I've read a lot on here about the tail swinging out on units with a long distance between the back wheels & back bumper.
When I drive my minivan / pop up now, I take turns wide so as not to have the pop up clip what's on the inside of the turn.
How is it different driving a class C? Do I want to turn as wide or not as wide?
I am looking at a unit with a 220 inch wheelbase that is 31 feet 11 inches long. I realize the tail swing thing will happen. Just trying to figure out what it means & how to adjust.
Thanks!
'13 Forest River Sunseeker 3100
'04 Fleetwood Sedona / Reese Mini 350 / Prodigy / BAL
'94 Coleman Cedar
paullac wrote: I've read a lot on here about the tail swinging out on units with a long distance between the back wheels & back bumper.
When I drive my minivan / pop up now, I take turns wide so as not to have the pop up clip what's on the inside of the turn.
How is it different driving a class C? Do I want to turn as wide or not as wide?
I am looking at a unit with a 220 inch wheelbase that is 31 feet 11 inches long. I realize the tail swing thing will happen. Just trying to figure out what it means & how to adjust.
Thanks!
The big difference is that your van/pop-up "bends" in the middle and your class C won't...well at least we HOPE it won't
The easiest way to think about it is that you need to get your rear wheels at or past the thing you are turning around before you start your turn. This will keep you from clipping things on the side toward which you are turning. So, you don't really need to turn wide like with a trailer, as much as pulling farther forward before turning.
Now, the tail swing issue you hear about is on the OTHER side...as you turn to the right, you need to aware of what is on your left rear because the logn overhang behind the rear wheels will swing out in that direction.
It's really not that hard..just takes some practice and a little extra awareness of what is around you.
With a 220" wheelbase, you have to turn wide enough not to clip what is on the inside.
With long overhang, you have watch the outside swing, particularly on tight turns, rather than wide turns. Those are typically parking lot, gas station, campground kinds of maneuvers. On typical street and road turns, I don't often find the swing going outside my (11-14 foot) lane, if I start the turn hugging the inside.
It doesn't take long to adjust to the swing, and learn when you have to watch for which turning problem. If you are worried about the wide turn issue, a set of "swings wide on turns" signs will encourage other drivers to give you more room, but doesn't help much with trees, campground signposts, electrical boxes, or parked vehicles. Those you have to watch, and include in your plan before you make the move.
Pretty much same just need to watch the outside of your turns - especially when pulling away from gas station islands, parked cars, etc.
With our wheelbase and MH length, I need about an extra half lane inside space when turning. Like with pulling a trailer, I either swing out a little before turn or run over lane on the road I'm turning into depending on traffic, etc.
Couple of other thoughts on this...
- When we bought our used MH, previous owner had added those little stick-on wide angle mirrors. They are great for watching tail as you turn
- First day we had our MH, I took it to an empty parking lot. I pulled up so the side was directly over a painted line in parking lot. Then, with DW driving, she cut wheel all the way to the opposite direction and inched forward as I watched overhang from outside of MH. Once it reached max point of swinging across the line I hollered stop and we checked how much it swang over line. Then, we did same thing for other side. This gave me a great perspective on how much it would swing.
- While in parking lot, I also backed up slowly toward a painted line while DW guided me back. She stopped me with bumper right on the line and I checked where the line was in relation to my rear view camera monitor.
- I pulled away from line until it was just out of monitor and got out to check how far from line I actually was.
- Also did some similar tests by slowly pulling past a parked car looking for blind spots in mirrors and rear view camera. Did this for both sides.
* This post was
edited 06/11/12 08:11pm by hotbyte *
I had a row of firewood stacked to the left of my 31' Class C. I wanted to move the camper over to the right, so I cut the wheel to the right not thinking about it...I had to restack my firewood and knock the dent out of my bumper.
Kevin & Lawanda Kress (4 girls 1 boy)
1998 Fleetwood Jamboree The Kress Express
You have to drive the vehicle you're in at the time and do what is necessary to be sure you're not hitting anything on EITHER side of you. Tail slap becomes as second nature to you as a trailer cutting the corner (and they do have tail slap issues also). Practice until you know how to take corners because there isn't often time to think about it or look up the answer.
Good luck / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR - 2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles) 2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
As others have said, you will need to watch the tail swing, especially a low speed tight turns, pulling away from gas station islands, parking spots etc. In our 29 footer, I checked one day in a vacant parking lot while parked next to a curb, turned the steering wheel hard to the right and the rear bumper swung about 3 to 4 feet over the curb.
You will get used to where you need to postion your vehicle prior to turning, but may be best just to practice in a large vacant parking lot to see how much tail swing you have and how the toad tracks behind the MH.
2006 Winnebago Outlook 29B E-450.
2012 Honda CR-V AWD
Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and Brake Buddy Vantage.
A tight right turn from a narrow lane with vehicles in the opposite narrow lane is one of the worst cases. Luckily, just waiting for an opening, like pulling out into traffic, works most of the time.
I agree with how to make right turns around corners but let me add... When I can, I start out far enough from the right hand curb that a car usually doesn't try to go around the corner with me, on my left. In other words, briefly take up most of both lanes.
God Bless, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100
Quote: I am looking at a unit with a 220 inch wheelbase that is 31 feet 11 inches long. I realize the tail swing thing will happen. Just trying to figure out what it means &
Quote: .
Quote: what it means
It means if you turn to sharp you'll hit something. And gets exsensive.
Quote: how to adjust
Rear overhang as it is also known will take some adjustments on your part.
A' avoid tight places
B: side wide
C: electric mirrors can adjust out somewhat to help you see as you make turn. But not that much.
Before I retired we had a course for newer drivers that was called "tight quarters" that helped newer drivers. Of all programs that prevented accidents that was the best, wish I would of kept a copy. (Always got to know where your rear is)
Nothing better than stick time around a big parking lot, like a school on a weekend.
Or if you think you really need it. "RV driving school"
(To cheap to buy new)
1990 37 ft 5th wheel that hasn't moved since 1996 (our best home)
1997 33 ft trailer (winter home in much warmer climate)
2005 25 ft M/H (our "stand up B" for traveling)
You have to look up, too! My "swing out" lesson came from a tree branch on the outside of a campground turn. Luckily, it only knocked the end cap off my awning, but that branch had scars from many other "lessons" learned!
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