Back it up

[Number 4]

Oh sure, he's good :eek: but add in some one-way campground loops, trees, boulders, campsite markers and something longer than a single axle pop-tart TT and let's see how he does! :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHcSTMFRG_g

[Cbrez]

Most impressive is the performance is in front of hundreds of spectators. I forget my name if I’m backing into a site and more than 3 people are watching. DW has to get some smelling salts under my nose to get my head back in the game ��

[sourdough]

I suppose anyone could take a TV, tiny trailer and just whip through things when there is absolutely no danger to the RV, car or occupants. Add some trees, short steel posts, peds, a 200' straight drop off dictating the placement of the tires......you won't see this.

[chuckster57]

The fact that he didn’t touch a single cone tells me he either practiced until it was “muscle memory” or he really does know what he’s doing.

Then again it could be a her.

[Logan X]

Most impressive is the performance is in front of hundreds of spectators. I forget my name if I’m backing into a site and more than 3 people are watching. DW has to get some smelling salts under my nose to get my head back in the game ��

Backing in in front of a crowd is the worst. Especially when everyone has been drinking and wants to give you advice!

[JRTJH]

I consider myself "fairly competent" at backing an RV. After 50 years, I'd hope so !!!

That said, the only way I'd attempt something like that is after a "big jug" of my favorite adult beverage and a beer in my hand so I could give it to someone while saying, "Here, hold my beer and watch this"....

Oh, and only in someone else's tow vehicle and trailer, certainly not mine !!!!!

[kjohn]

When I was much, much younger, I used to haul cattle part-time, usually with a neat 900 Fargo LCF with a tag axle and a 42' or 45' open trailer. Worst times were hauling to and from community pastures out on the Saskatchewan prairie. Always had an audience, always a tight spot to get in and out of. Being a young guy and a bit sharper back then, I was lucky to not have any colossal screwups.

It is more trouble backing these short little trailers than a 50' cattle van.

[travelin texans]

Let us see that person do that with a 40' 5er & a CC DRW long bed truck, then I'd be impressed.
We witnessed a couple pull into a park where all sites were wide enough to be comfortable but not huge, all were 90 degree back ins. They were in a DRW CC F350 towing a long 5er, he got out, the women all of about 4'6" tall about the size of a 10 year old girl, she got behind the wheel while he stood at the drivers side front bumper pointing (not shouting) to her directions, she never took her eyes off him & backed in perfectly 1st shot. We were very impressed!
Most of the time I can't tell what DW is signaling me or if she's just swapping insects, could never do what that couple did.

[GMcKenzie]

Backing in in front of a crowd is the worst. Especially when everyone has been drinking and wants to give you advice!

I've got a tricky spot to put my trailer away next to my house. Usually park in front of the house to unload, take the bars off, go around the block and take my time backing it in.

Was part way through unloading one day when the neighbors popped by to see when I would be done as someone was going to rent their house and was going to put their trailer in the driveway, but mine was kinda in the way. Was happy as theirs was in my way so agreed to move things at 2 (all done very nicely, no issues).

Come 2 and I pull my trailer and park on a side street. The guys tries for about half an hour, doing the same thing over and over again despite it never working and finally gets frustrated and lets me back in.

So crowd watching including this guy who is now pretty frustrated.

Yup. Nailed it first try. No pulling forward to adjust just scooted it in like nothing.

Guy coulda killed me and other neighbors could barely keep from laughing. He then went back to doing what hadn't worked and finally gave up after another half hour or so.

This was on a Sunday. By Wednesday his whole truck and trailer had been stolen. Felt bad for the guy. Also made worse because between the Sunday (when my trailer was away) and the Wed (when his was stolen) Google came by so Google street view showed his truck and trailer parked.

[CaptnJohn]

I never had trouble backing boats from 14' to 30', never had a problem with a TT of any size. Now on my 4th 5er and still can't back the damn thing in!

[Old Mustanger]

I never had trouble backing boats from 14' to 30', never had a problem with a TT of any size. Now on my 4th 5er and still can't back the damn thing in!

You and I are in the same boat! Learned to backa car trailer and TT's with no troubles, now on my 2nd 5er and always take at least 2 tries :banghead:

[CaptnJohn]

I'd be happy with 2 tries. 4-6 seems to be my average.

[MN-Clark]

So, y'all saying I'm not the only one that takes a couple of tries to get my 5th wheel backed in?

Wheeew, that makes me feel better!

Still, my beautiful bride thinks I do an excellent job driving and in particular, backing up. And she's the only one I really have to impress!

[jsmith948]

Pull-ups DO NOT COUNT! The goal here is to position your camper in the campsite without any damage to the trailer or the campsite. If you can't see - or if you aren't sure of your clearances - Get out and Look (GOAL). As to the looky-lews that seem to be having fun at you expense - well - insecure buttholes have to denigrate others to make themselves feel superior - Just Sayin':lol:

[CaptnJohn]

I just tell them if they can do better to get in and do it.

[JRTJH]

I just tell them if they can do better to get in and do it.

I wonder what would happen if instead of inviting them to try, you simply said, "I get nervous when people are watching, if you all would turn around, I'd get in it position on the first try"..... :D

[GMcKenzie]

I never had trouble backing boats from 14' to 30', never had a problem with a TT of any size. Now on my 4th 5er and still can't back the damn thing in!

Maybe it's a trailer vs. 5th wheel thing, but I have more trouble with the smaller trailers than my 34'4" trailer.

Got this little 8 ft utility trailer and I can't see the damn thing in my mirrors until it's swung too far.

[rjrelander]

My neighbor across the street is a retired teamster. I'm a lot better at backing into my driveway now but I gave him and his buddies hours of entertainment early on. :cool:

[EDIT] You can actually see his open garage doors in my signature picture below. He's got the full man cave thing going on over there.

[rhagfo]

Well in the winter we "Host" at a closed park on the Oregon Coast. It is closed due to occasional flooding during extreme high tides. The winter host site is angled the wrong way for incoming traffic. This year the floods came early and driving into the park to use the turnaround at the far end was out of the question. So pulled into the day use and backed in about 200' to 300'.
When it come to backing, I wish I had the link to the video of the guy who drove down a dead end street in Cannon Beach, OR tried at least a dozen times to get turned around in the street, without success. Then finally tried backing out, he did it straight as an arrow.

[johnlewis]

Backing a 37' 5er seemed a lot easier to me than backing a trailer with a 15' boat.

[Larrystegall]

Like the old song, I like a bit of space. I was a one-shot wonder some of the time with a 32' TT, moved up to the 42' 5th and have NEVER nailed it on one shot. I just can't "see" the swivel point in my head. But I plan to keep practicing......

[Modifier]

I will bet he cannot do that if you add WD bars and a sway control device.

[tech740]

I have found that axle placement also makes a difference. My cougar the axles seemed to be very close to the midpoint and I had a hard time learning on that rig. With my new 5th wheel they are about 6.5-8 feet further back. It seems to pull better and backup way easier. If you have a slider and use it, it will back up easier for most folks also because it moves the pivot point back toward the bumper which most people are more accustomed too.

[JRTJH]

I think the easiest to back trailer we've owned was the Holiday Rambler (36' long). The Cougar fifth wheel (31') is more challenging, but I usually get it close on the first try and make it look like I'm rolling around looking for a level spot from there....

I will say that the hardest damn trailer I have to back is the 4' garden utility trailer behind the lawn tractor. That thing will jack-knife in about 6 inches of "wrong direction" while in reverse...... More than a few choice words with that trailer !!!!!!!

[larryflew]

Agree with using the slider, it's the difference between one shot or several. BTW after years of watching RVers park it IS a spectator sport and especially if they come in during cocktail times ��

[CaptnJohn]

I finally talked my neighbor into a slider for his 250 short bed. Sadly he did not think to use it on the 1st trip with his new Montana. A 6-7" scrape on the 5er cap, a dimple on the cab was the result. Another couple degrees and the window would have broke, thankfully only a scratch there as well. Bites when you try to hurry out of a problem area.

[jimborokz]

[QUOTE=travelin texans;347061]Let us see that person do that with a 40' 5er & a CC DRW long bed truck, then I'd be impressed.
We witnessed a couple pull into a park where all sites were wide enough to be comfortable but not huge, all were 90 degree back ins. They were in a DRW CC F350 towing a long 5er, he got out, the women all of about 4'6" tall about the size of a 10 year old girl, she got behind the wheel while he stood at the drivers side front bumper pointing (not shouting) to her directions, she never took her eyes off him & backed in perfectly 1st shot. We were very impressed!
Y
Years ago when our kids were young and we had a rather large popup and a mid sized station wagon we would camp at state campgrounds that had pretty tight sites to back into. DW would take the wheel and I would walk along beside the drivers door and just tell her which way to turn the wheel, down right or down left. She would look straight ahead and nail it the first time everytime. Loved seeing the looks on the neighbors faces when we were done.

[slimchancepistolero]

I never had trouble backing boats from 14' to 30', never had a problem with a TT of any size. Now on my 4th 5er and still can't back the damn thing in!
you guys are really building my confidence .... i too have been towing boat trls and TT for a long time and have not had any problems, threading the needle, now on my first 5th whl and it took me over a half hour just to park it in the barn yard when i brought it home .... first real trip coming up, half mile twisting dirt road with trees on both sides then up a steep hill (150 yrds) with water bars and then the fun begins backing down hill in a field along with other campers ... no place to turn around till i get to the top of the hill

[jimborokz]

I think the easiest to back trailer we've owned was the Holiday Rambler (36' long). The Cougar fifth wheel (31') is more challenging, but I usually get it close on the first try and make it look like I'm rolling around looking for a level spot from there....

I will say that the hardest damn trailer I have to back is the 4' garden utility trailer behind the lawn tractor. That thing will jack-knife in about 6 inches of "wrong direction" while in reverse...... More than a few choice words with that trailer !!!!!!!

totally agree with the lawn tractor issue. When I back the leaf sweeper into it's parking spot I'm like Austin Powers turning around in the tunnel. https://youtu.be/iLKR9tCiwvA But I just can't figure what it is about the pivot point of the fw vs a tow behind that makes it so much harder to back up. Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like I have a lot of company.

[CaptnJohn]

I met a couple in GA that took driving lessons in Florida. The instructor put 3 stickers on each side of the 40’ 5er. The spotter stood in a spot and when each sticker arrived the driver made an adjustment. The f450!put it spit on every time.
I’d like to find that guy with the stickers.

[retiredusps69]

The hardest trailer I had to use as a Green Horn was a Gasoline trailer with a Split Tandem.The torque rods would change the load to the other ax;e when backed over even a small pebble. troopers could not scale you on portables it transferred the weight to the other axle. I looked like a Drunk backing up until I mastered it.About a Month,Even after 40 yrs Driving tractor Trailers I still Goof Up.Old timer told me if you can't get it in the spot get out walk around the truck have a smoke and get back in and get it done.

[kcamp99186]

I was leaving a campground in Monongahela National Forrest when we came upon a very large tree lying across the roadway. There was simply no way to move the thing, at least 60' long and 3' thick. We happened to be about 1/4 mile up the graveled, mountain road from the nearest cutoff or turnaround. Thankfully a friend had camped with us and he drove his vehicle to the bottom of the mountain to stop traffic and we (DW and I) backed down. It was a journey! I was on the drop off side and I asked her to warn me if I approached the ditch on her side too closely. She always said "stop, you're about to go into the ditch!". I just couldn't get it into her head to warn me before it got to that point. But, we made it safely to the bottom without any serious hiccups and our marriage survived. LOL

[slimchancepistolero]

i read in a forum about a trick used for backing TT .... take a 2" yellow strap and roll it out where you can see it and use it for a guide .... came home from first camping trip with my first ever 5er .. had to back it beside the barn going around a slight corner.... laid out the strap and with only pulling forward twice i was exactly beside the yellow strap .... rolled it up and put the strap in the basement ... ta da