to admit what you did has the confidence to master the Class A. One little trick that I heard about is put little reference marks with tape on your windshield to mark edge of road.
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Nui
Vancouver
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I was shown a tip for backing by a retired truck driver.
He said that I should scope out the area where I want to park the rig. Once that area lines up with the bottom third of the back-up camera screen, I should stop. That will put me within a foot or two of where I need to be and still give me enough room to go around the back of the rig. Works like a charm.
Another trick is to put a frisbee or something colourful on the ground where you want to end up. You can then use the side mirror as well as the back up camera to line up.
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tropical36
Southwest Florida_USA
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Gale Hawkins wrote:Move over to the center of your lane and you will be fine. 
We are only 32' by 8' and I had the same problem for a long time.
Yes....and look a ways down the road for center, not over the dash and especially when going through tunnels.
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."
1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Model 6350 on a 1997 Chevy P32
Chassis_7.4 Vortec Engine_4L80E Tranny_slide_tag axle.
Dinghy_2010 Jeep Wrangler JKU ISLANDER.
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jokvist
eastern MA
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The trick with driving a class A is to stay in the middle of your lane. I found that I was initially driving too far right. Two hints, if you have a rear facing camera use it to see if your tow car is centered in the lane.
Alternatively look in the side mirrors for the white lines on the road. Check both mirrors and keep them equal distance from the edge of the rig.
The other idea is to get centered in the lane, and sit in your normal driving position, look at where the center line in the lane is and note or mark with a piece of tape on your dash in front of you an alignment mark to use when driving.
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