For 29 years my family and I have enjoyed camping in our 1974 VW Camper outfitted by ASI. Yes, three boys and two adults sleeping in those cramped quarters and loving it all except when raining.
Boys are grown now and my wife and I are planning to get a 5er and a one ton pick-up when we retire. In the past we have enjoyed watching grandpa trying to back in his huge 5er while grandma stood, lap dog in arm, waving furiously this way and that.
I don't want to provide that kind of entertainment when we get our rig, so the question: Where does a newbee learn to drive a pick-up/5er combination and learn backing up?
A large deserted parking lot is probably the best place to practice. Just remember to turn wide and back slow. Get a couple of walkie talkies and have a friend help you back into your spot. Never ask your wife to do this as it has put undue strain on many otherwise happy marriages.
Good luck and happy camping.
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Go to a big empty parking lot (should be quite a few on weekends),take something to use for markers and practice. Go forward and backwards through the markers. Don't be afraid to move your mirrors. When backing up, the direction you turn the bottom of the steering wheel is the direction the rear of your trailer will go. When driving forward, make wide turns, the 5er will cheat. Practice, practice, practice.
Good luck, you'll like pulling a 5er. Just a little getting used to.
Buy a farm and spend 20 years working it. You will pick it up there.
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Never get in a hurry or let anyone make you rush. Use the wallie talkies and make sure you remember how tall your trailer is. Watch for low hanging limbs. You will get the hang of it in no time. Good Luck.
By the way, N9NB nice looking rig, like those Big Horns, very nice.
First, buy an up to date truckers road atlas with the restricted and low clearence routes listed
second, measure the height of your trailer, when hooked to the truck and post a sticky note on your dash in front of you, to look up and pay attention to low hanging objects such as tree limbs, wires, bridge overpasses.
third, remember that the trailer will turn inside the radius of the truck. If you are near a curb, or telephone pole, while making a right hand turn, make the turn wide and watch your right hand mirror to make sure the trailer does not side swipe the obstruction.
Same thing applies when making a left hand turn and there are highway islands to negotiate around.
fourth, when backing the trailer up, put your hand in the bottom of the steering wheel and push the wheel in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go. Once you get the trailer angled, you will have to play catch up withthe front end of the truck.
As suggested in other posts, find a parking lot where you can practice backing the trailer into simulated camp sites. I've also heard that some tractor trailer driving schols have abreviated courses for fifth wheel RV drivers. I'm seriously considering this for my wife, as I don't think I have the patience to teach her.
All the previous posts are valid but, go to the toy store, buy 2' semi tractor trailer, practice on the kitchen table. It will teach you more than you can imagine. You have a birds eye view of exactly how that trailer is going to react that you will never have sitting in the cab of your pickup. You'll be backing up first try in the real thing and nailing it to everyone's amazement!
The Motor Vehicle Section in British Columbia publishes an excellent book on Towing an RV, mainly geared to fifth wheels. It is a series of free downloads on their Website. I have combined the book into a single PDF. PM me your email address and I will be more than happy to send it along. And I agree with the folks above, practice makes perfect. I think that Jeff's idea is great. Never thought of that one.
Casey
* This post was
edited 04/03/08 04:08am by balvert *
longtrailer48 wrote: All the previous posts are valid but, go to the toy store, buy 2' semi tractor trailer, practice on the kitchen table. It will teach you more than you can imagine. You have a birds eye view of exactly how that trailer is going to react that you will never have sitting in the cab of your pickup. You'll be backing up first try in the real thing and nailing it to everyone's amazement!
-Jeff
That is a fantastic idea! Bravo!!
I just shared this with a friend who is beginning the fulltimer routine in May. Thanks again!
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longtrailer48 wrote: All the previous posts are valid but, go to the toy store, buy 2' semi tractor trailer, practice on the kitchen table. It will teach you more than you can imagine. You have a birds eye view of exactly how that trailer is going to react that you will never have sitting in the cab of your pickup. You'll be backing up first try in the real thing and nailing it to everyone's amazement!
-Jeff
That is a fantastic idea! Bravo!!
I just shared this with a friend who is beginning the fulltimer routine in May. Thanks again!
Not a bad idea, my CDL instructor used toy trucks to display several parking situations every day in class.
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